Cardinals Cut Rookie Infielder Amid Brutal Stretch At The Plate

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 05: César Prieto #31 of the St. Louis Cardinals successful action during the crippled against the New York Yankees astatine Yankee Stadium connected August 05, 2026 successful the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)

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The St. Louis Cardinals person spent overmuch of the 2026 play searching for reliable accumulation passim their position subordinate group, peculiarly from younger players trying to found themselves successful the majors.

One of those opportunities has not gone according to plan. Cesar Prieto earned a changeable pinch the big-league nine aft putting together an awesome play astatine Triple-A Memphis, but his first extended look successful the fields didn’t spell arsenic he mightiness person hoped.

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St. Louis Cardinals Make Tough Call On Rookie Infielder After 0-27 Start To Career

The Cardinals optioned Prieto to Triple-A Memphis connected Friday, according to NBC Sports. The move creates room for the expected promotion of an breathtaking imaginable arsenic Prieto struggled to scope guidelines successful his 2nd look astatine the large leagues.

“The Cardinals needed to free up a spot connected their progressive roster for the expected promotion of Joshua Baez from Triple-A Memphis connected Saturday and it looks for illustration Prieto drew the short straw this clip around,” David Shovein reported for NBC Sports. “He’ll proceed to service arsenic other infield extent astatine the Triple-A level.”

The demotion comes aft Prieto endured an highly difficult commencement offensively. The Cuban autochthonal had been moved to the Cardinals’ basking area but batted conscionable .036 aft a slow commencement astatine the plate.

“The 27-year-old infielder is conscionable 2-for-34 truthful acold astatine the major-league level but has been a dependable performer astatine Triple-A Memphis, slashing .307/.373/.517 pinch 12 homers and a 25:38 BB complete 71 games location this season,” CBS Sports noted arsenic Prieto was group to look the Cubs connected Friday.

Ultimately, that crippled mightiness person been his past successful the large leagues this year.

St. Louis Cardinals Make Tough Infield Move Amid Rebuilding Season

Prieto’s .307/.373/.517 slash line, 12 location runs and a beardown wide violative way grounds successful the minors propose the Cardinals person not simply abandoned Prieto aft a mini sample of major-league struggles.

Instead, the move gives Prieto an opportunity to regain assurance and proceed getting regular at-bats.

His contiguous situation will beryllium turning that Triple-A accumulation into thing that tin yet construe against major-league pitching. But he should get the chance to gain a return to the big-league roster, apt adjacent season, arsenic the Cardinals proceed evaluating controllable talent for what now appears to beryllium a near-term rebuilding effort.

That being said, the Cardinals look to person a beautiful heavy infield group of young talent, pinch Blaze Jordan the feline to hit for a 3rd guidelines role.