Sitting at 11-17 before Monday’s opener against the Cincinnati Reds, the St. Louis Cardinals were searching for a spark to help them climb the standings in a wide-open NL Central. Ahead of their 3-1 loss to the Reds, the team made a notable move by promoting José Barrero—once a top prospect with Cincinnati—who had signed a minor-league deal with St. Louis in November.
To make room for Barrero, the Cardinals surprisingly optioned Thomas Saggese to Triple-A, a move that may have flown under the radar for non-fans but raised eyebrows given Saggese’s strong early performance. In just 44 plate appearances, he posted an impressive .341/.364/.512 slash line. According to Cardinals beat writer John Denton of MLB.com, the team felt Saggese would benefit more from consistent playing time in the minors than irregular opportunities in the big leagues.
Barrero, who struggled offensively during his time with the Reds (.186 average, 4 homers, 32 RBIs in 139 games), showed promise during Spring Training with St. Louis. Working with hitting coach Brant Brown on a new approach, he tallied two home runs, eight RBIs, and four stolen bases in 24 games. His hot streak continued in Triple-A Memphis, where he hit .299 with four home runs and 13 RBIs over 23 games.
Though Barrero didn’t play in Monday’s loss, he’s expected to get regular chances in the outfield—especially with Jordan Walker and Victor Scott II off to slow starts.
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