The St. Louis Cardinals are calling up infield prospect Thomas Saggese from Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday, according to sources. Saggese, the team's No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline, was acquired by the Cardinals from the Texas Rangers in the trade that involved left-hander Jordan Montgomery being shipped to Texas last year. Saggese could be replacing the injured Brendan Donovan (foot) on the active roster and could see regular playing time at the keystone in St. Louis to close out the year. The 22-year-old former fifth-rounder by Texas in 2020 gets his first big-league call after slashing .253/.313/.438 with a .752 OPS, 20 home runs, 67 RBI and nine stolen bases in 125 games for Memphis this year. Saggese came up as a shortstop but can also play second or third base in a pinch. None of his tools jump off the page exactly, but Saggese does have 15-plus-homer power as a middle-infielder.
St. Louis Cardinals infield prospect Thomas Saggese posted his second consecutive multi-hit performance on Tuesday evening, where he went 4-for-5 with three singles and a home run. Since the start of June, the 22-year-old has only gone hitless in six games and held a solid .263/.304/.432 slash line over this period. Overall, through his first extended look at Triple-A ball this season, the former fifth-round selection has posted a .241/.298/.403 line with nine long balls, 38 RBI, five stolen bases, and a poor 16:70 BB:K ratio. Saggese is ranked as the fourth-best prospect in the St. Louis system on MLB.com and is projected to reach the majors later this summer.
St. Louis Cardinals infield prospect Thomas Saggese had a solid April in Triple-A Memphis, slashing .272/.333/.407 in 90 plate appearances with five doubles, two home runs, and four stolen bases. However, he's taken a step back in May. In 89 plate appearances, he's slashing .215/.292/.367 with three doubles, three homers, and a stolen base. Part of his decrease in production is that his BABIP went from .333 in April to .255 in May. Whether due to poorer contact quality or lousy luck, far fewer of Saggese's batted balls have resulted in base hits this month. Overall, the former fifth-rounder is slashing .234/.305/.371 with eight doubles, five homers, and five stolen bases. Though he's spent a majority of his games at shortstop, Saggese has also had a few starts at second and third base.
St. Louis Cardinals infield prospect Thomas Saggese is swinging a hot bat to open the 2024 campaign. The 22-year-old is riding a solid .286/.349/.464 stat line with two home runs and 11 RBI. Saggese struggled in his first taste of Triple-A last season with a .207 AVG, so it is nice to see the 96th overall prospect begin to turn things around. The number four ranked prospect in the St. Louis pipeline is expected to make his major league debut later this summer and is worth stashing in keeper and dynasty leagues as he should find plenty of playing time in an infield utility role when given the call.
Texas Rangers shortstop prospect Thomas Saggese joined the team by way of the shortened 2020 draft. Despite being selected at just 18 years old, he has wasted no time climbing through the minors, reaching Double-A by the end of 2022. Saggese is an aggressive hitter who has flashed power to the pull side from time to time, a trait that could develop further in the coming years. He projects to be a well-rounded hitter who doesn't sacrifice plate strikeouts for power, rather working an approach that includes some power and aggressiveness, as well as some patience and discipline. He's a versatile defender with good glovework, but a lack of range will likely limit him to second base. This past week, Saggese truly impressed at the plate, hitting 13-for-22 with one homer, seven RBI, four walks, and three strikeouts. He also stole a base along the way.
