The St. Louis Cardinals made a significant statement about their future direction during the last offseason, signaling a shift towards rebuilding by trading away key players such as Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, and Brendan Donovan. These trades were aimed at acquiring a wealth of Minor League talent, setting the stage for a new era in Cardinals baseball.
At the recent MLB Trade Deadline on August 3, the Cardinals continued this strategy by trading veteran pitchers Dustin May and JoJo Romero to the Milwaukee Brewers, as well as outfielder Lars Nootbaar to the Arizona Diamondbacks. These moves were designed to bolster their Minor League system with promising prospects, and a month later, the early returns on these trades are showing promise.
Milwaukee’s Acquisitions: Dustin May and JoJo Romero
Dustin May, who had a 5-7 record with a 4.38 ERA in 21 starts for the Cardinals, has faced challenges since joining the Brewers. In his five starts with Milwaukee, May has struggled, recording a 1-2 record and a 6.41 ERA. Notably, he encountered a particularly tough outing against the Seattle Mariners, where he allowed seven hits and seven earned runs in just two innings. Additionally, May suffered a freak injury when he was struck by a line drive on his very first pitch against the New York Mets, but fortunately, he only sustained a bruise.
On the other hand, JoJo Romero, who recently returned from an emergency appendectomy, has made a positive impact in the Brewers' bullpen. Since being activated on September 1, Romero has not allowed any runs in his two appearances, contributing with one hold.
St. Louis’ New Prospects: Alexander Frias and Josiah Ragsdale
In exchange for their veterans, the Cardinals received Class-A outfielder Alexander Frias and Double-A outfielder Josiah Ragsdale. Frias, an 18-year-old talent from the Dominican Republic, has quickly made a name for himself in the Cardinals’ system, ranking as the No. 4 prospect. In 22 games with Class-A Palm Beach, he has demonstrated his potential with a .749 OPS, including four doubles, a triple, and two home runs, along with six stolen bases.
Josiah Ragsdale, 22, has also been impressive at Double-A Springfield, where he has continued to build on a strong season. In 23 games, Ragsdale has hit four doubles, a triple, five home runs, and driven in 13 runs. His overall performance across four Minor League levels this season includes 25 doubles, 24 home runs, and a remarkable .308 batting average with a 1.001 OPS, solidifying his status as the No. 11 prospect in the Cardinals’ system.
Arizona’s Addition: Lars Nootbaar
Lars Nootbaar, a fan favorite during his time in St. Louis, has had a mixed start with the Diamondbacks. Initially struggling at the plate, Nootbaar found his rhythm recently, hitting his first home run in his 12th game with Arizona and following it up with a grand slam in a game against the San Francisco Giants. In 22 games with the Diamondbacks, he is batting .224 with four doubles, three home runs, and 11 RBIs, contributing to a team that is vying for a playoff spot.
Additional Acquisitions: Daniel Eagen and Sandro Santana
The Cardinals also received right-handed starter Daniel Eagen and left-handed reliever Sandro Santana. Eagen, 23, has shown flashes of brilliance, including two games with double-digit strikeouts for Double-A Springfield, although he holds a 2-3 record with a 4.03 ERA. Meanwhile, Santana, just 21, has impressed enough to earn a promotion to Triple-A Memphis after allowing only two hits and one earned run in 9.2 innings, striking out an impressive 19 batters without issuing a walk.
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