St. Louis Cardinals 2018 minor league awards
The St. Louis Cardinals had a topsy-turvy 2018 season at the major league level, but how did their minor league system perform?
As part of our continuing coverage at Call to the Pen of the minor leagues, we will be covering each organization’s top players for 2018. The coverage will go in reverse order of record. Today, we will look at the St. Louis Cardinals.
We are going to review the system’s leaders for each organization statistically, then choose one hitter and one pitcher to honor for every team. This will be primarily based on statistical performance, though some “age relative to level” could come into play, so a very impressive season from a 28-year-old in AA will rank below a nearly as impressive season from a 20-year-old at the same level.
After we review each organization’s hitter and pitcher of the year, we will close out October with Call To The Pen’s Minor League team of the year. That will lead into November starting our team top 10 prospect lists. In other words, there will be plenty of minor league content on the way at CTTP, so keep coming back for more each day this offseason!!
St. Louis Cardinals minor leagues
The St. Louis Cardinals have developed a reputation for drafting players that many were not viewing as impact players and seeing them come up to be significant contributors on playoff baseball teams. After missing the playoffs for their third straight season, the Cardinals are looking to their system more for impact than contribution at this point.
From the pitching side, they certainly can’t ask for much more than what they got in 2018, with nearly their entire rotation by the end of the year being rookie-eligible. Almost certainly 2 of their top 3 starters in a playoff series would have been rookies as well.
Before we offer up awards on the season, let’s take a look at the system’s statistical leaders:
Organization Leaders (min. 150 PA, 50 IP)
BA: Malcom Nunez .415
OBP: Malcom Nunez .497
SLG: Malcom Nunez .774
OPS: Malcom Nunez 1.272
R: Tommy Edman, Lane Thomas 84
H: Tommy Edman 156
2B: Elehuris Montero 37
3B: Diomedes Del Rio 13
HR: Lane Thomas 27
RBI: Lane Thomas 88
SB: Oscar Mercado 31
TB: Lane Thomas 252
W: Dakota Hudson 13
G: Jacob Patterson 51
GS: Jake Woodford 28
IP: Anthony Shaw 156 2/3
SV: Edward Mujica 13
K: Anthony Shaw 130
ERA: Julio Puello 2.05
WHIP: Alex Fagalde 0.99
K/9: C.J. Saylor 13.6
K/BB: Hector Soto 8.33
Let’s look at the award winners…
St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Year: Daniel Poncedeleon
Level(s): AAA Memphis, MLB St. Louis Cardinals
Stats: Minors: 9-4, 19 G, 18 GS, 96 1/3 IP, 2.24 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 50/110 BB/K; Majors: 0-2, 1 save, 11 G, 4 GS, 33 IP, 2.73 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 13/31 BB/K
One of the scariest moments of the 2017 minor league season was when Daniel Poncedeleon took a comebacker off his head, leading to immediate issues and ending his season. Back on the mound in 2018 was an accomplishment on its own, but Poncedeleon dominated beyond even his successful pre-injury 2017.
Poncedeleon was excellent with Memphis, striking out over a batter per inning, but his premier moment came in his MLB debut. Poncedeleon tossed 7 no-hit innings, allowing 3 walks and striking out 3 before leaving the game only to see the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen not only lose the no-hitter, but also lose the game!
Over his major league time, Poncedeleon displayed a rare abiity to handle switching between starting and relieving, which could allow him to possess a unique role as a long man and spot starter, giving him tremendous value to the 2019 Cardinals pitching staff.
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Runners-up
Though his major league home is almost certainly in the bullpen (and a 2.63 ERA over 27 1/3 IP showed his strength in that role with the Cardinals), Dakota Hudson had a dominant season starting for Memphis with his heavy sinker/slider combination. He posted a 2.50 ERA over 19 starts and 111 2/3 innings, with a 38/87 BB/K ratio.
While teammate Nunez was dominating at the plate, Julio Puello was incredibly impressive for the DSL Cardinals Blue squad. He went 7-0 in his 15 games, 13 of them starts, tossing 74 2/3 innings, with a 2.05 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and a 23/82 BB/K ratio. The 6’4″ righty should see stateside ball in 2019.
A great example of the St. Louis Cardinals grabbing value late in the draft, Alex Fagalde was drafted in the 30th round in 2017 out of California-Riverside. He’s jumped up the system, blowing through both A-ball levels in 2018. He tossed 116 2/3 innings combined in 2018, posting a 2.16 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and a 26/116 BB/K ratio. He’ll face upper levels in 2019.
Jake Walsh was a surprising sign in the 2017 draft, selected in the 16th round, but expected to go to a 4-year school if he wasn’t a first 3 round selection. Instead, he signed, and he showed in 2018 just how talented he truly is, pitching across both A-ball levels, and posting a 2.51 ERA over 139 2/3 innings with a 36/116 BB/K ratio.
Viewed as a prototype college lefty coming out of Illinois-Chicago in the 21st round of the 2017 draft, Jake Dahlberg is older than the average player that was at State College or on Peoria’s roster, but he still had plenty of success. He combined to toss 97 1/3 innings on the year, with a 2.50 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and a 19/77 BB/K ratio. His advanced feel on the mound could allow him to bump up to high-A or perhaps even AA to open 2019.
Next. Pirates minor league awards. dark
The 2018 season was one of peaks and valleys at the major league level for the St. Louis Cardinals, but the minor leagues showed plenty of very good performances that give hope for the future.