St. Louis Cardinals 2018 minor league awards
![CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 28: Harrison Bader #48 of the St. Louis Cardinals makes a catch on Jason Heyward #22 of the Chicago Cubs during the sixth inning on September 28, 2018 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_752,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/3485a01029517027d74d29a021e41ac18983d70c91eb2972bd0197d1216edca8.jpg)
![LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 22: Jack Flahherty #32 of the St. Louis Cardinals reacts after a solo homerun from Joc Pederson #31 of the Los Angeles Dodgers, to trail 1-0, during the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium on August 22, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/w_480/shape/cover/sport/91e4255154abd3285909382de800a20b04927b805d8bc0b1f6b940af931cc3b3.jpg)
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 Hitter of the Year: Malcom Nunez
Level(s): DSL Cardinals Blue
Stats: .415/.497/.774, 44 G, 199 PA, 16 2B, 2 3B, 13 HR, 3 SB, 26/29 BB/K
Rarely does a player in the Dominican Summer League so dominate so thoroughly that in a top system, he’s rated as one of the top performers in that system. Even more rare is when that player is so dominant that he’s one of the top performers in all of minor league baseball.
Malcom Nunez made his pro debut in 2018 in the DSL after signing out of Cuba. The third baseman has a very steady swing and was praised for his eye at the plate. He showed that well in 2018, hitting over .400 for the season.
The Cardinals will be bringing Nunez stateside in 2019, and he could be a guy that is jumped up to advanced rookie right away and could even finish 2019 in full-season ball.
Runners-up
Acquired in mid-season 2017 from Toronto, Lane Thomas had a very productive first full season in the St. Louis Cardinals system. He played between AA Springfield and AAA Memphis, hitting .264/.333/.489 with 23 doubles, 6 triples, 2 home runs, and 17 stolen bases, flashing his power and speed.
Dominican Elehuris Montero had a big season in his first year in full-season ball, working his way through both A-ball teams. The third baseman hit .315/.371/.504 combined with 37 doubles, 16 home runs, and a 38/103 BB/K over 531 plate appearances.
While Nunez was flashing pure hitting ability with the DSL Cardinals Blue squad, Joerlin De Los Santos was putting on a speed show with the DSL Cardinals Red team. He hit .359/.459/.500, with 18 doubles and 6 triples, adding in 30 stolen bases.
Hulking Tyler O’Neill looks the part of a slugger at the plate, and though he spent a significant time in the majors in 2018, he did significant damage while in the minor leagues. Playing just 64 games with Memphis, O’Neill came within one home run of leading the St. Louis Cardinals minor leagues in home runs, with 26 as he hit .311/.385/.693 for Memphis.
Considered one of the best power hitters in the draft, Nolan Gorman fell to the St. Louis Cardinals at the 19th overall selection due to some concerns about his ability to handle third base defensively and his possible issues with swing and miss. While the swing and miss is still a concern, Gorman’s bat certainly put plenty of concerns to rest as he played all the way up to full-season ball in his pro debut, hitting .291/.380/.570 with 13 doubles and 17 home runs.
![ST LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 12: Daniel Ponceddeleon #62 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches during the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium on September 12, 2018 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jeff Curry/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/w_480/shape/cover/sport/c38b75228abdeb6f434cbcf7abf220c658af1f86de7158ac146bd6d05bddb31a.jpg)
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.