Cardinals Catching Prospect Listed As Breakout Candidate For 2025

The Cardinals may have something special in this young catching prospect.

Sep 11, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; A detailed view of the 9/11 ribbon on a St. Louis Cardinals hat in the dugout before the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have made clear that they hope to cut payroll for 2025 rather than spend on players in free agency. They also may end up trading away certain players, with Nolan Arenado being the most obvious candidate.

This means that 2025 will be a year in which they focus on their youth rather than veteran players. While they have some solid young players already on the Major League roster, there are some players in the minor league system that might turn heads.

Joel Reuter of Bleacher report listed 17-year-old catcher Rainiel Rodriguez as a potential breakout candidate for 2025.

"After signing for $300,000 in April, Rodriguez made an immediate splash in his pro debut, hitting .345/.462/.683 with 12 doubles, 10 home runs and 38 RBI in 41 games in the Dominican Summer League. His defensive game could take some time to develop behind the plate, and he has a power-over-contact approach that could be tested against more advanced pitching, but his 60-grade power is the real deal," Reuter wrote.

The Cardinals have a lot of catchers in their system. On the Major League roster, they have Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pages. In the minors, they have Leonardo Bernal and Jimmy Crooks.

Rodriguez adds to St. Louis' stache of extra young catchers that could make an impact. He obviously isn't anywhere close to MLB ready, so he won't make an impact on the MLB roster in 2025. But this year represents a chance for him to rise through the ranks of the sytsem.

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