If you are a St. Louis Cardinals fan who has been fired up about all of the prospects who have shined for the club this season in the majors, just wait until 19-year-old Rainiel Rodriguez gets his opportunity.
It's been a great year for the Cardinals with guys making the jump to the big leagues and finding success. JJ Wetherholt, Leo Bernal, Joshua Báez and Quinn Mathews have all shown that they can make a big difference on a big league club. Bryan Torres is another rookie who has shown that he can help a club out in a depth role. The 2026 season has been a clear step in the right direction and there are plenty more top prospects to come with Rodriguez being the most intriguing.
Earlier in the week, Baseball America released its annual Minor League Player Of The Year list and unsurprisingly, Rodriguez nabbed the spot for St. Louis.
"Rodriguez is a 5-foot-10 right-handed hitter who signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2024 after hitting beyond his size every single time the Cardinals saw him," wrote Derrick Goold. "He has a stout build and he uses that to steady a balance swing that covers a lot of the zone with authority. Rodriguez has shown the ability to drive different types ...