The St. Louis Cardinals have called up one of their best prospects, acquired in the Jordan Montgomery trade.
The St. Louis Cardinals are letting the kids play, and their future middle infield could be emerging right in front of them. According to Robert Murray of FanSided, St. Louis promoted second baseman Thomas Saggese, their fourth-ranked prospect, on Tuesday morning. Saggese had been hitting.253 with a.313 OBP and.751 OPS in Triple-A Memphis this year.
As Murray quickly reminded us, Saggese was one of the key players in the 2023 transaction that brought Jordan Montgomery to the eventual World Series champion Texas Rangers. Montgomery would only spend a half-season in Arlington before signing with the Arizona Diamondbacks this winter in Scott Boras’ free agent nightmare.
Saggese has always been one of the Cardinals system’s most confident players. At 22 years old, the time has come for him to pursue his MLB goal, especially late in a season when the Cards have little possibility of making the playoffs. He should slip in behind Brendan Donovan at second base.
“I’ve always known from a young age, and for whatever reason, I’ve been very confident that at my best, I know I can make it,” Saggese said of his promotion to the major leagues in March. “I’m not sure why, but that’s pretty much the only thing in my life like that. I know I can produce in the major leagues.”
Does this mean the Cardinals won the Jordan Montgomery trade?
It’s difficult to consider St. Louis winners of the Montgomery trade. In the end, the Rangers did win the World Series. Saggese’s emergence in the Cardinals’ infield in 2025 would make a case, but Montgomery left Arlington the following winter.
In exchange for Montgomery’s half-season, the Cards obtain Saggese (now their fourth-ranked prospect) and right-handed pitcher Tekoah Roby, the No. 6 prospect in the St. Louis system. If either of those players becomes an MLB star, or even a regular starter on a winning club, the Cardinals will have made out like bandits.
Montgomery was a free agent the next winter and expected to sign a rich contract, or so St. Louis and the rest of baseball believed at the time. While Monty was finally forced to take a short-term contract in Arizona due to Boras, whom he later fired, the Cardinals were never seriously considered at that high AAV.
Saggese has the first opportunity to show Mozeliak correct, and he may utilize it right now.
