The St. Louis Cardinals made their first roster move of the offseason on Friday, claiming right-handed pitcher Roddery Munoz off waivers from the Miami Marlins and adding him to their 40-man roster.
Few waiver claims appear to receive high approval ratings from the fandom, and given the level of irritation that many supporters are already experiencing with the front office, this move has already had its detractors. Munoz made his MLB debut this season, appearing in 18 games (17 of which were starts) and posting a 6.53 ERA. His home run percentage last year was an eye-popping 2.83 HR/9, which must be improved if he is to find success in the Major Leagues.
Munoz was signed as an international free agent by the Atlanta Braves in 2018. He was waived by the Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates last year before being dealt to the Marlins on December 20th, 2023. Munoz was a very fascinating arm for the Braves, but because he was still in his early stages of development, they could not afford to use a 40-man roster space on him.
Munoz is recognized for his mid-90s fastball and athleticism, which inspires clubs to fantasize about what he could become. His lack of command may push him to the bullpen in the long run, but the Marlins definitely expected him to shine as a starter this season. With the Cardinals in reset mode this season, they can afford to explore what Munoz has to offer, whether as a starter, reliever, or both.
Munoz’s low-90s slider (which glides like a cutter) appears to be the key to realizing his full potential. Most people would agree that he has electrical equipment, but if he can’t figure out how to use it, it won’t matter. If he does, his fastball/sinker/slider combination could be devastating. He’s comparable to Riley O’Brien in that you attempt to gamble on the raw stuff in the hopes that he works it out.
The Marlins’ general manager, Peter Bendix, has a lengthy history of working with Chaim Bloom in Tampa Bay, which I find noteworthy given the number of minor moves the Cardinals made last offseason that involved Bloom. Bloom had previously employed O’Brien, Nick Robertson, and Ryan Fernandez, as well as experienced trade acquisition Andrew Kittredge.
I’m not here to say you Munoz is going to be a wonderful pickup and you should be overjoyed, but I’m not going to join the chorus of people who dismiss this right away. I enjoy how the Cardinals are increasingly betting on things, which, when successful (as seen with Fernandez), benefits the team greatly. And when it doesn’t (like with O’Brien), there’s little downside.
Many people, including me, were critical of the Cardinals’ decision to keep Michael Siani on their 40-man roster last offseason. Well, he just proven a lot of us wrong, and while he isn’t a star, he is a significant asset to the club and was well worth that place. Munoz is significantly more likely to become a player like Alfonso Rivas or Buddy Kennedy, but he’s still worth picking up for free today.
Should the Cardinals face a 40-man roster constraint later this summer, they can always place Munoz on waivers. The Cardinals now have 36 players on their 40-man roster after adding Munoz, but they will need to add Tink Hence, Tekoah Roby, and others to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft.
