As MLB rosters expand from 26 to 28 players on September 1, the St. Louis Cardinals had the opportunity to make a shuffle at the catching position, add a bullpen arm, and reinforce their outfield depth. St. Louis called up catcher Leo Bernal and right-handed reliever Hancel Rincón from Triple-A Memphis, and both will make their MLB debuts when they appear. Bernal would've been the fourth eligible big-league backstop, so the Cardinals optioned fellow rookie catcher Jimmy Crooks to Memphis and recalled outfielder Victor Scott II in his place.
Aug 31, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott II (11) catches a fly ball hit by New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres (not pictured) during the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
The last several weeks have been busy for the Cardinals transaction-wise because of recent injuries , and each of these moves has similar ramifications for the team in the final month of the regular season.
St. Louis certainly has a good problem at catcher , as it can switch talented rookie catchers when one is scuffling in the majors. Crooks was initially recalled on May 29, adding a third MLB catcher alongside Iván Herrera and Pedro Pagés . But the lefty backstop has struggled mightily, slashing .179/.255/.336 with a 32.2% strikeout rate in 52 games. He has also had inconsistent results defensively, flashing strong framing skills and pop time but not standing out as a stolen-base limiter while being porous as a blocker.
Bernal, on the other hand, brings a well-rounded skill set to the table. The Cardinals' No. 7 prospect (per MLB Pipeline) has hit .278 with an .831 OPS this season, logging 16 homers and 19 doubles. As a switch-hitter, Bernal doesn't have a clear hole in his game and has shown true polish as a 22-year-old out of Panama. Last season, he was awarded a MiLB Gold Glove, which covers all minor league levels, as Bernal is regarded as one of the best defensive catchers in the junior circuit.
He will likely receive similar playing time to Crooks, splitting catching duties with Herrera and Pagés as St. Louis continues to search for a definitive answer at the position.
A 24-year-old from the Dominican Republic, Rincón has been molded in St. Louis' system for the last seven years. Primarily pitching in Triple-A in 2026, Rincón has posted a 4.01 ERA with 88 strikeouts over 71 1/3 innings with Memphis.
He possesses an elite changeup, which has allowed Rincón to torture left-handers, limiting them to a .539 OPS. Righties are sporting an .839 OPS against Rincón, but the 6-2 righty has had much better success against opposite-handed hitters over the last three months.
The 24-year-old should be a welcome addition to a bullpen that has been taxed recently, but is also steadily getting younger. Rincón joins a group that includes Luis Gastelum , Cade Winquest , and Brycen Mautz , rookie arms that have all been called up to the majors within the last couple of months.
After extreme offensive struggles over the last few seasons , Scott was optioned to Memphis on June 8, giving Nathan Church a lane to be the Cardinals' primary center fielder. Scott has a career .566 OPS in MLB and logged an OPS of .534 before he was sent down earlier this year. He profiles as a glove-first outfielder as is, but his defensive work wasn't enough to compensate for being such a negative at the plate.
To succeed in the Show, Scott needs to better use his speed at the dish, which he's recently showcased in Triple-A. Since July 26, Scott is slashing .291/.371/.437, as he is chasing less and making more contact in the zone.
With Church, Jordan Walker , and Joshua Báez comprising St. Louis' current starting outfield, it will be interesting to see how much run Scott gets in September.
With the brutal injury news the Cardinals have received recently, and underperformance from certain players on the roster, the September roster expansion couldn't have come at a better time for the organization.
After these transactions, Bernal has a chance to be St. Louis' answer at catcher, Rincón could be a quality bullpen option, and Scott can redeem himself as a capable major-league hitter. And in a year where the franchise is looking for long-term answers, these moves continue to help define the Cardinals' future.
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Main Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
