Left-handed pitching prospect Genesis Cabrera is about to bring his high-90s heat to St. Louis. The Cardinals will call up Cabrera for a start in Philadelphia on Wednesday, manager Mike Shildt told Josh Helmuth of KSDK News and other reporters Sunday.
This will be the first promotion to the majors for the 22-year-old Cabrera, who is already on the Cardinals’ 40-man roster. The former Rays farmhand is in his first full season with the Redbirds, having come over last July in a trade centering on outfielder Tommy Pham. Cabrera has since risen to Triple-A Memphis, where his inexperience has been on display this season, evidenced by 6.35 ERA/6.86 FIP with 8.85 K/9 and 4.31 BB/9 in 39 2/3 innings.
Despite his unimpressive numbers at the minors’ top level, the Cardinals have high hopes for Cabrera, and there’s bullishness from outside the organization. Thanks in part to a fastball that can reach 98 mph, Cabrera ranks as one of the Cardinals’ 15 best prospects at Baseball America (No. 6), MLB.com (No. 8) and FanGraphs (No. 14). However, those outlets agree Cabrera brings a “violent delivery” and “inconsistent” secondary offerings to the table, which could lead to a future as a reliever.
For now, the Cardinals are open to giving Cabrera multiple chances to stick in their rotation if he performs well Wednesday, according to Shildt. Losers of 16 of 22 and owners of a .500 record, the Cardinals need a boost – including in their rotation. The Redbirds have consistently run out the same five starters this year, which is about to change in the wake of the floundering Michael Wacha’s demotion to the bullpen.
Jack Flaherty is the lone Cardinals starter who has recorded above-average numbers on the season, though the grounder-heavy Dakota Hudson has limited opposing teams to three or fewer earned runs in seven consecutive outings. On the other hand, Miles Mikolas has taken steps backward since a star-caliber showing in 2018, and Adam Wainwright continues to distance himself from his halcyon days.
that Mikolas extention was terrible from the start. there is no reason you give a pitcher his age that much money after one good year.
Oh calm down, it’s May. His BB and K rates are identical to last year. Its Yadi who for some reason has forgotten how to call games this season, so Mikolas’s HR rate has gone up.
Yeah his stuff is the same, he just hasn’t located as well. He hasn’t pitched that poorly, just a couple of mistakes an outing. Right now he is the least of the Cards’ problems.
I highly doubt its yadi forgetting how to call games. maybe it could be having Maddox as the pitching coach.
Or maybe,hitters figured him out and he is what he is? A 4th or 5th starter. This isn’t Japan.
We need something to spark this team but I don’t think he is the one to do it, let’s hope I am wrong.
Maybe the shouldn’t have given away Voit for peanuts and cracker jacks and they wouldn’t ha e felt the need to trade weaver for goldschmidt
As Weaver gets placed on the DL….
That doesn’t matter at all
neither is your comment. they could not have known that voit would perform the way he’s doing.
Of course they couldn’t know Voit could do this BECAUSE THEY NEVER GAVE HIM A FREAKING CHANCE!
Dude, Voit was blocked. Glad to see him doing well for the Yanks, but the Red Birds do not need another righty coming off the bench. Rather have Gallegos.
Exactly…Voit was blocked by a .200 hitter and average fielder In Carpenter!!! If I had to make a choice between their skills, it would have been Voit over Carpenter. Carpenter would be the Utility man. Unless Munoz beat him out.
Lol. Carpenter was worth over 5 WAR last year, genius and is a much better player and hitter than Voit. He’s also better defensively at 1B too. Voit benefits greatly from hitting at ridiculous, glorified wiffle ball stadiums in the NL east, and he’s still going to end a 2ish WAR player at the end. Munoz doesn’t even deserve to carry Marp’s jock. He’s below replacement. Voit is not a franchise altering player. We currently have 2 players that are better than him at the position.
So o guess Cincy, Milwaukee and Chicago are VAST spaces where it’s hard to hit HR? I got news for you. With a juiced ball now, it’s easier to hit home runs everywhere. Or have you not been paying attention?
Yeah there are 3 hitters parks in the NL Central, but St. Louis isn’t one of them where most games would be played
And no Carp isn’t a better defender at first than Voit. He was awful there, but he is a better than average third baseman. Don’t know if the Cards had there eyes on Goldschmidt when they made the deal, but another right hand hitter with.below average defense, though acceptable, wasn’t an outlook they felt was favorable, and the return has turned out ok, and Gallegos has shined at times, nasty downward slider.
Carpenter is better than average defensive 3B man? Is that what a career -1 DRS player is? Good to know. My 16 year old daughter has a stronger arm than him.
If he allows 3 runs or less. $100 says Mo extends him.
Cabrera has that Invisible Touch. Let’s hope that he can Turn It On Again, and that being in the majors doesn’t mean that he’s In Too Deep.
(I can’t help it, I love puns and Genesis is one of my favorite bands)
Most of these readers are so young, they won’t understand the references. It’s going to be the Land of Confusion around here.
I get it!
Not bad!
These are both brilliant.
That’s All.
While I have serious doubts about Cabrera I don’t about Genesis. No matter how bad he pitches it won’t be Genesis bad.
There must be some misunderstanding. Must be some kind of mistake…that the Cards are just terrible right now
Agree the Red Birds are terrible right now, but Voit wouldn’t have made them any better. Nor would Weaver, nor Kelly. Hard to say if the Cards turn it around. Goldschmidt’s numbers are similar to Voit’s, even if he has disappointed to date. I look for the Red Birds to move Ozuna soon, perhaps in a deal that includes Wacha. Hard to say what kind of return they could get seeing how they are both free agents to be, with no draft choices attached, because they were traded. The Cards desperately need a lefty swinging corner outfielder with thump. Not many out there. Cards aren’t going to re-sign either, so might as well try and get something for them.
They aren’t puns.
Hey look, yet another young pitcher that just throws really hard with no control..
Seems like they could’ve given Wacha a slightly longer leash until Reyes was ready rather than turning to this guy who is struggling mightily in the minors.
Not sure about the longer leash but hard to see how Cabrera is the answer. Ponce de Leon would seem a lot safer. Gomber is injured.and Woodford has struggled his last couple of outings. And while Shew has just made it to AAA, I would rather give him a try. The Phillies are loaded with lefty hitters, so I get it, but the odds of success are minimal.
So Cabrera doing awful garners a promotion of what PDL is doing right now? Do the Cardinals actually wanna win games?
It actually appears the owners do not care if the Cards wins games or not. As long as the people are still spending money on seats!
That’s how it’s always been.
True, the Cardinals have some fine young pitchers. However, some current starters are there a bit prematurely and needed another year or do in the minors polishing their control. Don’t look at mismanagement this time. The whole problem falls back on John Mozeliak!!! He will has not and will not put the money out or trade for a high dollar pitcher. Be it a proven Current MLB right handed or Lefthander, he refuses to spend money wisely. Too many current dead weight salaries. All attributed to Mozeliak. Currently the Cardinals need a proven #1
Owners should have given Lunhow his weight in gold to stay…..
Wait a minute here. I thought Wainwright was their best pitcher?
Of course they’re bringing up Cabrera. Mozeliak is still hoping at least one trade he made worked out. But in this case, it will always be a bad trade they made with Tampa.
Guys relax we have five number 1 starters.