The Cardinals are promoting right-hander Angel Rondon to the active roster prior to today’s game with the Reds, according to Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat (via Twitter). Rondon is already on the 40-man roster, and the corresponding move to add him to the active roster isn’t yet known.
An international signing from the Dominican Republic in 2016, Rondon is set to make his big league debut at age 23. He has a 3.15 ERA and 22.8% strikeout rate over 371 innings in the minors, though he has a 5.32 ERA over 23 2/3 innings at Triple-A Memphis this season, which marked his first taste of Triple-A action. Most of Rondon’s struggles at Triple-A, however, came in his first two starts, and he has been solid enough over his last three outings that the Cards will give him a look in the majors.
It’s quite possible that first look could come in the starting rotation, given the Cardinals’ injury problems. Jack Flaherty and Miles Mikolas are both on the injured list, and Kwang Hyun Kim made an early departure from last night’s game due to back tightness. Rondon could be used as a long reliever until more is known about Kim’s status, and if Kim also has to hit the IL, Rondon can slide right into the rotation.
MLB Pipeline ranks the right-hander as the 10th-best prospect in the St. Louis farm system, citing Rondon’s curveball and fastball as plus pitches. That heater can hit 97mph but usually sits in the mid-90’s, and Pipeline’s scouting report notes that Rondon’s “delivery creates natural deception, which often helps his fastball play above its velocity.”
The Reds are gonna shell this guy…
They don’t need to. The way the Cards are playing lately the Reds only need to score 2 or 3 runs and the game is theirs.
Payton, India and Winker disagree.
Can’t be worse than who he is replacing I suppose.
Kim is probably going on the injured list. Hugh opportunity for Angel after being in the organization since he was 18 years old. Not expecting much but not having a book on him will be to his advantage.
Nah, he’ll get rocked.
All these pitchers out there with mid-to-upper 90s velo…I understand how doctoring the baseball creates movement and increases spin rate, but it can’t increase the speed of the pitch, can it? If not, then what do we attribute all the crazy velocity to – fewer innings so they can go all out? Driveline?
They are specifically drafting for and training for velocity in a way that’s never been done before. These guys were always out there, they just focused on different things during development.
Yeah and what they used to focus on must have been control and throwing strikes. This hang up on velocity it garbage if you can’t throw strikes.
Time to move Reyes into a starting role.
Is BigAl Avila sleeping?
I know Little Chris is too busy watching hockey…but IS ANYONE on the Tiger staff paying attention?
Hockey pucks have more fun!
It won’t be Angel’s in the outfield, instead Angel’s on the mound
Love it. Been waiting for this day for a long time. Has been my favorite, most underrated pitching prospect. Fangraphs has slept on him so hard for no apparent reason. I don’t think anyone really took note of his 2019 AA campaign, but they should have.