The Cardinals signed catcher Chance Sisco to a minor league deal last week, as initially noted on Sisco’s MLB.com profile page. Sisco has already been on the field with Triple-A Memphis, which marked his first action in affiliated ball since he played with the Twins’ Triple-A affiliate in 2022.
Formerly a top-100 prospect during his days in the Orioles’ farm system, Sisco had a few flashes of that potential over four-plus MLB seasons in Baltimore from 2017-21, but he ended his O’s tenure with a .199/.319/.339 slash line over 598 plate appearances. After the Mets claimed Sisco off the Orioles’ waiver wire in June 2021, the catcher appeared in five games with New York and he hasn’t since been back in the big leagues.
Following his 2022 season in the Twins’ farm system, Sisco played in the Mexican League in 2023, and has spent parts of the last two seasons with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League. He has a whopping .274/.416/.609 slash line over his 399 PA with the Ducks, and that production helped land a spot on the Memphis roster.
Sisco gives the Cardinals a bit of extra catching depth while Willson Contreras is on the 10-day injured list. Contreras fractured his middle finger after being hit by a pitch on August 24, but the fracture wasn’t serious enough to require surgery, so he is tentatively slated to return around the middle of September. Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pages are handling catching duties in the interim, and Sisco brings a bit of added experience at the Triple-A level.
incredible callback and good luck to him
Some say he had “dumps like a truck”…
Cardinals need more catchers referencing the multitude of catchers on our minor league teams. How many on our top 30 prospect list.
With Ivan out of options heading into 2025 and their new found love of Pages behind the plate, I think Herrera gets traded this off-season.
It’s very hard to say what might happen this winter. Hopefully a change in upper management.
As for Herrera, I would let him spend the winter learning to play 1B. He would make an excellent RH hitting complement to Burly at 1B while still catching a couple days a week. Contreras should DH full-time going forward. It’s the best way to keep him healthy and productive at the plate over the life of that contract.
It’s going to be interesting how they play their hand with the catching situation and the subsequent ripple effect that could follow.
They seem to favor Pages over Herrera going forward so Herrera’s trade value may never be higher. I could see Contreras getting at bats playing first since he has experience there already, with him backing up Pages a day a week. With Crooks barreling through the minors, roster space for Crooks might be needed as soon as next spring. Herrera could help fetch a quality young player from another organization in need of catching, which is probably 50% of teams.
Another guy I believe they should entertain in trades is Helsley. His value in a deal could certainly bring a noteable return. Helsley’s long term deal would seem dollar foolish for the Cardinals with so much underachieving money weighing down the roster already. The financial picture will change between now and winter 2025, but I could see the bid getting out of hand for him. He’s healthy now, cash that chip while you can. Relievers value can be exceptional one day and nothing the next.
I’m totally on board with all of that.
I like it
I can see Herrera being traded this offseason.
Meanwhile, Helsley doesn’t have a long-term deal, although the Cardinals may want to consider signing him to one, since he’s been an absolute stud for three years in a row save for the two-month stint he lost to injury last year.
Anyway, what Helsley does have is two more years under team control at a reduced arbitration rate, and since he is one of the rare reliable late inning relief pitchers, the Cardinals will need him to help them compete in 2025 and 2026. Even if the payroll needs to be cut a little next year, you can’t find that kind of value for a proven closer on the free agent or trade markets, nor do the Cardinals look to have any in house options who could reliably replace Helsley at closer as early as next season.
Actually they do they have a closer in Springfield that is a late bloomer that could help out if Helsley was traded could get one heck return for him just saying
Former “can’t miss” prospect. Rooting for him
Another “DDDD” disaster draft pick!
One of those Orioles wunderkinds. The next Thurman Munson. Because Matt Wieters was the next Johnny Bench.
First game in Memphis, Sisco had 5 RBI. He’s off to a really good start anyway…
Who cares about AAA
laughing, you’ll care when your car breaks down.
Good for Sisco to get another Chance.
The Thong song should be his walk up song!
I get it! Chance
I was wondering whatever happened to this guy. Think about it O’s fans; if this guy panned out you probably wouldn’t have Adley right now…
The Sisco kid was a friend of mine.
Just goes to show that GMs should never be afraid to make trades that help the team right now. This guy was a can’t miss prospect and they continued to hold on to him. This was pre-Elias tenur.
Very good point. If you can get a proven player back you give up that prospect the majority of the time.
It’s a shame the Cardinals couldn’t get a proven player back for Carlson, though, unless you only look at Armstrong’s stats before 2024.
2017 MLB the Show rookie legend. Would be a nice story if he returned and became an MLB contributor.
Herrara needs to play over Pages. Much much better hitter. Oli love for Pages claiming he’s much better catcher. From what I’ve seen and stats I’ve seen doesn’t show that. Herrara needs to play
Then Pages goes and hits to HR’s today.
I know there is still a mathematical chance for the playoffs but we need to let the youngsters play because we have a lot of ? Going into next year. What can it hurt!
They are letting Walker play, as well as the usual young players like Winn, Burleson, Nootbaar, Siani, etc.. They even kept Scott on the roster for now. They also have plenty of youth in the bullpen. Meanwhile, they aren’t just going to bench Goldschmidt, Arenado, or their veteran starting pitchers for the rest of the season (except maybe a bullpen demotion for Mikolas). Aside from maybe Gorman, exactly which youngsters need to play who aren’t already doing so?
This makes sense. On the off chance that either Herrera or Pages gets hurt before Contreras returns, they need a passable option standing by in AAA. They also have room on the 40-man roster for him.