When Thomas Saggese stepped to the plate in the seventh inning Thursday at Busch Stadium, the Cardinals rookie could feel “a little pressure.â€
The 22-year-old had gone hitless in his first nine at-bats in the major leagues following his debut Tuesday. As he stepped to plate with his walk-up song, Sublime’s “Santeria,†playing and a matchup with Reds reliever Carson Spiers awaiting, he “was just trying to hit something hard.†What resulted was something that “just worked out.â€
On the first pitch he saw from the righty, Saggese hit a soft line drive that dropped into right field for a single, securing his first MLB hit.
“It’s really cool because everybody else is so excited for me — everybody congratulating me,†Saggese said of the reactions in the dugout after his first single. “It’s a really cool feeling. Just like I said so many times before, it’s something that I thought about for so long. It’s a dream come true getting a big league hit.â€
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An inning later, Saggese added to his memorable day with a line-drive single to center field that recorded his first RBI in the majors as well and provided some insurance in a 6-1 Cardinals win that secured a three-game series win over the Reds.
The two-hit game added to a debut series for Saggese that has included a display of infield defense that has drawn praise from Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol along with teammates Paul Goldschmidt and Masyn Winn.
He added another example of his defensive skill set Thursday when he started at second base.
On a ground ball Cincinnati’s Rece Hinds hit sharply up the middle in the eighth inning, Saggese ranged to his right and, from behind second base and from the edge of the outfield grass, snagged the ball on a hop. With his momentum carrying him away from first base, Saggese turned, planted his right foot and made an off-balance throw to first base that beat Hinds at the bag for the inning’s second out.
“It’s been fun to watch him play. It really has,†said Marmol, whose club improved to 74-72. “That play up the middle was an incredible play. He got a good jump on it. He’s made several now. A couple of diving plays the other night. It’s been fun to watch him, man.â€
The effort showcased the type of player Saggese can be in the majors.
“I’m glad he got his first couple of hits today,†said Winn, who homered in the third inning against the Reds on Thursday. “But I think the defense he showcased over the last few days has been pretty unbelievable. I mean, you look at the guy. I mean, no BGs (batting gloves), just out there getting dirty. I mean, that dude is a baseball player. It’s pretty fun to watch.â€
And reinforced what the 22-year-old demonstrated in spring training while in big league camp as a non-roster invitee.
Saggese, a trade deadline acquisition in the Jordan Montgomery deal with the Rangers last summer, batted .300 with a .364 on-base percentage and 11 RBIs in his first big league camp. He doubled three times, homered once in 50 at-bats and was among the final cuts in big league spring training.
“He played really well in spring. I think he impressed all of us,†Goldschmidt said. “None of us had seen him because he was with the Rangers last year. He hit the ball really well, played good (defense). I mean, those defensive plays he made today, and really this whole week at shortstop, were great plays. He had some really good at-bats his first couple of days, too. Hit some balls hard that they caught. It was nice to get to see him rewarded, to have a couple of hits there late today.â€
His call to the majors Tuesday came after he batted .253 with 20 home runs and a .753 on-base plus slugging percentage in 125 games for Class AAA Memphis. It was with Memphis where Saggese assumed primary shortstop duties for the first time as a pro.
He started at shortstop in his major league debut and played second base in the other two games of the series. His presence gives the Cardinals an additional infielder with experience at second base, shortstop and third base.
“He’s not making the moment any bigger than it is,†Marmol said. “There are some nerves there. That’s normal, and he’s communicated that. But once he takes the field and gets that first ground ball or takes that first at-bat, he starts to kind of settle in. But he’s done a nice job of just being in the moment, being present and playing his game. What we’re seeing here over the last several days is exactly what we saw in spring training: Just a gritty player that’s going to give you everything he’s got.â€
When the Cardinals looked for insurance runs after starter Sonny Gray allowed one run and struck out nine batters in six innings and after Lars Nootbaar produced the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, Saggese’s single kicked off what ºüÀêÊÓƵ would do in the final two frames.
After singling to lead off the seventh, Saggese scored in the next at-bat on a home run from Brendan Donovan, who pinch-hit for Jordan Walker. With two outs in the eighth inning and Nootbaar on second base after he doubled with one out in the frame, Saggese lined an elevated fastball to center field to score Nootbaar for the rookie’s first RBI.
Saggese scored in the eighth when Winn reached base on a fielder’s choice to help the Cardinals secure a series win after they dropped the opener Tuesday.
“His at-bats are going to continue to get better and better,†Marmol said of Saggese. “He’s a line-drive guy. It was good to see him get that first knock out of the way, and then another line drive there to drive in a run. A positive day for him, and hopefully he can build off of it.â€