After adding right-handed reliever Ryan Fernandez to their 26-man roster in the major league phase of the Rule 5 draft on Wednesday, the Cardinals used the next three rounds to add depth to their farm system.
The Cardinals added infielder Johnfrank Salazar in the first round of the Triple-A phase of the draft, infielder Miguel Villarroel in the second round, and right-hander Benito Garcia in the third round.
The Cardinals also did not lose any players including Class High-A right-handers Ian Bedell and Inohan Paniagua.
Here’s a look at the three prospects the Cardinals added:
INF Johnfrank Salazar
A career .286 hitter across three minor league seasons, Salazar played in 59 games this past season split between the Florida Complex League and Class Low-A within the Red Sox system. The 20-year-old right-handed hitter produced a .374 average and 1.001 OPS in 25 FCL games but hit .228 with a .681 OPS in 34 games once he was promoted to Class Low-A Salem in late July. Defensively, he played 34 games at third base, 12 at first base, seven at second base, and caught four games. The four games at catcher all came at the complex league level and were his first four professional games at catcher. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 159 pounds, Salazar did not log any playing time at shortstop this past season after he combined for 58 rookie level games at the position between 2021 and 2022. Salazar joined the Red Sox organization in 2019 when he was acquired at the age of 16 as an international free agent signee from Venezuela. The highest level of professional baseball he’s played at is Low-A.
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INF Miguel Villarroel
After appearing in a 71 games this year — 68 of which came in Class Low-A while in the Rangers system — Villarroel slashed .231/.271/.328 with four home runs, 12 doubles, and was 18-for-18 in stolen base attempts. The 6-foot, 165-pound utility infielder struck out 56 times in Low-A for a 20% rate and drew a 4% walk rate after he combined for 11.4% strikeout rate after he batted .317 in 103 games over his first two professional seasons. The 21-year-old made appearances at first base, second base, shortstop, and in right field while with the Rangers’ Low-A affiliate. The majority of his defensive work since making his professional debut in 2021 has come at third base. Villarroel, a native of Venezuela, signed with the Rangers in 2019 as a 17-year-old international free agent.
RHP Benito Garcia
Over 89 minor league games within the Mets system, Garcia logged 215 1/3 innings and compiled 210 strikeouts while issuing 52 walks. Garcia, 23, spent time in Class Low-A, High-A, and Double-A this past year and maintained a 2.20 ERA in 61 1/3 frame across the three levels. The bulk of his workload came in Class High-A where he made 20 appearances, struck out 34 batters, kept hitters to a .168 batting average against him, and maintained a 1.18 ERA over 38 innings. Collectively, Garcia kept opposing hitters to a .195 batting against him and held a 0.90 WHIP in 2023. Both marks were the best Garcia, a Dominican Republic native, has produced in five seasons since making his MiLB debut as an 18-year-old in 2018. In addition to keeping hitters to a batting average below .200 this past season, Garcia also set career bests in home runs allowed per nine innings (0.44) and OPS (.519) allowed to hitters.