JUPITER, Fla. — Cardinals minor-league prospect Thomas Saggese entered Sunday’s exhibition game as a replacement for perennial All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado, and Saggese turned in an offensive performance reminiscent of Arenado.
Saggese, who finished last season at Triple A, went 4-for-4 in the Cardinals’ 12-8 victory over Miami with a double, six runs batted in and a diving stop at third base that likely prevented a hit from turning into extra bases. His offensive performance made him the first Cardinal with six or more RBIs in a spring training game since Brian Barton did so on March 1, 2009.
Saggese, 21, also became the first player since at least 2000 to come in as a reserve and drive in six runs in a spring training game. Jordan Walker was the last Cardinal with four hits in a spring training game, which came on March 4, 2023.
“I’ve definitely felt a lot more comfortable and just more in sync with the pitching,†said Saggese, who homered in Saturday’s game. “I think that’s a big thing, just getting in sync with the pitcher and in rhythm because I haven’t seen live pitching in a couple months.â€
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He has gone seven for nine in his last three games, and he’s now batting .391 (9-for-23) this spring.
Acquired along with right-handed pitching prospect Tekoah Roby and left-handed reliever John King in the trade that sent pitchers Jordan Montgomery and Chris Stratton to the Texas Rangers last summer, Saggese won the Texas League (Double A) MVP last season and led Minor League Baseball in hits (170) and total bases (294).
Saggese, a right-handed hitter, has played second base, third base and shortstop in the minor leagues.
“He’s been exactly as advertised,†Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “Good organizations, good teams, have depth. We’ll continue to run him out there. He has done a nice job at short, third. … On both sides of the ball, he has done a really nice job. He works hard, too.â€
Saggese, non-roster invitee to big-league camp, said he came into his first spring training with the Cardinals wanting to show he could compete, play hard and help the team win. He also said he’s always been confident that when he’s at his best he can produce at the major-league level.
A native of Carlsbad, California, Saggese also discussed how his religious faith helps him handle rough periods and those inevitable instances when doubt creeps into his mind.
“I got strong into my faith last year, and that’s a big thing for me,†Saggese said. “That helps me. God helps me immensely, just know that my purpose is greater than baseball and that I can fulfill what God wants me to — whatever that is. It’s not really under my control. That’s a thing that I like to constantly remind myself. Not my will, but thy will. And just that God is the most high and he’s the all powerful.
“That’s a big thing for me, letting him take the wheel. I think Jesus is kind of guiding me through my career and just life in general. That definitely makes it a lot easier when you’re struggle, when you’re going good.â€
Rom shines
Left-hander Drew Rom pitched three scoreless innings in relief and allowed just one hit against the Miami split squad on Sunday. The Marlin lineup included regulars Luis Arraez, Josh Bell, Jake Burger and Tim Anderson.
Rom, who made his major-league debut last August, also struck out four batters.
“I just felt very in control and consistent with everything the entire three innings,†Rom said.
His arsenal features a four-pitch mix that includes a four-seam fastball, sinker, sweeper and a split finger, but Rom used just the four-seam fastball and his sweeper on Sunday. He said the reduced repertoire wasn’t a permanent change.
“We’re just reading hitters out here in spring training this early,†Rom said. “It’s just kind of whatever we see we’re going to go with. Of course, we’re going to get our work in with some other pitches. I did mess with that in the bullpen afterwards. I think right now, it’s just I’m happy with where I’m at mechanically.â€
Rom needed just 37 pitches (30 strikes) to get through three innings. He said he threw approximately an additional 15-20 pitches in the bullpen.
The Cardinals acquired Rom from Baltimore as part of the Jack Flaherty trade last summer. Rom went 9-6 with a 4.82 ERA, a 1.57 WHIP, a .268 opponent’s batting average and 10.95 strikeouts per nine innings in 21 games (20 starts) at Triple A last season.
However, when ‘ he reached the majors, he posted a 8.02 ERA and he walked 5.08 batters per nine innings. Gaining consistency in his pitching mechanics has been a major focus of his since the offseason began.
Graceffo’s ups, downs
Cardinals 2022 minor league pitcher of the year Gordon Graceffo made his Triple A debut last season. He missed 38 games because of a shoulder ailment, and he went 4-3 with a 4.92 ERA, 81 strikeouts and 45 walks in 86 innings.
On Sunday, Graceffo had been slated to enter the game in relief of Rom, but the Cardinals switched the order to allow Graceffo to start.
“This is a guy that, even before spring started, you look at his arsenal and what he could do as a starter,†Marmol said of Graceffo before the game. “And he’s one of those that are intriguing as far as what he can also do out of the pen in a role that, at some point, could be pretty good leverage too.â€
Graceffo gave up one unearned run in the first inning after Arraez swatted a leadoff single to center field, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on a two-out fielding error in right field by Jordan Walker. Anderson’s fly ball near the wall in right field should have been the third out of the inning, but Walker continued to drift and then had the ball carom off his glove for a three-base error. Graceffo struck out Dane Myers on a called third strike, a 94-mph fastball, and stranded Anderson at third base.
He pitched around a leadoff single in the second inning and retired the next three batters in order with a pair of groundballs and a strikeout swinging.
All four earned runs against Graceffo came in the third inning in his second time facing the Marlins’ lineup. He finished his outing having allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits, including a home run, and one walk in 2 2/3 innings. He struck out three, all in the first two innings.
Cardinals 12, Marlins 8
ºüÀêÊÓƵ ab r h bi Miami ab r h bi
V.Scott cf 4 2 2 0 Arraez 2b 3 2 2 0
Siani cf 0 1 0 0 Devers 2b 1 1 0 0
Gldschmdt dh 3 0 0 0 Bell 1b 3 1 1 2
Baker dh 1 0 0 1 Vrdenbrg 1b 1 1 0 0
Gorman 2b 1 2 1 0 Burger 3b 3 0 1 0
Prieto pr-2b 2 1 1 0 Cappe 3b 2 1 2 1
Arenado 3b 1 1 1 1 Anderson ss 3 1 1 0
Saggese 3b 4 0 4 6 Guzman ss 1 0 1 1
Carpenter 1b 2 0 1 1 Myers cf 2 1 0 0
A.Rivas 1b 2 0 0 0 Sanoja cf 2 0 0 0
Walker rf 5 1 1 0 Bthncrt c 3 0 1 0
Kperniak rf 0 0 0 0 Banfield c 2 0 1 0
Burleson lf 2 1 2 0 Jhnston dh 4 0 1 3
FermÃn ph 0 0 0 0 Davis lf 3 0 0 0
Antico lf 2 0 0 0 Coley lf 2 0 1 0
Herrera c 4 0 0 1 Mesa rf 2 0 0 0
Crooks c 2 0 0 0 Conine rf 2 0 0 0
Winn ss 2 1 1 0
J.Rivas pr-ss 2 2 1 0
Totals 39 12 15 10 Totals 39 8 12 7
ºüÀêÊÓƵ 112 210 230 — 12
Miami 104 000 102 — 8
E: Walker (1), Anderson (1). DP: ºüÀêÊÓƵ 1, Miami 0. LOB: ºüÀêÊÓƵ 15, Miami 9. 2B: Arenado (1), Carpenter (1), Winn (1), Saggese (1), Guzman (1), Cappe (1). HR: Bell (1). SB: Burleson (1). SF: Baker (1).
ºüÀêÊÓƵ IP H R ER BB SO
Graceffo 22/3 6 5 4 1 3
Roycroft W,1-0 1/3 0 0 0 0 0
Rom H,1 3 1 0 0 0 4
King 1 2 1 1 1 0
Kittredge 1 1 0 0 0 1
Roby 1 2 2 2 2 2
Miami
Cabrera 0 0 0 0 0 0
Smeltzer 2 3 2 2 2 2
Andriese L,0-1 12/3 5 4 4 2 3
Villalobos 11/3 2 1 1 2 1
T.Scott 2/3 1 0 0 2 2
McCambley 2/3 1 2 2 2 1
Henzman 2/3 0 0 0 0 1
Tyler 2 3 3 3 2 2
HBP: McCambley 2 (Winn,A.Rivas), Roby (Devers). WP: Smeltzer, Andriese, Tyler. T: 3:24. Att: 4,169 (6,871).