Great news for St. Louis Cardinals fans: Nolan Arenado is nearly ready to return to action. The star third baseman shared that he plans to begin a rehab stint next week, likely with the team’s Double-A affiliate in Springfield. If all goes well, he could rejoin the major league roster as early as the following Monday, just in time for the Reds series at Busch Stadium — the final homestand of the season, per Jeff Jones.
But that’s not all. Arenado also offered fans an exciting glimpse into the team’s future while spending time around younger players during his recovery. One name in particular stood out to him: Rainiel Rodriguez.
A Rising Prospect: Rainiel Rodriguez
Rodriguez was recently promoted to High-A Peoria, and he made an immediate impression with a three-hit debut. Over 356 plate appearances, he’s posted an impressive slash line of .280/.407/.567, along with 21 doubles and 20 home runs — numbers that mark him as a notable prospect in the Cardinals’ farm system.
Baseball America has gone so far as to call Rodriguez “the best hitter at 18 some have ever seen,” and Arenado echoed that sentiment with praise of his own:
*”Hitting balls the opposite way at 109 mph? That’s a good-looking player,”* he told Jeff Jones.
With 13 home runs and an .877 OPS in just 221 at-bats at Single-A as of September 4, Rodriguez has clearly earned his promotion — and he’s giving fans another reason to be excited about the Cardinals’ future.
So, while Arenado’s return bolsters the present, Rodriguez is shaping up to be a key piece of what’s ahead.