3 under-the-radar players the St. Louis Cardinals should promote

The St. Louis Cardinals should consider calling up these three quietly productive players.

The St. Louis Cardinals are flourishing…in Triple-A. The Memphis Redbirds have a record of 18-9 and sit at the top of the International League West division. The major league team, on the other hand, just slogged through a miserable April, finishing the month at 10-19.

With the Redbirds having so much success, there must be some players there who are producing at a high level and could have an impact on the major league roster. Three of the more obvious options for promotion are Juan Yepez, Jordan Walker, and Matthew Liberatore. Yepez has a track record of success in the major leagues, and while he can’t be trusted to play in the outfield on a regular basis, he can serve as a designated hitter and occasional bench bat.

Walker had a fantastic Spring Training, but pitchers soon found holes in his offensive approach, and the Cardinals sent him to Memphis so he could accrue more consistent playing time and regain his confidence. Walker has yet to find his stroke, hitting a meager .188 in Triple-A.

Instead of promoting Yepez upon Walker’s demotion, the Cardinals called up Taylor Motter, who has not played in a game since April 19. It was a baffling choice, and the Cardinals are now playing with a 25-man roster instead of utilizing the 26th spot.

Liberatore has also shown massive improvement this season in his velocity, strikeouts, walks, and FIP, and given the Cardinals' issues with their rotation, especially Steven Matz, Liberatore deserves a promotion.

With there being a glut of talent in Memphis, the Cardinals need to dip into their farm system to provide reinforcements for their struggling squad.

Although Yepez and Liberatore are obvious options, as is Walker because of his promise despite his currently poor performance, several other players are producing in Memphis who could help the Cardinals.

Luken Baker, 1B

Luken Baker has been in the organization for a while. The Cardinals drafted him in the second round in 2018, and prior to this season, he was a standard high-power, low-average slugger. So far in 2023, Baker has elevated his game to another level, hitting .318 with 10 home runs in 109 plate appearances. He also homered in four consecutive games.

Baker doesn’t possess much positional versatility, only being able to play first base and designated hitter, but the Cardinals could use his power in a pinch-hitting and occasional DH role. Baker is 26, so the time is now for the Cardinals to see if he can carve out a role on the team.

To make room for Baker, the Cardinals’ best bet is to designate Taylor Motter for assignment. The 33-year-old holds limited upside, and although Motter can play several positions, the Cardinals know what they have in him. Baker represents more potential, so the Cardinals might as well see what he can provide them.

Tres Barrera, C

Tres Barrera, a catcher the Cardinals signed in January, is having a strong season in Memphis, hitting .279 with four home runs. There were rumors during Spring Training that Barrera would compete with Andrew Knizner for the backup job, and while the incumbent Knizner retained the role, he has been one of the worst offensive players in the league, hitting .154 with a .368 OPS. 

It’s hard to imagine Barrera performing worse than Knizner, and given that pitchers complimented Barrera’s work behind the plate in Spring Training, there’s no reason the Cardinals shouldn’t swap the two and see how Barrera handles the staff.