Jordan Montgomery/Chris Stratton trade
Thomas Saggese: Triple-A has proven to be more of a test than Double-A for infielder Thomas Saggese, who was acquired from the Texas Rangers. With Double-A Springfield in 2023, Saggese hit .331 and received Texas League MVP honors. He hasn't reached the same heights upon ascending a level, as he's hit .248 in his first extended taste of Triple-A. His high .375 BABIP from last season in the hitters' paradise that is the Texas League has fallen to a more average number of .299.
Saggese ranks 88th in MLB.com's top 100 prospects list and second in the Cardinals' system, so despite his falling back to Earth this season, hopes remain high for the infielder. At only 22 years old, Saggese has plenty of time to adjust further to Triple-A pitching.
Tekoah Roby: Widely considered the pitching prospect with the highest ceiling among the players the Cardinals received at the 2023 trade deadline, Tekoah Roby was recovering from a shoulder injury and only managed 12 innings with Springfield last season, allowing four runs. 2024 has not been kind to Roby, as he holds an ERA of 5.97 and has been prone to the gopher ball, coughing up nine home runs in 28.2 innings and seeing a whopping 25% of fly balls leave the yard.
Roby had never been this susceptible to the long ball before 2024, and one will hope this is only a blip on the radar. The Cardinals' pitching development staff is not one to be trusted with a struggling pitcher, though, which is an ominous sign for Roby's future. He will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft after this season, so his improvement is critical if the Cardinals plan on protecting him from being poached by another team.