The St. Louis Cardinals are just one of those teams that is not only always right in the thick of the postseason race, but also a team that finds roles for any player on their roster or in their system.
They draft and develop well and more often than not, make the right moves to acquire talent.
Last night, their No. 4 prospect, catcher Ivan Herrera made his Major League debut.
With the Cards trailing the Toronto Blue Jays 8-1 in the top of the ninth, manager Oliver Marmol knew the game was out of reach, so he moved Andrew Knizner, who had started the game behind the plate out to first base, while Herrera got his first taste of the majors.
Ivan Herrera makes his major-league debut, taking over at catcher for the ninth inning. He'll return to Memphis on Thursday. He's the eighth #stlcards player to make his #MLB debut this season, tying Oakland for most*.
* Cardinals began season with one MLB newcomer on roster.
— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) May 25, 2022
Another One
The Cardinals always have been a team that drafts and develops well and finds a way to give players opportunities.
With Yadier Molina on the bereavement list, Herrera got his shot and was called up on Monday ahead of the series opener with the Blue Jays.
He did not get an at-bat, but he still got to experience what it’s like to make his debut in front of the loyal fans at Busch Stadium, who were ecstatic to see their top catching prospect on the field for the first time.
Several players have burst onto the scene for the Cardinals this year as well.
Guys like Brendan Donovan, Juan Yepez, and Nolan Gorman have taken their shot and run with it.
This is yet another example of a young player getting a chance to shoot his shot at the major league level.
We’ll see who ends up getting the call next.
Surely, the Cardinals will continue to find ways to show off their young talent.
