The St. Louis Cardinals acquired two pitching prospects in the Lars Nootbaar trade. One of them will be promoted to Triple-A, as MLB Pipeline’s Sam Dykstra reports that left-hander Sandro Santana will head to Memphis.
Acquired from the D-backs at the Deadline, Santana allowed 1 ER and struck out 18 over 8 2/3 innings with Double-A Springfield after the deal.
This comes as the Cardinals complete their September promotions. The team has called up catcher Leo Bernal and pitcher Hancel Rincon. With Rincon headed to St. Louis, Santana fills a roster spot in Memphis.
Santana was one of two pitchers the Cardinals received from the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Lars Nootbaar trade on deadline day. The left-hander ranks as the organization’s No. 24 prospect on MLB Pipeline.
The 21-year-old’s promotion to Triple-A comes less than a month after the Cardinals acquired him.
Sandro Santana Promoted to Triple-A Memphis
Sandro Santana stands at a slender 5’10” and 150 lbs., but can get the ball in around 95-96 MPH. He complements that with a slider, which has a 70 grade on his scouting report. He profiles as a potential late-inning arm from the left side.
The left-hander was already a fast-riser in Arizona’s system before the trade. He had a 2.14 ERA between High-A Hillsboro and Double-A Amarillo. He held opposing hitters to a .188/.280/.255 slash with a 37.0% strikeout rate. That played a big part in why the Cardinals targeted him in the Nootbaar deal.
Since the trade, Santana has allowed just one run in 8.2 innings with Springfield. He punched out a staggering 18 of 30 hitters (60%) faced in that stretch.
Now, he’ll head to Triple-A, where he’ll get to pitch with the big league ball. That should give the Cardinals some important data when deciding where he fits for next season. He’ll have four weeks to show how he’ll handle Triple-A hitters.
Considering his workload, he’s probably not a candidate for the Arizona Fall League. St. Louis does not have to make a 40-man roster decision on Santana this offseason. However, he’ll make his debut long before the Cardinals have to make that decision.
When Should Sandro Santana Debut for the Cardinals?
Assuming all goes well and he remains healthy, Sandro Santana should debut at some point in the 2027 season. He’ll likely serve as an up-and-down arm his first season or two. But he should earn more opportunities with more success.
At the minimum, he should get an invite into big league camp next spring. That should allow the Cardinals to evaluate him, then determine when he’ll be promoted.
Cardinals Promote Prospect in Lars Nootbaar Trade to Triple-A Amid September Call-Ups