César Prieto was recalled to the majors yesterday by the St. Louis Cardinals, who also sent infielder Thomas Saggese (batting .170 in 18 games) down to Triple-A in his place. The news was reported on by our sister outlet Pelota Cubana.
The return of the player from the minors to the big leagues serves as a well-deserved reward for an excellent start to the 2026 season with the Memphis Redbirds, the franchise’s Triple-A affiliate. In 28 games, Prieto hit .311 (33-for-106), with 14 runs batted in and 19 runs scored.
His extra-base hit production was becoming noteworthy—especially considering the Antillean player’s style of play—featuring seven doubles, one triple, and six home runs (putting him just three homers shy of matching his entire 2025 total). He has also swiped a base in his sole attempt, alongside a walk-to-strikeout ratio (5-18) that leaves room for improvement.
His metrics—including OBP (.357), slugging (.566), and OPS (.923)—served as yet another testament to what has long been evident: César Prieto deserves more playing time in the majors, whether with St. Louis or another club. Defensively, his primary position thus far has been at shortstop, with a few appearances as well at second and third base.
In his brief stint in 2025 with the Cardinals, a he was unable to perform up to expectations; across three appearances, hitting a mere .167 (1-for-6), with his five strikeouts standing out as the most negative aspect over that span.
Very soon the former member of Team Cuba will have the opportunity to erase that poor impression. The moment he steps onto the field, he will become the 23rd player born in the largest of the Antilles to see action in the Major Leagues in 2026—and the first of them to do so with the Cardinals.