Cardinals Prospect Using Speed and Power to Set Fall Marks

Continuing to use his rare blend of speed and power, St. Louis Cardinals prospect Tai Peete has hit himself into a bit of Arizona Fall League history of late.

Peete, 21, hit for the cycle twice at High-A Peoria and finished the season with a flourish after being promoted to Double-A Springfield. He carried his hot bat over to the Arizona Fall League, where he has been one of the circuit’s most productive and electrifying hitters.

Peete tripled in a fourth straight game on Thursday, making him the first player in Arizona Fall League history to do that since at least 2005. Peete’s four triples are the most in the league this season, while his seven stolen bases (in nine tries) are tied for the fourth-most swipes of the fall.

Starring as the leadoff hitter for the Peoria (Ariz.) Javelinas, Peete has slashed .348/.423/.674/1.097 in 11 games so far. His .348 batting average is sixth among players who have appeared in at least 11 games so far.

Peete has added four doubles, a homer, six RBI and six walks to his four triples and seven stolen bases so far.    

Peete, the No. 17-ranked prospect in the Cardinals Minor League system, went 4 for 4 with a triple, two doubles, an infield single, a walk, two runs scored and two stolen bases in Arizona Fall League play on Monday night for Peoria (Ariz.). He smashed balls with exit velocities of 109.4 mph and 112 mph – for his leadoff double and his third-inning triple. In the fifth inning he had another double – this one 98.5 mph off the bat – and he alertly raced to third on a bobble. After using his blinding speed to beat out an infield chopper, Peete became the first player in this season’s Arizona Fall League to register four hits and two stolen bases in the same game. Also, he was the second player with three extra-base hits in the same game.

Peete, whom the Cardinals acquired from the Mariners last February in a trade centered around Brendan Donovan heading to Seattle, bounced back from an illness that resulted in him being hospitalized and caused him to lose 25 pounds earlier this season.

After earning a promotion to Double-A Springfield, he slashed .319/.360/.489/.849 with five doubles, three home runs, 16 RBI and four stolen bases in 21 games. In the Texas League championship series, Peete helped the Cardinals jump to a 1-0 lead over Amarillo with a 5-for-5 game with a double, four RBI and a 421-foot homer that sailed over the wall and the grassy berm before landing in the parking lot.