In a move to try and add some pop to the lagging bottom of their lineup, the Cardinals promoted catching prospect Jimmy Crooks and DH Nelson Velazquez on Friday before facing the Cubs.
ST. LOUIS – Looking to address their lagging offense – especially with the bottom five spots in the batting order – the Cardinals promoted promising catching prospect Jimmy Crooks and power-hitting designated hitter Nelson Velazquez on Friday before beginning a three-game series against the rival Cubs.
Crooks, who has 13 home runs in 39 Triple-A games this season and dramatically slashed his rising strikeout rate in May, will serve as the No. 2 catcher in the Cardinals catching rotation in the coming weeks. Ivan Herrera will continue to catch on days when Andre Pallante and Michael McGreevy pitch, while Crooks will likely catch two times through the pitching rotation. While the fifth spot in the rotation will remain fluid, Pedro Pages will be dropped into the third catcher role.
Yohel Pozo was optioned to Triple-A, along with infielder Cesar Prieto.
“Crooks will have a decent amount of catching,” Cardinals’ manager Oliver Marmol said. “He’s definitely here to play. He’s done a ton of work in that (preparation) area and the reports from Triple-A have been phenomenal in terms of how he carries out the pitcher’s meetings. His preparation has been elite. We feel really good about where that stands and it being up to par with what’s needed at this level. Jimmy and the Minor League staff have done a really nice job of checking that box.”
Velazquez, who hit 31 homers and had an OPS of .719 in 194 games with the Cubs and Royals from 2022-24, has come on of late at Triple-A Memphis after a slow start. Some of his slow start – he was 12 for 73 with just two homers in March and April – could be attributed to him not making the Cardinals’ Opening Day roster after playing well throughout Spring Training, he and Marmol said. In May, Velazquez hit .308 with five homers over 65 at bats. In 15 Spring Training games,
Velazquez hit .357 with a 1.116 OPS with four homers, 10 RBI and more walks (seven) than strikeouts (four). When that didn’t wasn’t enough to make the Opening Day roster, it threw him for a loop mentally, he admitted.
“It took me a little bit (to regroup), but I got to reset myself and I started doing everything that I needed to do to be on the field,” said Velazquez, 27, who got the start and hit cleanup on Friday night. “So, I just did everything I could do. I got to talk to my parents and my friends (about his disappointment) and I got some good comments back that helped me improve my game.”
Crooks, 24, thinks he is a much-improved player over the one who was promoted for his MLB debut last August. In 15 games, he went just 6 for 45 with a homer and 17 strikeouts compared to no walks. This season at Memphis, he’s smashed 13 homers to go with four doubles, 29 RBI and 30 walks.
“It’s just been about my approach, sticking through the middle and taking care of my pitchers as a catcher because that’s my main job,” said Crooks said. “I was thrown into the fire a little bit (upon his MLB promotion in 2025), so I just had to stay the course. And then with the catching aspect, I’m just trying to take care of my pitchers and be a leader behind the plate.”
Crooks admitted that he likely wouldn’t have gotten this MLB call had he not done something about his rising strikeout rate in May. He smashed eight home runs in March and April, but his strikeout rate sat at an alarming 41.4 percent. In May, not only has he hit five homers, but he has worked to get his strikeout rate down to 30.5 percent.
“It’s just about been about being patient,” said Crooks, whose 13 homers were tied for fourth in the International League and three behind that of teammate Joshua Baez (16). “When we go through funks like that, you’ve just got to stay with the course and stay simple – ball to bat.”
Time ticking on Velazquez with Nootbaar returning
Marmol stressed that the moves made on Friday were done with more of a long-range approach than just for some kind of immediate fix. Lars Nootbaar, who had double heel surgery over the winter, is working his way back and nearing a return, meaning there could be a shelf life on Velazquez’s time to prove himself with the Cardinals. The club was also excited about getting an extended period of time to see if Crooks could replicate his Triple-A success at the MLB level.
“At some point you’ve got to create an opportunity for him and one that is long enough that is meaningful for evaluation,” Marmol said. “So, from a timing standpoint this made sense.
“Also, you’re able to mix and match that second part of the lineup in adding a bat that could be helpful there. When you look at our lineup, the top has been productive and having a combination of different guys at the bottom with (Bryan) Torres, Crooks and come off the bench with Velazquez should add for more run-scoring opportunities.”
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