Rainiel Rodriguez, the 19-year-old slugger who was promoted to Double-A Springfield last week, has been promoted to the top Cardinals prospect by Baseball America.
ST. LOUIS – On the heels of Rainiel Rodriguez’s promotion from Peoria to Springfield – one that made him the second-youngest player in all of Double-A – the sweet-swinging slugger has moved to the top of the heap among Cardinals prospects in Baseball America’s new team rankings.
In their new Top 30 rankings for each MLB team, Baseball America elevated the 19-year-old Rodriguez to No. 1 in their prospect rankings for the Cardinals. The previous No. 1 prospect, JJ Wetherholt, graduated following his strong start to the 2026 season with the MLB club.
Left-handed pitcher Liam Doyle, who has pitched exceptionally well of late following a slow start to the 2026 season, remained at No. 2 among Cardinals prospects in the Baseball America rankings. Triple-A slugger Joshua Baez is up to No. 3, while flame-throwing right-hander Tanner Franklin has climbed to No. 4. Fresh off a 10-strikeout performance in which he threw pitches with both arms, Jurrangelo Cijntje is at No. 5.
Triple-A catchers Jimmy Crooks (No. 6), Leonardo Bernal (No. 7), 19-year-old right-hander Yhoiker Fajardo (No. 8) and Triple-A pitchers Quinn Mathews (No. 9) and Tekoah Roby (No. 10) round out Baseball America’s new Top 10 rankings among Cardinals prospects.
Rodriguez holding his own in Double-A
Rodriguez, a 5-foot-10, 197-pound catcher and first baseman, was moved to No. 1 after hitting .311 with a .949 OPS, eight doubles, four homers and 21 RBI in 28 games with High-A Peoria. That earned him the promotion to Springfield, where he has held his own in five road games so far.
Through his first week of Double-A baseball, Rodriguez has gone 5 for 21 with a homer, four runs scored and four RBI. He had two hits in each of his first two Double-A games on May 12 and 14, and he smacked a two-run homer in his third game.
Doyle, the No. 5 pick in the 2025 MLB Draft out of the University of Tennessee, is 0-2 with a 6.04 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings pitched in seven starts. The 21-year-old left-hander has been much better over his last three starts, posting a 3.29 ERA over 13 2/3 innings pitched. He has not allowed a homer in May while striking out 20 batters in his last three appearances.
Cijntje, who was acquired from the Mariners as part of the Brendan Donovan trade, showed his massive potential last week against Tulsa when he struck out 10 over 4 1/3 innings of work. The switch-pitcher has surrendered seven homers and has seen his ERA swell to 6.06 in the hitter-friendly Texas League, but he has struck out 46 hitters in 35 2/3 innings of work.
Baez, 22, smashed a 438-foot home last week against Jacksonville – his fifth homer of at least 425 feet this season. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound center fielder has 11 homers, six doubles, a triple and 27 RBI in 39 games. Strikeouts have been an issue as he has whiffed 59 times in 155 at bats (38 percent strikeout rate) with just 11 walks.
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