The St. Louis Cardinals added outfield depth on Thursday, claiming Everson Pereira off waivers from the Chicago White Sox.
The move comes after the White Sox designated the 25-year-old for assignment earlier this week to clear a 40-man roster spot. Pereira, a right-handed hitter who can play all three outfield positions, will join the Cardinals organization and is expected to report in the coming days. He is out of options, meaning he will need a place on the active roster once he arrives.
In a corresponding roster development, right-hander Tink Hence cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Florida Complex League Cardinals. Because it was Hence’s first outright, he could not refuse the assignment and remains in the organization. The 40-man roster now sits at 39.
Pereira, born April 10, 2001, in Cabudare, Venezuela, arrived in the majors with significant prospect pedigree. Once ranked among the Yankees’ top prospects, he made his debut with New York in 2023. Limited big-league success followed with the Yankees and later the Tampa Bay Rays before a November 2025 trade sent him to Chicago along with infielder Tanner Murray in exchange for right-handers Yoendrys Gómez and Steven Wilson.
This season with the White Sox, Pereira showed flashes of the tools that once made him highly regarded. In limited action he posted a .225 average with four home runs and an OPS near .720 before the designation. His career major-league line sits at .172 with six home runs across stops with three organizations, reflecting both the promise and the inconsistency that have marked his development.
For St. Louis, the claim represents a low-risk addition of a young outfielder with remaining upside. Pereira’s ability to handle multiple outfield spots provides flexibility behind the current group, and his relatively modest major-league service time leaves room for growth. The Cardinals have operated with an eye toward adding controllable talent, and a former top prospect available on waivers fits that approach.
Pereira will look to settle in quickly and earn playing time as the Cardinals continue their second-half schedule. At 25 and still carrying the physical tools that once drew top-100 rankings, he offers the kind of opportunistic acquisition clubs often pursue in August.
