SPRINGFIELD, MO – Minor League Baseball has announced that Springfield Cardinals catcher and St. Louis Cardinals number one prospect Rainiel Rodriguez has been named the Texas League Player of the Week for the week of August 17 – 23. This is the second time this season that he has won this honor after getting the same award July 27 – August 2. Three times this season a Springfield Cardinals player has been named a Player or Pitcher of the week alongside LHP Braden Davis.
The top prospect in the system has remained a consistent threat at the plate in his 72 games at Double-A. The 19-year-old currently leads all qualified batters in the Texas League with a .324 average while slashing an incredulous .456/.480/.868 in the month of August (16 games). During a six-game sweep of the Arkansas Travelers this week on the road, Rodriguez went 14-for-24 (.583) with three doubles, three homers and nine RBI. He tallied two four-hit games during the series including a two-home run game on Sunday. His .583 average this past week was the highest he’s posted in a single series this year both at High-A and Double-A.
Rodriguez was called up to Double-A on May 12 from High-A Peoria. Since then he has cemented himself as the consensus number one prospect in the system, participated in the MLB All-Star Futures Game and currently sits as the 18th-ranked prospect in all of Minor League Baseball according to MLB Pipeline. Rodriguez, nicknamed ‘The Hulk’, was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024 and has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the system. He immediately made his prowess known thanks to a big first season in the Dominican Summer League as one of the league’s best hitters before an explosive 2025 campaign, primarily in the Florida State League. The native of Pimentel, Dominican Republic won’t turn 20 until January of next year.
The Cardinals return home for their penultimate regular season homestand against the San Antonio Missions Tuesday, August 25 through Sunday, August 30. For a full list of exciting promotions, including Chappell Roan Night, a fireworks night and two giveaway nights, visit SpringfieldCardinals.com/Promotions.
