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Rodriguez had his first career four-hit game at Double-A Springfield on Tuesday and is slashing .361/.429/.660 with 13 home runs and 18 doubles over his last 47 games.
Rodriguez collected just a .527 OPS in his first 21 games after being promoted to Springfield, but the top prospect has adjusted and is now surging. The 19-year-old has put up a 1.239 OPS in August and is currently riding a streak of 39 plate appearances without a strikeout. Rodriguez has seen the majority of his starts this season at catcher (55), but he's also been used at first base (21) and designated hitter (20).
Cardinals' Rainiel Rodriguez: Heating up at Double-A
Rotowire
Rodriguez is slashing .391/.481/.717 with four home runs and three doubles over his last 11 contests at Double-A Springfield.
Rodriguez was promoted from High-A Peoria to Springfield in mid-May and needed an initial adjustment period, hitting only .182 with one long ball in his first 21 games. The top prospect has now found his rhythm, and he's one of the hottest hitters in the Texas League at just 19 years of age. Between the two levels this season, Rodriguez boasts a .284/.394/.463 line with nine home runs, a 13.1 percent walk rate and a 22.6 percent strikeout rate.
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Cardinals' Rainiel Rodriguez: Moving up to Double-A
Rotowire
The Cardinals promoted Rodriguez from High-A Peoria to Double-A Springfield on Monday, Rob Rains of StLSportsPage.com reports.
Rodriguez is only 19 but needs a new challenge after slashing .311/.430/.519 with four home runs and a 19:24 BB:K over 28 games with Peoria. The top prospect has continued to primarily play catcher this season (16 starts), but he's also been worked in at first base (six starts) and designated hitter (six starts). A permanent move off catcher could speed up Rodriguez's timeline for reaching the big leagues, though there's no indication at this point that the Cardinals are considering such a decision.
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Cardinals' Rainiel Rodriguez: Makes start at first base
Rotowire
Rodriguez made his first career professional start at first base with High-A Peoria on Saturday.
After starting at catcher and homering in the season opener Friday, Rodriguez was used at first base Saturday and went 0-for-3 with a walk. All indications are that the Cardinals will continue to develop Rodriguez as a catcher, but they have lots of organizational depth at the position and it's the 19-year-old's bat that will carry him. If Rodriguez does eventually move to first base or another less physically taxing position, it could accelerate his ascension to the big leagues.
Rodriguez was promoted from Single-A Palm Beach to High-A Peoria on Thursday.
Rodriguez has demolished Florida Complex League and Florida State League pitching thus far, slashing .275/.405/.567 with 20 home runs and a 63:54 K:BB over 80 games covering the two stops. The 18-year-old will now get his feet wet in the Midwest League before Peoria's season concludes Sunday. Rodriguez has established himself as one of the best young power-hitting prospects in baseball.
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Cardinals' Rainiel Rodriguez: Homers in full-season debut
Rotowire
Rodriguez went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run Tuesday in his first game with Single-A Palm Beach.
Rodriguez had been promoted earlier in the day from the rookie-level Florida Complex League, where he had slashed a ridiculous .362/.506/.828 with seven home runs and a 15:16 K:BB over 19 games. At 18, he's one of the youngest players in full-season ball. There are questions as to whether Rodriguez will be able to stick at catcher, but he's become one of the better power-hitting prospects in the low minors, slugging 18 homers in 62 contests.
