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The Cardinals optioned Bernal to Triple-A Memphis on Saturday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Bernal spent all of 2025 at Double-A Springfield, where he slashed .247/.332/.394 with 13 homers, 69 RBI, 58 runs scored and 13 steals over 107 games. After going 2-for-5 with two walks in Grapefruit League play, he'll receive a promotion to Triple-A to begin the season.
Cardinals' Leonardo Bernal: Protected from Rule 5 Draft
Rotowire
The Cardinals selected Bernal's contract from Double-A Springfield on Tuesday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Bernal spent the entire 2025 campaign at Springfield and slashed .247/.332/.394 with 13 homers, 69 RBI, 58 runs scored and 13 steals across 454 plate appearances. The 21-year-old backstop will be ineligible for the Rule 5 Draft now that he owns a 40-man spot, and he could potentially receive a promotion to Triple-A Memphis to begin 2026.
Bernal homered for the second straight game and reached base in all four plate appearances Friday at Double-A Springfield.
Bernal is putting together a breakout season at Springfield. After collecting just a .683 OPS with one home run in April, the switch-hitting catcher is slashing .351/.407/.676 with 10 home runs and 34 RBI over 29 games since the start of May. The 21-year-old also boasts an 11.8 percent walk rate and 15.5 percent strikeout rate in his first full season at the Double-A level. Between Ivan Herrera in the majors, Jimmy Crooks at Triple-A Memphis, Bernal at Springfield and Rainiel Rodriguez at Single-A Palm Beach, the Cardinals boast an enviable collection of young catching talent.
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Cardinals' Leonardo Bernal: Shelved at Single-A
Rotowire
Single-A Palm Beach placed Bernal on its 7-day injured list Aug. 10 with an unspecified injury.
Bernal, a 19-year-old catching prospect from Panama, is in the midst of his second season at Palm Beach. Over 323 plate appearances prior to landing on the shelf, Bernal slashed .265/.381/.362 with three home runs and four stolen bases. The extent of his injury isn't clear, making it uncertain whether he'll be able to play again in 2023.
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