Bernal went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's 7-6 loss to the Giants.
In his ninth career MLB game, Bernal nearly put a ball into the ocean at Oracle Park, launching a Blade Tidwell fastball over the right-field wall in the third inning. The rookie catcher has looked good since his September promotion, batting .278 (10-for-36) with a double, two homers, six runs and 10 RBI. St. Louis' system is stacked when it comes to catching -- Ivan Herrera continues to split his time between defensive duties and DH, while Rainiel Rodriguez has made it to Double-A as a 19-year-old and Jimmy Crooks is stuck at Triple-A despite a .994 OPS this season for Memphis -- but Bernal is making a strong case to be part of the picture behind the plate in 2027.
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Cardinals' Leo Bernal: Homers in second career game
Rotowire
Bernal went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 8-6, extra-inning win over the Dodgers.
After a 1-for-5 debut Tuesday, Bernal delivered his first big-league homer in his second game. The 22-year-old got the start at designated hitter Wednesday, but he's expected to see a decent share of playing time at catcher over the remainder of the campaign, though the Cardinals also have Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pages capable of playing behind the dish. Bernal hit .278 with an .831 OPS at Triple-A Memphis this year prior to his promotion.
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Cardinals' Leo Bernal: Officially promoted to majors
Rotowire
The Cardinals recalled Bernal from Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday.
Bernal earned the call-up after slashing .278/.363/.468 with 16 home runs across 101 contests for Memphis. He will join fellow catchers Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pages on the roster, but Bernal could receive the lion's share of reps behind the plate in September as the Cardinals look to see where he might fit into their plans for 2027.
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Cardinals' Leo Bernal: Expected to be called up Tuesday
Rotowire
The Cardinals are expected to promote Bernal from Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports.
Bernal will make the jump to the major-league level after slashing .278/.363/.468 with 16 home runs and nine stolen bases over 101 contests with Memphis this season. The 22-year-old has played primarily behind the plate, but he has also seen some exposure to first base and designated hitter during his time at Triple-A.
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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.
