Padilla was promoted from Single-A Palm Beach to High-A Peoria on Tuesday.
Padilla didn't make his season debut until mid-June after missing time with a shoulder injury. He's healthy now and earned a promotion to the Midwest League after slashing .273/.350/.473 with three home runs, 10 stolen bases, a 10.5 percent walk rate and an 18.5 percent strikeout rate with Palm Beach. The 19-year-old Padilla oozes physical ability and is starting to produce better exit velocities, though his home-run potential will be capped unless he's able to lower a groundball rate that's currently over 60 percent.
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Cardinals' Yairo Padilla: Ready for rehab assignment
Rotowire
Padilla (shoulder) has been sent to the Cardinals' Florida Complex League affiliate to begin a rehab assignment.
Padilla has been sidelined all season with a strained shoulder but has finally been cleared to test things out in a game atmosphere. The shortstop will likely play a few games with the FCL Cardinals before eventually being assigned to Single-A Palm Beach for his introduction to full-season ball. Padilla will turn just 19 later this month and hit .283/.396/.367 with 24 stolen bases last season in the FCL.
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Cardinals' Yairo Padilla: Sidelined at Single-A
Rotowire
Single-A Palm Beach placed Padilla on the 7-day injured list with a shoulder strain, Sam Dykstra of MLB Pipeline reports.
Padilla has consistently been around 20 percent better than league average while stealing 46 bases in 73 games at the rookie level across his age-17 and age-18 seasons. The switch hitter won't turn 19 until around midseason and has hit only one home run in pro ball, but if he grows into even fringe-average power, the rest of his tools (above-average hit, speed, defense) could carry him to an everyday shortstop role in time.
