Cardinals calling up slugger O'Neill for debut

The Major Leagues will soon know what the Minors have known for quite some time. Tyler O'Neill has some serious power.
The Cardinals plan to call up their No. 4 prospect for his Major League debut in time for their game Thursday in Chicago against the Cubs, a source told MLB.com's Joe Trezza. A corresponding move on the 25-man roster isn't exected to be announced until then with Wednesday's game between the two clubs postponed due to bad weather.

O'Neill certainly has earned his first call to the big leagues. The 22-year-old right-handed slugger has hit .388/.385/.837 with six homers, a triple, two doubles and 18 RBIs in his first 12 games of the season at Triple-A Memphis. His six long balls put him in a three-way tie for the Minor League lead with San Antonio's Josh Naylor and Sacramento's Mac Williamson, while his 41 total bases are tops in the Pacific Coast League.

The 2013 third-rounder is in the midst of his first full season in the Cardinals system and his second in the PCL. He was traded from the Mariners last July 21 in a deal for left-handed starter Marco Gonzales and ended up producing a .246/.321/.499 line with 31 homers and 95 RBIs over 130 games between Triple-A Tacoma and Memphis. He carried his power into the postseason, hitting four homers in 11 games to help the Redbirds capture a PCL title. 
The Cardinals added O'Neill to their 40-man roster last November to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft but didn't get a long look at the British Columbia native in his first Spring Training camp with the club because of his oblique and hamstring injuries. He went 3-for-12 with seven strikeouts in seven Grapefruit League games before being sent to Minor League camp.
O'Neill will be part of a five-man outfield contingent when he does get added to St. Louis' Major League roster, but his path to playing time could be cleared by Tommy Pham's groin injury, according to Trezza. O'Neill has made all nine of his starts in left field this season with Memphis but has experience in all three outfield spots during his Minor League career. That versatility could help him get regular at-bats in an outfield that also includes Marcell Ozuna, Dexter Fowler and fellow prospect Harrison Bader.