Road to The Show™: Cardinals' Saggese

Each week, MiLB.com profiles an elite prospect by chronicling the steps he's taken toward achieving his Major League dream. Here's a look at second-ranked Cardinals prospect Thomas Saggese. For more stories about players on The Road to The Show, click here.

Since entering pro ball in 2021, Thomas Saggese has been pummeling baseballs, and this year has been no exception as he continues to rake at the Minors' highest level.

Coming off a 2023 season in which the 22-year-old earned Texas League MVP honors while enduring a trade to a new organization. He paced the circuit with a .318 average, 107 RBIs, a .936 OPS, 158 hits, 60 extra-base hits and 274 total bases and fell just six home runs shy of a triple crown with 25 over 126 total games. Saggese continues to produce this year with Triple-A Memphis.

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The second-ranked Cardinals prospect has already recorded 10 multihit efforts while also amassing a seven-game hitting streak and a stretch of hitting safely in 11 of 12 contests. Saggese has mashed five home runs and six doubles while notching 21 runs scored and 18 RBIs.

Defensively, MLB Pipeline's No. 88 overall prospect has played at least one game at all four infield positions, and has spent the most time at second base. This year, he's actually played more shortstop for the RedBirds than any other position, though scouts believe his defensive future is at the keystone.

While his play has put him on the doorstep of the big leagues, his confidence in his ability may be what ultimately carries him to that debut and beyond.

"I’ve always known from an early age, and for whatever reason, I’ve been very confident that at my very best, I know I can make it,” Saggese told MLB.com in March of his pursuit of a Major League Baseball career. “I’m not sure why, but that’s kind of the only thing in my life like that. I know I can produce in the big leagues.”

Selected by the Texas Rangers in the fifth round of the pandemic-shortened 2020 Draft (No. 145 overall) out of Carlsbad High School in San Diego, Saggese voided his Pepperdine commitment in favor of an above-slot $800,000 bonus.

The 5-foot-11, 185-pounder began his pro career the following year in the Carolina League for Single-A Down East and was immediately a hit, clubbing 10 dingers, three triples, 14 doubles and scoring 44 runs over 73 games. Saggese began the following season with High-A Hickory.

In 2022, he posted a .312/.361/.506 slash line with 44 extra-base hits, 70 RBIs, 61 runs scored and a career-high 12 stolen bases over 103 combined games between Hickory and Double-A Frisco.

The 22-year-old was back at it the following season for Frisco, batting .313/.379/.512 through his first 93 games when he became a pivotal piece of the trade that sent Jordan Montgomery to the Rangers at the 2023 Trade Deadline. Saggese was packaged with fellow 2020 draftee Tekoah Roby and John King to St. Louis for Montgomery and righty Chris Stratton.

There was no adjustment period necessary for Saggese in a new farm system as he continued to clobber Texas League pitching, and was promoted on Sept. 8 to Memphis, where he needed just six games to smash his first Triple-A long ball.

Saggese continued to make an impression on his new organization during his first big league camp with the Cardinals in the spring.

“He’s been exactly as advertised,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol told MLB.com. “Good organizations have depth, and we’ll continue to run him out there. He works hard. He loves the game … and loves learning about the game.”

Saggese appeared in 23 Grapefruit League games and went 15-for-50 (.300) with a homer, three doubles, 11 RBIs, six runs and five walks. His talents were on display during this year's Spring Breakout showcase as well, and he believes that was just the beginning.

The right-handed slugger -- who does not wear batting gloves because he says he likes the feel of the wood in his hands -- has no doubts that no matter the uniform, league or level, he's going to barrel up baseballs.

"[My hitting confidence] is kind of an interesting, underlying thing with me,” he said. “When I got to pro ball, I was like, ‘Oh this is different,’ but there was still that feeling that I could do this.”