Fansided

One prospect each MLB team should call up right now

By Joshua Sadlock

MONTREAL, QC - MARCH 27: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after hitting a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during the MLB preseason game at Olympic Stadium on March 27, 2018 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 1-0. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - MARCH 27: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after hitting a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during the MLB preseason game at Olympic Stadium on March 27, 2018 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 1-0. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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ST. LOUIS, MO – MAY 21: Tyler O’Neill #41 of the St. Louis Cardinals rounds first base after hitting a two-run home run against the Kansas City Royals in the third inning at Busch Stadium on May 21, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO – MAY 21: Tyler O’Neill #41 of the St. Louis Cardinals rounds first base after hitting a two-run home run against the Kansas City Royals in the third inning at Busch Stadium on May 21, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /

St. Louis Cardinals: Tyler O’Neill

The St. Louis Cardinals are wasting one of the best starting rotations in the National League on an offense that has too many holes to push them over the top and a bullpen that has already blown nine saves this year. The Cardinals are still in fine position to push for a playoff spot this year, but it has to be frustrating for the rotation, which has a 3.06 ERA that the team is not in first place.

Former top prospect Harrison Bader is already stealing playing time from underperforming Dexter Fowler and Marcell Ozuna. He actually leads the team in WAR this season despite just cracking 100 plate appearances last week and has a .290/.365/.484 line with five homers and six stolen bases.

It won’t make Ozuna, Fowler or the fiery Tommy Pham very happy, but the next Cardinals prospect up to the big leagues should be right fielder Tyler O’Neill, who was acquired from Seattle last year in the Mike Leake trade. The 23-year-old is hitting .319/.333/.708 with 13 home runs and 31 RBI in 29 games at Triple-A this year. O’Neill does have flaws in this approach at the plate, but there’s little arguing with that type of power production.

The Cardinals are looking at another outfield squeeze, less than a year after trading Stephen Piscotty and Randal Grichuk to make room for Ozuna. O’Neill has already been up and down twice this year, and the next time he comes up should be for good.

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