SAN ANTONIO聽鈥 Beneath the surface of the Cardinals major-league machinations in the past week, the club has re-signed a handful of minor-league players to maintain depth and avoid losing them to free agency.
Packy Naughton, who had 26 relief appearances in the majors in 2022 and brief appearances since, signed a two-year, minor-league deal with the Cardinals to give him time to recovery from injury, rehab with the team, and then contribute in the second year of the deal.
Naughton, 28, has had a series of elbow surgeries in recent years.
The lefty tore a ligament during his recovery from a flexor tendon injury, he disclosed on Instagram on Monday. He had reconstructive surgery on the elbow in July, and he has been rehabbing at the Cardinals' player development facility in Jupiter, Florida. He also previously advertised that he got his real estate license.聽
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The recovery from the most recent surgery is usually around 12 months, and that should have him pitching in competition toward the end of the coming season.
Since 2022, Naughton's time in the majors and time on the mound has been limited due to injuries. Used sometimes as a spot starter for the Cardinals, Naughton is 0-6 with a 4.98 ERA in 37 games (seven starts) and 59 2/3 innings in the majors.
In addition to Naughton, the Cardinals also re-signed the following minor leaguers from their system ahead of the deadline that would have made them free agents: RHP Inohan Paniagua; RHP Victor Santos; C Chance Sisco; C Gavin Collins; RHP Dionys Rodr铆guez; RHP Augusto Calderon; INF Ramon Mendoza; RHP Angel Cuenca; 2B/OF Darlin Moquete; and RHP Leonardo Taveras.
Paniagua, 24, went 7-9 with a 3.84 ERA in 25 games (20 starts) for High-A Peoria. He had 123 strikeouts and 50 walks in 115 innings. Sisco, 30, is a veteran backup catcher who returns to the Cardinals. He helps them maintain depth at the position as they prepare for Jimmy Crooks to be the starter at catcher in Class AAA Memphis with Ivan Herrera, Pedro Pages, and Willson Contreras in the majors or part of trade discussions.
While shedding players from the major-league roster, the Cardinals have sought to maintain depth and quantity in the minors as part of their goal to retool their player development programs and lean into younger players and even a churn of pitchers in the coming season.
Rom removed from 60-day IL
Well ahead of Monday's deadline to reinstate all players from the 60-day injured list, the Cardinals moved lefty Drew Rom to their 40-player roster.
With all of the moves over the past week, that puts the roster at 36.
Rom, 24, missed the entire 2024 season due to a shoulder injury experienced in spring training that required surgery to repair. He is expected to be ready for spring training, though may start the camp with a conservative schedule coming back from injury.
The Cardinals acquired Rom from Baltimore at the trade deadline in 2023. He was the centerpiece of the deal that sent Jack Flaherty to the Orioles, and the lefty Rom made his major-league debut a few weeks later for the Cardinals.聽
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In today鈥檚 10 a.m. 鈥淭en Hochman鈥 sports video聽鈥斅燽rought to you by聽聽鈥斅燘en Hochman discusses former Cardinal slugger Dick Allen鈥檚 HOF chances! And a happy birthday shoutout to Art Garfunkel! And as always, Hochman picks a random 最新杏吧原创 Cards card!
