Rainiel Rodriguez in MLB draft

St. Louis Cardinals prospect Rainiel Rodriguez was named Prospect of the Year after batting .324 with 27 home runs and an .987 OPS across High-A and Double-A in 2026, accomplishing the feat at 19. After an adjustment period following his promotion to Double-A, he hit .384 with 13 home runs over his final 36 games and continued to make progress defensively as a catcher. The Cardinals still view him primarily as a catcher but have begun giving him work at third base to expand his versatility, with a possible Triple-A start in 2027 and a major-league debut later that season.