LOS ANGELES -- When Cardinals catching prospect Leo Bernal was removed from Sunday’s Triple-A Memphis Redbirds game in Charlotte, he was playing in front of 4,252 fans.
Just two days later, the 22-year-old Panama City native helped lead the Cardinals to a 13-8 victory over the Dodgers in front of an announced crowd of 44,593 fans in his MLB debut on Tuesday night.
Bernal, ranked as the Cardinals’ No. 7 prospect by MLB Pipeline, was pulled from Memphis’ game as he was due to bat in the second inning and received the news that the Cardinals were calling him up.
“For the first 30 seconds I couldn’t process it,” Bernal said before the game through an interpreter. “It took me a while to really register, and then after about 30 seconds I went into the clubhouse and just cried. The emotions kind of took its course, and really sunk in.”
He didn’t wait long to make an impact.
Bernal came through in the Cardinals’ five-run third inning, smoking a bases-loaded, two-run single 107.6 mph off the bat to put St. Louis up, 5-0. He finished the night 1-for-5 with two strikeouts and a run scored.
“Unbelievable. Always like I was dreaming about,” he said afterward. “Being in this clubhouse with these people, against the team that we faced, everything was so special and obviously the hard work paid off today. It was a special day.”
Part of what made it so special were five of those in attendance: his mom, dad, brother, wife and agent. He said the baseball from his hit was going to his parents.
“They are everything for me,” Bernal said. “My family is a baseball family. My brother played baseball, my dad played baseball, my grandfather played baseball, everybody played baseball. We always talk about baseball. So [them] being here for me is so special.”
Bernal said after the nerves of his first at-bat, he was able to focus better the second time around.
“I like to feel the pressure of bringing some runs to the plate,” he said in English. “To me, you have to be more locked in in the game, it doesn’t mean you have to do something different. ... Obviously first at-bat, a little nervous, a little excited. But the second one we had work to do, and that was a great swing.”
Manager Oli Marmol said Bernal’s debut was “one I’ve been excited to see.”
“I love observing those moments to see what they do,” Marmol added. “There’s a mound visit, and he looked in and there’s a smile to his face, like, ‘Here we go.’ And I love that that’s his way of approaching that, rather than trying to make the moment bigger than it is.”
St. Louis also brought outfielder Victor Scott II back to the big leagues, where he will primarily serve as a pinch-runner and late-inning defensive replacement. Right-handed pitcher Hancel Rincon was also recalled for his potential Major League debut and will join the bullpen. Catcher Jimmy Crooks was optioned to Triple-A Memphis in a corresponding move.
Marmol said Bernal will get plenty of playing time, primarily at catcher, as well as first base and designated hitter -- with an emphasis on him gaining experience rather than focusing on the results.
“My goal is to get him in there quite a bit,” Marmol said. “We want him to get a real taste of it, going into his offseason, of understanding the pressures and preparation and communication and what this is all about, so that there’s not a guessing as to how to prepare, like he knows exactly what he’s able to perform."
Marmol said Bernal was tasked this season with improving his game preparation, including communication and strategy with pitchers and pitching coaches and making in-game adjustments.
“Guys love him because of [his assertiveness]. His personality, he’s very confident in how he prepares and what he brings to the table,” Marmol said. “And it shows in his style of play. But yeah, there’s always hesitancy in a different language, being able to do that to the same degree that you would do it in your home country. I think we’re seeing more of that, though, which is great.”
Bernal said his biggest improvement since Spring Training was being more consistent, both in his preparation as a catcher and as a hitter.
“Throughout my career I could flash different skills here and there, in bursts," he said. "But to be a complete player consistently every day is something that I think I really improved on from Spring Training this season to where I am now.
“ ... Consistency, ultimately, to the offensive game is just as important, because it led to me growing in confidence in my ability to just let my skills and tools play.”