Thomas Saggese #25

Played prep baseball for Jake Savicki at Carlsbad (Calif.) High School his junior and senior year after transferring. The same high school has produced Orioles Brady Anderson and former Cardinals third baseman Troy Glaus...Became the second-highest draft pick out of Carlsbad behind Glaus (1994 second round, Padres) and Thomas Eshelman (2015 second Round, Astros)...Named MVP of San Diego's Avacado West League as a junior in 2019, batting .422 (43-for-102), 10 HR, 26 RBI with a positive walk (17) to strikeout (14) ratio...Batted .440 with three HR and nine RBI over seven games in the COVID-shortened season of 2020...Signed his letter of intent to play college baseball at Pepperdine University...Earned the 2022 True Ranger Award, established in 2019 as the player who represents the core values of the organization in a positive light on and off the field...Is good friends with Tekoah Roby, who was also traded with him to the Cardinals...Signed by Steve Flores (Rangers)...Resides in Carlsbad, Calif.

2023

Began the season as one of the youngest players (21) in the Texas League as the starting second baseman for Frisco (AA-Rangers)...2023 Texas League Most Valuable Player...2023 Texas League and Double-A Batting Champion (.318)...Baseball America Minor League All-Star Team and Double-A All-Star Team at Second Base...Also led the Texas League in hits (158), RBI (107) and extra-base hits (60)...Cardinals August Minor League Player of the Month...Texas League Player of the Week ending June 25, batting .591 (13-for-22) with three doubles, a triple, a home run, seven RBI and a 1.609 OPS, hitting safely in all seven games...Sent to the Cardinals at the trade deadline from the Rangers with LHP John King and RHP Tekoah Roby in exchange for LHP Jordan Montgomery and RHP Chris Stratton...Hit nine HR in his first 22 games with Springfield...Recorded over 20 RBI in three straight months (June - 25; July - 24; Aug. - 26) with his 75 RBI over those three months second-most in all of professional baseball...Hit three grand slams while with Frisco (5/12 vs. Wichita; June 2 vs. San Antonio; July 22 vs. San Antonio).