Baseball

Cardinals procure 6-foot-9 righthander with 98-mph fastball from Phillies for bullpen depth

As they head around the beginning of spring preparing, the Cardinals intended to sustain their list with some profundity moves, for the infield and, as they did Wednesday morning, for the warm up area.

They went for tallness and force in an exchange with the Phillies.

The Cardinals obtained Johan Quezada, a 6-foot-9 righthander, from Philadelphia in return for money contemplations. Quezada, 26, joins the Cardinals’ 40-man program, and carries its complete to 38.

The righthander took the jump from High-A Fort Myers in 2019 to the majors with the Miami Marlins in late 2020, and in his three appearances for Miami arrived at the midpoint of 97.5 mph on his fastball. He has the exemplary slider-fastball blend to go with size that inclines toward alleviation and the requirement for more noteworthy order to flourish there.

Since Quezada’s All-Star turn for Minnesota’s High-A member in the Florida State League in 2019, he has been with three groups. He endorsed with Miami as a small time free specialist, vaulted to the majors this previous September, and afterward was culled off waivers by the Phillies as the Marlins fixed their program in late October.

In his three appearances in the majors, Quezada permitted four hits, three runs and one stroll against two strikeouts.

He championed himself as a reliever in 2019 with the Twins’ Fort Myers, Fla., club, and was 7-2 with a 3.44 ERA in 33 alleviation appearances. He struck out 49, and permitted 50 hits and 28 strolls in 52 1/3 innings.

The exchange was reported by the Cardinals’ player advancement group on Twitter.

On Tuesday, Cardinals leader of baseball tasks John Mozeliak said he expected some non-lineup moves in the days prompting the beginning of spring preparing Feb. 17 in Jupiter, Fla. The Cardinals have talked about their desire to add profundity to the center infield and rivalry for utility jobs at the major-association and Class AAA levels.

Quezada’s force makes him like Junior Fernandez, Johan Oviedo and some different relievers the Cardinals will try out for parts in the warm up area this season.

The Cardinals don’t have to fill their 40-man list prior to spring preparing starts and can save those spots for increments during camp, for example, inner alternatives who win first day of the season occupations or outside augmentations.