Cardinals To Promote Jimmy Crooks and Cesar Prieto
ALEC BURLESON & YOHEL POZO PLACED ON INJURED LIST
INF César Prieto & C Jimmy Crooks Selected from Memphis (AAA)
Cincinnati, Ohio (August 29, 2025) — The St. Louis Cardinals have placed outfielder Alec Burleson (right wrist inflammation) on the 10-day Injured List and catcher Yohel Pozo (jo-EL poh-zo) on the 7-day Concussion List. Infielder César Prieto (pre-EH-toe) and catcher Jimmy Crooks have been selected from Memphis (AAA).
Prieto, 26, was acquired by the Cardinals from the Orioles organization in the trade that sent RHP Jack Flaherty to Baltimore in 2023. In 474 career minor league games over four seasons, Prieto is batting .293 with 44 home runs, 244 RBI, 117 doubles and has stolen 30 bases.
The Cienfuegos, Cuba native has started 20 or more games at third base (40), shortstop (39) and second base (22) for the Redbirds. The left-handed batting Prieto was batting .295 with 9 HR, 62 RBI and 29 doubles at the time of his call-up. He is ranked T -4th in the International League in doubles and 5th with 119 hits.
Crooks, 24, was the Cardinals 4th round selection out of the University of Oklahoma in the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft. Over the past four professional seasons, the backstop has started 255 games at catcher and played in 326 games overall.
The left-handed batting Crooks had a .274 average with 14 HR, 79 RBI and 21 doubles at the time of his call-up. His 79 RBI ranked 6th among International League leaders. Behind the plate, Crooks threw out 29% of attempted base stealers this season. He was named the 2024 Cardinals Minor League Player of the Year.
Burleson is leading the Cardinals in batting (.286) and hits (123) this season and ranks 2nd in home runs (16) and RBI (60). Pozo has posted career-highs in home runs (5), RBI (19) and extra base hits (13) this season.
Prieto will wear uniform No. 31 and Crooks will wear No. 8. Both players will be active for tonight’s game in Cincinnati and will be making their Major League debuts.
— STL —
