# Cesar Prieto And Darlin Saladin Named Cardinals Top Minor Leaguers For May 2024 - Link: https://www.nyrdcast.com/cesar-prieto-and-darlin-saladin-named-cardinals-top-minor-leaguers-for-may-2024/ - Published: 2024-06-05T10:36:15-05:00 - Author: Eugene Tierney ### **_CÉSAR PRIETO & DARLIN SALADIN NAMED CARDINALS TOP MINOR LEAGUERS FOR THE MONTH OF MAY_** #### **_Saladin Led All Organizational Pitchers with a 0.69 ERA, Including 15.0 Scoreless Inning Streak;_ _Prieto Among Cardinals Minor League Leaders in OPS, HR, RBI, Set Monthly High for XBH_** [⌊Cardinals News⌉⌊Cardinals News⌉[ **ST. LOUIS, Mo., June 5, 2024 – **The St. Louis Cardinals today announced their selections for Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Month for May, with Memphis Redbirds (AAA) infielder **_[César Prieto](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=prieto000ces&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-06-05_br)_** and Palm Beach Cardinals (A) right-handed starting pitcher **_[Darlin Saladin](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=saladi000dar&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-06-05_br)_** taking home the honors. [⌊Cesar Prieto⌉⌊Cesar Prieto⌉[ Prieto**, **25, ranked among all qualified Cardinals minor leaguers in OPS (.880, 2^(nd)), extra-base hits (14, 2^(nd)), home runs (5, T2^(nd)), slugging percentage(. 537, 2^(nd)), total bases (51, 3^(rd)), RBI (15, 4^(th)), and runs scored (16, 4 ^(th)).  His 14 extra-base hits and eight doubles in May both established new single- month career-highs.  The left-handed batter reached safely in 20 of his 24 games played, and had a 20-game on-base streak from April 26-May 21.  It is Prieto’s first career organizational Minor League Player of the Month award selection. “César Prieto’s productive month produced seven multi-hit games with a .880 OPS, helping Memphis to their 17-12 record in May,” said Cardinals Assistant GM & Director of Player Development **_Gary LaRocque_**. The 5’9”, Cuban native was acquired by the organization at last year’s trade deadline from Baltimore along with pitchers [Drew Rom](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/romdr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-06-05_br) and [Zack Showalter](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=showal000zac&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-06-05_br) in exchange for [Jack Flaherty](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/flaheja01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2024-06-05_br). He finished sixth in all of Minor League Baseball last season with 161 hits between the Orioles and Cardinals organizations, while also ranking sixth-lowest among full season minor leaguers in strikeout rate (9.6%).  He entered 2024 as the Cardinals No. 17 prospect and “Best Hitter for Average” by _Baseball America_ and is currently slashing .297/.335/.508 with 9 HR, 22 extra-base hits, 29 runs and 29 RBI in 49 games with Memphis. [⌊