The St. Louis Cardinals appear to have made a smart decision by taking a chance on former top prospect Everson Pereira.
St. Louis claimed Pereira off waivers from the Chicago White Sox earlier this month. Still only 25, Pereira was ranked as the No. 42 prospect in all of baseball in 2024 by Baseball America. Although he has yet to establish himself at the major-league level, the Cardinals saw enough potential to take a low-risk chance on the talented outfielder.
Unfortunately, Cardinals fans may have to wait before seeing Pereira back on the field. He was hit on the left hand by a pitch Friday night, putting his status in question. Pereira tested the hand by taking swings in the batting cage Saturday, but according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the test “did not go well.”
“He attempted to take swings in the batting cage hours before the game,” Goold wrote. “A Cardinals official said that ‘did not go well,’ and the team had to determine whether an IL stint was likely to add an active player to the bench.”
The Cardinals Will Miss Everson Pereira
On Sunday, the Cardinals announced that Pereira is heading to the Injured List and Ramón Urías is being activated in his place.
“INF Ramón Urías has been activated from the 60-day IL,” the Cardinals announced. “OF Everson Pereira has been placed on the 10-day IL (left hand contusion), retroactive to August 22.”
A tough update, to say the least. Pereira has been really good since the Cardinals brought him in. The 25-year-old has played in 11 games and is slashing .278/.409/.444 with an .854 OPS, one home run, one RBI, and two runs scored. Plus, he has been elite defensively.
Ramón Urías has not appeared in a game for the Cardinals since May 3. At the time, the former Gold Glove winner was hitting .158/.279/.316 with a .595 OPS, two home runs and five RBIs across 25 games.
Urías joined St. Louis before the 2026 season to provide experienced infield depth. Prior to his injury, he filled several positions, seeing action at first base, shortstop and third base. Once he returns, it would not be surprising to see the veteran receive opportunities at third.
With Everson Pereira now on the injured list, the Cardinals have fewer options in the outfield. Joshua Báez, Nathan Church and Jordan Walker are currently positioned as the starters, but the organization has less depth behind them. That could create an opportunity for Victor Scott II to receive another look.
Scott was sent to Triple-A earlier this season after struggling to a .194/.276/.258 slash line over 61 games. However, his defense remained a major strength, with the outfielder ranking in the 85th percentile in Outs Above Average.
His performance in Triple-A has recently taken a significant step forward. Since July 26, Scott has posted a .333/.422/.526 slash line with a .948 OPS, two home runs, eight RBIs, 10 stolen bases, five doubles and two triples over 21 games. His recent offensive surge could make him an intriguing option for the Cardinals as they deal with their outfield depth concerns.
