St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals name Carlson, Rondon their 2019 minor league player, pitcher of year

Published Dec. 5, 2019 4:12 p.m. ET

Dylan Carlson and Angel Rondon, a pair of Texas League stars, are the St. Louis Cardinals' 2019 Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year.

The team announced the selections Thursday.

Carlson, 21, is the top prospect in the Cardinals organization entering next season, according to Baseball America. The outfielder also was tabbed by the publication as the organization's best hitter for average.

Playing for Double-A Springfield (108 games) and Triple-A Memphis (18 games) last season, Carlson totaled 26 home runs, eight triples, 28 doubles and 20 stolen bases while batting .292 with a .914 OPS. The switch-hitter was one of only 10 minor leaguers with at least 20 homers and 20 steals in 2019.

At 20, Carlson was the Texas League’s fourth-youngest player on Opening Day. By midseason he was an All-Star. He was promoted to Memphis in mid-August and from that point on batted .361 with five homers and nine RBIs, ranking among Pacific Coast League leaders in hits (26, tied for third), total bases (49, tied for fourth) and extra-base hits (11, tied for fifth) during that timeframe.

Carlson also was a Texas League postseason All-Star as well as the circuit's Player of the Year. Baseball America tabbed him as the No. 2 overall prospect in the Texas League.

Rondon also split his 2019 season between two clubs, going a combined 11-7 with a 2.93 ERA and 159 strikeouts in 28 starts for High-A Palm Beach and Springfield. Among all pitchers in the Cardinals farm system, Rondon ranked tied for second in wins, second in strikeouts, tied for first in starts and second in innings pitched (160.0).

Though he was promoted to Springfield in May, Rondon, who turned 22 on Dec. 1, was named a Florida State League midseason All-Star after going 5-1 with a 2.20 ERA and 47 strikeouts in eight starts. He proceeded to lead the Texas League with a 3.21 ERA and .230 average against and to rank second in WHIP (1.23) and 10th in strikeouts (112) while fashioning a 6-6 record in 20 starts.

Carlson was the Cardinals' supplemental first-round draft pick (33rd overall) in June 2016. Rondon signed with the Cardinals as an international free agent in January 2016.