Promotion in the Cards for Maple Ridge slugger?
The way things are going, opposing triple-A pitchers might be pulling for Tyler O’Neill’s big-league debut to come sooner than later.
As of Tuesday morning, the 23-year-old outfielder from Maple Ridge was leading the Pacific Coast League in home runs (6) and runs batted in (18). He’s fifth in hitting with a .432 average through 11 games with the Memphis (Tenn.) Redbirds, the top affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.
In the entire minor leagues, he was tied for tops in long balls to start the day with fellow Canadian Josh Naylor, a first baseman from Mississauga, Ont., who is with the San Diego Padres’ double-A team in San Antonio, Texas.
The power-packed O’Neill hit 31 homers and drove in 95 runs last season in triple-A and word out of the Cardinals’ camp was that he would duel with Harrison Bader, 23, for the reserve outfielder spot in spring training. O’Neill battled nagging injuries and was demoted in early March.
“Injuries held me back during spring,” O’Neill said, “but spring is spring. It’s to get guys back into a groove before the season starts. Unfortunately mine was cut short, but I’m keeping my sights forward at the big picture and what’s ahead.
“I learned a lot last year in tripleA. It’s a different game from doubleA in terms of how you’re pitched and positioned against. I’ve made strides. I intend to keep it rolling.”
O’Neill hasn’t spoken to anyone from the St. Louis organization about the timeline for a promotion. His plan is to “just keep doing my thing and let results take care of themselves.”
Speculation in the St. Louis media is that the Cardinals want the muscle-bound 5-foot-11, 210-pound O’Neill to get regular playing time in triple-A rather than spot duty off the bench in the majors.
The Cardinals were 9-7 entering play Tuesday, with an everyday outfield featuring Tommy Pham, 30, playing centre between Marcell Ozuna, 27, and Dexter Fowler, 32.
Pham (.322, 2 HR, 5 RBIs) and Ozuna (.288, 2 HR, 10 RBIs) were off to decent starts. Fowler (.200, 2 HR, 6 RBIs) has struggled so far but the team isn’t about to panic over a veteran they signed in December 2016 to a five-year, US$82.5 million deal.
O’Neill was named the Cardinals’
B.C. PRODUCTS IN THE MAJORS
James Paxton
Seattle Mariners, LHP. Hometown: Ladner.
Age: 29.
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4, 235 pounds.
2018 stats: 1-1, 4.57 earned run average, 4 GS, 21.2 IP, 19 H, 11 R, 11 ER, 9 BB, 28 SO. fourth-best prospect and 94th overall in the minors, according to mlb.com.
O’Neill was a third-round pick of the Mariners in the 2013 June amateur draft after hitting .587, Nick Pivetta Philadelphia Phillies, RHP. Hometown: Victoria.
Age: 25.
Height/Weight: 6-foot-5,
220 pounds.
2018 stats: 1-0, 2.70 earned run average, 3 GS, 16.2 IP, 14 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 19 SO. with eight home runs and 49 RBIs for B.C. Premier League’s Langley Blaze in 19 regular-season games that season.