Photo/ P.J. Maigi, Springfield Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals’ prospect Nick Dunn may not be the flashiest prospect in the organization, but he has performed well at every level. The left-handed hitting infielder was drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2018 MLB draft and has steadily improved every season. He has earned a shot. However, he isn’t currently on the 40-man roster, making it even more difficult to get a call-up.
Cardinals’ Prospect Dunn Earns Spot On 2023 Organization All-Stars
Unfortunately for Dunn, he was assigned to Double-A Springfield for the third straight season in 2023. It was an obvious motivator as he led all Cardinals with a .319 average. The second baseman posted a .903 OPS through 73 games before finally getting promoted to Triple-A Memphis. He continued his hot hitting while showing some defensive versatility, logging some innings at third base as well.
Cardinals’ prospect Dunn was named to the MiLB.com 2023 Organization All-Stars after a strong performance at Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis. The left-handed hitter put up an impressive slash line between the two levels. The left-handed hitting second baseman had a .319 batting average, with a .413 on base percentage and a .442 slugging percentage. Additionally, he smacked nine homeruns, with 60 RBI’S, 81 runs scored, and had 73 walks in 124 games played.
Odd Man Out
Unfortunately for the young infielder, the Cardinals are in no shortage of utility infielders. He’s been blocked by the likes of Brendan Donovan and Tommy Edman, among others. Furthermore, at last year’s trade deadline, the organization added top prospects Cesar Prieto and Thomas Saggese. Additionally, they added Jose Fermin via trade with Cleveland in 2022. The new additions seemingly knocked him further down the depth chart and understandably so. They provide the same skill set and are younger. The organization chose to put Jose Fermin on the 40-man instead of Dunn, and the former earned a call-up while having a breakout year at the plate. However, Dunn has continued his hot hitting and has picked up right where he left off in 2023.
The Cardinals’ prospect Dunn has put up some impressive numbers in Memphis so far. He has a .349/.397/.560 slash line with a .957 OPS. All while playing solid defense. Seemingly, the 27 year-old has figured it out. Even if he is somewhat of a late bloomer, the results can’t be denied. He has the potential to be a solid bench piece if given the chance.
Blocked By Veteran Presence
What is unfortunate for both Dunn and Fermin is that neither were able to compete for a bench spot due to the additions of Brandon Crawford and Matt Carpenter. While having some veterans in the clubhouse is helpful, it’s undeniable that it deprives younger players of an opportunity. Many would have preferred to see a young player like Dunn get the chance to compete for a roster spot rather than a player that is on their way out of the game. There is still a lot of the season left, and one never knows what may happen. Injuries or trades may open up a path for Dunn. Hopefully, when the time comes, the decision makers will give him a chance to prove himself at the next level. It is something he has more than earned.
