The Cardinals claimed left-handed pitcher Anthony Veneziano off waivers from the Miami Marlins, optioning him to Triple-A Memphis to start the week.
It’s a minor move, but one that makes sense given where St. Louis finds itself after last week’s trade deadline activity. The Cardinals shipped out Ryan Helsley, Steven Matz, and Phil Maton as part of their push to acquire young prospects, and they’re clearly not done restocking the organization.
Veneziano is 27 and was originally drafted by Kansas City in the 10th round back in 2019 out of Coastal Carolina. He’s been a fringe major leaguer so far, appearing in just 38 games between the Royals and Marlins.
The numbers at the big league level are limited but not terrible – 3.93 ERA and 1.58 WHIP across 21 innings with 35 strikeouts. His last appearance was back on June 14th when he threw two-thirds of an inning for Miami.
What’s interesting is how he’s been used in the minors. Veneziano has been primarily a starter down there, making 98 starts in 130 total appearances. That’s where most of his development has happened.
His Triple-A numbers show a pitcher who’s been consistent if not spectacular: 29-27 record with a 4.60 ERA and 515 strikeouts in just under 500 innings. The strikeout rate suggests there’s something to work with.
The Cardinals are clearly in evaluation mode now that they’ve moved on from several veteran arms. With their focus on giving younger guys opportunities, Veneziano could get a look at the major league level before the season’s over.
It’s the kind of low-risk move that might uncover something useful, especially with St. Louis needing to rebuild their pitching depth after the recent trades.
