Cardinals prospect Thomas Saggese selected to Arizona Fall League All-Star game

Thomas Saggese's strong performance through 18 games in the Arizona Fall League earned the Cardinals infield prospect a spot in the league's annual All-Star exhibition.

Saggese, 22, was named to the National League roster for the fall league's Fall Stars game after he batted .391 with a .524 on-base percentage and a .594 slugging percentage through 18 games. He was the lone Cardinals prospect selected to participate in the prospect showcase when rosters were announced on Friday.

As the fall league enters its final week, Saggese ranks third in batting average, first in on-base percentage, and fifth in slugging percentage among qualified hitters. His 1.118 on-base plus slugging percentage is the fourth highest in the AFL.

Seven of Saggese's 25 hits have been doubles. He has two home runs and has driven in 10 runs for the Glendale Desert Dogs — the club Cardinals prospects have been assigned to this fall. The 22-year-old leads his team in hits.

Saggese has appeared in 13 games at shortstop and one at third base for the Desert Dogs.

Saggese entered the fall league following a regular season that included 125 games in Class AAA and 18 in the majors leagues after a September call-up.

The infielder produced a .253 average, a .752 OPS, and hit 20 home runs during his stay in Class AAA. He hit 12 of his 20 homers in the final 55 Class AAA games he appeared before getting promoted on Sept. 10. He batted .291 with an .874 OPS during that 55-game stretch.

During his introduction to the majors, Saggese batted .204 with one home run, two doubles, and produced a .556 OPS in 18 games. The Cardinals played him at second base in 13 of the games he appeared in.

The annual Fall Stars showcase is set for Sunday at 7 p.m. St. Louis time. It will be broadcasted on MLB Network and MLB.com .