Great news for St. Louis Cardinals fans: Nolan Arenado is nearly ready to return to the field. The former All-Star third baseman announced plans to begin a rehab assignment next week, most likely in Springfield. If all goes well, he could be back with the major league team by next Monday when the Reds visit Busch Stadium for the season’s final homestand, according to Jeff Jones.

That’s the big update, but Arenado also shared some extra excitement. While rehabbing, he’s been spending time with some of the younger players in the complex, and one name really stood out to him: Rainiel Rodriguez.

Rodriguez’s Potential

Rodriguez recently moved up to High-A ball in Peoria for good reason. He made an immediate impact in his debut, collecting three hits. With 356 plate appearances and a strong slash line of .280/.407/.567, along with 21 doubles and 20 home runs, he’s becoming a prospect to watch closely in the Cardinals’ farm system.

Baseball America has even called Rodriguez “the best hitter at 18” they’ve ever seen, and Arenado agrees.

“Hitting balls opposite field at 109 mph? That’s a good-looking player,” Arenado said, according to Jeff Jones. With just 221 at-bats in Single-A, Rodriguez has already hit 13 homers and holds an impressive .877 OPS as of September 4. Given these numbers, promoting him seems like an obvious choice for a promising prospect.

So, not only are the Cardinals close to welcoming back their star third baseman, but they also have another exciting player rising through their system for fans to follow.