The St. Louis Cardinals today announced Palm Beach Cardinals (A) right-handed starting pitcher Darlin Saladin as their selection for Minor League Pitcher of the Month for May.
The St. Louis Cardinals today announced their selections for Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Month for May, with Memphis Redbirds (AAA) infielder César Prieto and Palm Beach Cardinals (A) right-handed starting pitcher taking home the honors.
Saladin, 21, posted a 1-0 record with a 0.69 ERA (2 ER/26.0 IP), 0.81 WHIP with 37 strikeouts across five starts in May. He began the month with a 15.0 inning scoreless streak and back-to-back quality starts, while matching his career single-game high with nine strikeouts on May 1 vs. Daytona. He ranked among the organization’s monthly leaders in ERA (1st), WHIP (2nd), strikeouts (T2nd), and opponent average (2nd, .157) and only allowed one extra-base hit (double) across his 96 batters faced. The 6’0”, Dominican native is the fourth different foreign-born player to take home Pitcher of the Month honors since the start of 2021, joining RHPs Hancel Rincón (May 2023), Inohan Paniagua (June & July 2022) and Wilfredo Pereira (July 2021).
“Darlin Saladin started five games, striking out 37 with just seven walks and limited opponents to a .387 OPS, while Palm Beach competes to win the first half of the Florida State League East Division,” stated LaRocque.
Signed as an international free agent in September 2019, Saladin pitched his first two professional seasons for the club’s Dominican Summer League affiliate from 2021-22 before coming stateside to pitch for the Florida Complex League Cardinals (12 games) and Palm Beach (1 game) in 2023. Through eight games (seven starts) at Single-A Palm Beach this season, Saladin owns a 2-0 record with a Florida State League leading 1.98 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 51 strikeouts across 41.0 innings pitched and has yet to allow a home run this season.
