Cardinals sign five minor league free agents, including former second round pick

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - The St. Louis Cardinals announced they have signed five minor league free agents, including a former second round draft pick.

The following players were signed by the Cardinals:

• Outfielder Oscar Mercado
• Infielder Taylor Motter
• Shortstop Juniel Querecuto
• Left-handed pitcher Kenny Hernandez
• Right-handed pitcher Logan Sawyer

Originally drafted by the Cardinals in the second round of the 2013 June Amateur Draft, Oscar Mercado has played 278 games in the MLB since debuting with Cleveland in 2019. Over four MLB seasons, he has batted .235 with 26 home runs and 95 RBIs.

Taylor Motter, 33, is a five-year MLB veteran out of Coastal Carolina University. He spent his 2022 season playing between Gwinnett (AAA) and Louisville of the International League. Since 2016, he’s played all four infield positions and the two corner outfield spots as a member of Tampa Bay, Seattle, Minnesota, Colorado, Boston and Cincinnati.

A native of Venezuela, Juniel Quereceto hasn’t played in the MLB since 2016. He spent five seasons since with the Rays, Giants, Diamondbacks and Reds minor league affiliates and five winter seasons in the Venezuelan League. Over his professional career, he’s played in 1,037 minor league games and four Major League games.

Kenny Hernandez, a 24-year-old pitcher, was originally signed as an international free agent in 2016 and has played six seasons, advancing as high as Double-A Amarillo. He’s appeared in 122 games, making 40 starts with a 26-22 record and 3.90 ERA.

Logan Sawyer, the former 29th-round draft pick of the Colorado Rockies in 2014, has pitched three of the last four seasons in the Independent Leagues and Australia. His last action in affiliated baseball was with the Colorado Rockies’ High-A affiliate in 2016. In 2022, Sawyer dominated his opponents as a member of Evansville in the Frontier League, racking up 22 saves over 30 appearances.

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