Leo Bernal, the newly promoted Panamanian catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, quickly demonstrated his offensive prowess as a switch-hitter in the Major Leagues.
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Last Tuesday, Bernal took up the right side of the plate and drove in a bases-loaded single, giving his team a 5-0 lead against the Dodgers in the third inning. That hit reached an exit velocity of 107.6 mph (173.1 km/h), contributing to the Cardinals’ 13-8 victory.
In the following game, the 22-year-old Panamanian chose the left side of the plate and surprised everyone with a home run, his first in the Major Leagues. He added two runs in the seventh inning for the Cardinals’ 8-6 victory over the Dodgers in 10 innings.
The young baseball player dedicated his first home run to his parents, a feat that crowns his status as a switch-hitter. This ability emerged in childhood, when he used to beat his younger brother at home runs and sought to even the playing field.
¡El número y más sobre Leo Bernal en su ascenso a las Grandes Ligss
!
Más detalles sobre Leonardo Bernal, que recibió llamado a las Grandes Ligas con los Cardenales de San Luis.#ClaseDeCutarrazo pic.twitter.com/ykEuu5KZFN
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The text reads, “The number and more about Leo Bernal in his rise to the Major Leagues
! More details about Leonardo Bernal, who received the call-up to the Major Leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals.”
The Panamanian, who signed with the Cardinals on January 15, 2021, is ranked as the organization’s No. 7 prospect by MLB Pipeline. Among his idols are former Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina and current Kansas City catcher Salvador Pérez.
His offensive breakthrough solidified in the 2016 season with Memphis, where he posted career highs of 16 home runs, 77 RBIs, and an .831 OPS in 101 games.
Defense is the Panamanian catcher’s main selling point, and he is considered a top-tier catcher. In 2025, he won the Gold Glove Award, becoming only the third player in Cardinals minor league history to earn this distinction, joining Carson Kelly in 2015 and Victor Scott II in 2023.
He was also voted the Texas League’s ‘Best Defensive Catcher’ in Baseball America’s poll. His statistics support his ability to control the baserunning game: in 2025, he threw out 39% of runners attempting to steal (27 outs on 69 attempts), while in 2024, he threw out 34.5% (40 outs on 116 attempts).
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