NORMAL, Ill. – Those waiting on Paul DeJong to "hit the rookie wall" are going to have to keep on waiting.
DeJong, the Illinois State product currently starring for the St. Louis Cardinals, has multi-hit games in each of St. Louis' past four contests, and he homered in both of the Cardinals' weekend games versus Atlanta.
DeJong is currently batting .297/.326/.578 with 18 home runs and 42 RBIs in 65 games at the big-league level this season. He's settled in as St. Louis' everyday shortstop, and has been slotted in as the team's No. 3 hitter in each of the Cardinals' past 10 games.
DeJong ranks among the National League rookie leaders in several statistical categories, even with other NL rookies getting a jump on him before his late-May call-up. DeJong ranks fourth among NL rookies in home runs, despite playing in fewer games than anyone in the top 10 on the list. He also ranks sixth in hits (74) and doubles (16), and fourth in RBIs.
DeJong was most recently named the NL Rookie of the Month in July.
DeJong is one of 10 former Redbirds currently playing affiliated professional baseball. They include:
Neal Cotts | Triple-A | Syracuse Chiefs (Washington Nationals)
- Currently 1-3 with a 3.95 ERA in 45 relief appearances in the International League.
- Tossed a scoreless inning with two strikeouts at Indianapolis Aug. 12.
Ryan Court | Triple-A | Pawtucket Red Sox (Boston Red Sox)
- Batting .280/.364/.432 with 29 extra-base hits and 40 RBIs in 88 games in the International League.
- Hit his ninth home run of the season Aug. 1 versus Syracuse.
Chad Hinshaw | Triple-A | New Orleans Baby Cakes (Miami Marlins)
- Batting .234/.326/.356 with 14 doubles, 30 runs scored and 18 RBIs in 64 games in the Pacific Coast League.
- Posted back-to-back multi-hit games at Colorado Springs Aug. 12-13.
Brock Stewart | Triple-A | Oklahoma City Dodgers
- Optioned back to the Triple-A affiliate on Aug. 11 after posting a 1.64 ERA and 15 strikeouts over 22 innings at the big-league level.
- Allowed just two earned runs over a pair of starts, on July 26 and Aug. 2.
Eric Aguilera | Double-A | Frisco RoughRiders (Texas Rangers)
- Slashing .235/.330/.407 with 17 doubles, 14 home runs and 47 RBIs in 98 games in the Texas League.
- Homered in back-to-back games Aug. 6-8.
Jeremy Rhoades | Double-A | Mobile BayBears (Los Angeles Angels)
- Owns a combined 4-3 record and 7.39 ERA across two minor-league stops in 2017.
- Struck out the side in a relief appearance against Montgomery Aug. 5.
Will Headean | Class A | Fort Wayne TinCaps (San Diego Padres)
- Owns a 1-5 record and 4.70 ERA over 76.2 innings in the Midwest League.
- Allowed only two earned runs while striking out 21 over his past eight outings, spanning 15.2 innings.
Ryan Koziol | Class A | Augusta GreenJackets (San Francisco Giants)
- Currently on the 60-day disabled list.
Jean Ramirez | Class A Short Season | Hudson Valley Renegades (Tampa Bay Rays)
- Batting .128/.255/.234 in 16 games in the New York-Penn League.
- Went 1-for-3 with an RBI versus Brooklyn on Aug. 12.
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