Juniel Querecuto of the St. Louis Cardinals poses for a portrait during St. Louis Cardinals Photo Day at Roger Dean Stadium on February 23, 2023 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Benjamin Rusnak/Getty Images)
By Matthew Tallarini
World Baseball Network
The St. Louis Cardinals called up utility player Juniel Querecuto from Triple-A Memphis on Wednesday and placed second baseman Nolan Gorman on the 10-day Injured List with a right hamstring strain suffered on Tuesday night while beating out an infield single.
In his second Major League season, Gorman played in 119 games for the Cardinals with 464 plate appearances, and batted .236 with 96 hits, 17 doubles, 27 home runs, 76 RBI, 53 walks and a .805 OPS.
Querecuto, 30, was born in Barquisimeto, Venezuela and has not played in the major leagues since the 2016 season. He made his debut on September 22, 2016 with the Tampa Bay Rays and was with the Major League club for four games.
On November 18, 2022, Querecuto signed a minor league contract with the Cardinals and after electing free agency from the Cincinnati Reds organization on November 10, 2022.
This season, Querecuto played in 106 games with Triple-A Memphis, batting .269 in 440 plate appearances with 105 hits, 15 doubles, two triples, 13 home runs, 57 RBI, 12 stolen bases, 40 walks, 101 strikeouts and a .761 OPS.
Last offseason, Querecuto played with Cardenales de lara during the 2022-23 Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional season in 54 games with 205 plate appearances batting .258 recording 46 hits, five doubles, one triple, five home runs, 35 RBI, 18 walks, and 27 strikeouts alongside a .710 OPS.
During the 2022 regular season, Querecuto spent the year at Triple-A Louisville, playing in 108 games and batting .256 with 102 hits, 27 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs, 34 RBI, 10 stolen bases, 29 walks, and 80 strikeouts.
Querecuto has spent his professional career with multiple organizations after signing with the Rays as an international free agent on July 2, 2009, prior to making his professional debut in the Gulf Coast League at the rookie level.
Querecuto has spent eight seasons at the Triple-A level, starting in 2015 with the Durham Bulls, the Triple-A affiliate of Tampa Bay.
In eight seasons at the Triple-A level, Querecuto has played for the affiliates of the Rays in 2015, San Francisco Giants in 2016, Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017-21, and the Reds last season. He has played in 614 games at the Triple-A level, batting .274 across 2,419 plate appearances with 606 hits, 104 doubles, 19 triples, 49 home runs, 282 RBI, 55 stolen bases, 168 walks, 446 strikeouts and a .732 OPS.
Querecuto has played every defensive position except right field and catcher during the 2023 regular season with Triple-A Memphis.
The Cardinals are in last place in the National League Central Division at 65-81 under second-year manager Oliver Marmol after he helped St. Louis clinched the National League Central Division title during the 2022 season.