Blurred Lines: Miguel Ugueto surging with speed and health

Blink and you’ll miss him. At least, that’s what’s happened to opposing catchers throughout the Texas League so far this season.

Springfield Cardinals second-year outfielder Miguel Ugueto has been stealing bases at an extremely successful clip so far in 2026, seemingly out of nowhere. After just one month of the season (April), Ugueto had stolen 14 bases in 14 tries across the first 18 games he had played. Those 14 stolen bases were good for second-best in the entire Texas League, right behind the league lead by just one swipe. Prior to this season, he had never stolen more than 12 in an entire campaign (2023).

“I’m not as fast as the other guys, but I’m making [it work] because I’m using [all the] information that I can to improve my game,” he explained. I asked him what makes a good base runner. His answer? “Anticipate the situation.”

Ugueto is currently in his second season in the St. Louis Cardinals organization after spending four seasons in the Boston Red Sox system. At the end of the 2024 campaign, St. Louis used their fourth-round AAA Rule-5 selection to nab the speedy outfielder who had last played for the Greenville Drive of the South Atlantic League (Class High-A).

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The Venezuela native has suffered major setbacks in his young career due to injury including a major ankle injury (mid-2023) and left hand injury (mid-2025), both of which required surgery. The ankle injury left him in a cast for four months. Overcoming those injuries now, he has settled in at the Double-A level after helping guide the 2025 team to a Texas League Championship, seeing even more success so far this season than last.

“When I broke my ankle, I never thought in my life that I’d run as fast as I’m running right now,” Ugueto said on a picture-perfect Saturday afternoon in Arkansas before a road game. “Mentally, I feel really good. You know, you have to keep your mental healthy to be stronger when you come back.”

Health, leading to speed, is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Ugueto’s base stealing prowess this season. Digging deeper, he’s relied on hours of preparation well before a fan ever walks into the ballpark.

“He’s coming a long way when it comes to understanding spots and situations,” Springfield bench coach Danny Black explained. “Last year when he came up, he was excited and aggressive, which he still is. But at times, he was running just because he wanted to run. Now, to his credit with studying pitchers and talking situations out, he’s picking really good times to go and being really aggressive with really good reads.”

Pre-game preparation, on all fronts, is a collaborative effort in the Cardinals clubhouse. Every day, the clacking of laptops and discussion of analytics are ever-present in the building just like any other office in the world. The only difference here is that everyone is wearing athletic shorts and turf shoes, the latest Bad Bunny song rattles the walls through cranked-up Bluetooth speakers and spirited conversations aren’t about shareholder value, rather what pitches are appropriate for what counts.

Black credits the collaborative efforts of assistant coach Luis Arenado and reigning Texas League Manager of the Year Patrick Anderson as a crucial part in the success of not just Ugueto’s base running success, but the success of the rest of the staff, including Travis Honeyman who also flourished in April as a base stealer. A slight rule change in the Texas Leauge, limiting the number of times a pitcher can attempt a pickoff throw during an at bat from three to two, has also been an asset for baserunners in the league. The speedster Ugueto said as much during our conversation, crediting that change as another tool in his toolbelt.

Ugueto has been a blur on the basepaths this season; the only thing you might catch a glimpse of is his highlighter yellow equipment. Nearly every night, the 23-year-old dons a vibrant compression sleeve, elbow guard and Nike cleats. It’s a somewhat oxymoronic reminder that you may see him, but you can’t catch him. I asked him about this league, specifically if there were any pitcher-catcher combos that he thought he couldn’t successfully steal a base on.

“No, no,” he said through a chuckle and smile. “Sometimes a pitcher is one-one (referring to 1.1 seconds, a pitcher’s potential delivery time to the plate, which would be quick) and it’s hard, even if you’re fast. But for me, I don’t think about that. I’m just going to run hard and steal a base, that’s it.”

Ugueto plays with this heart on his sleeve; an “easy to spot in a crowd” type of ballplayer. Multiple variants of eye-black stickers not necessarily reserved for just day games, either braided hair or an unfurled poof, large frame sunglasses; even once in 2025, Ugueto wrote “Mom” on his right cheekbone for Mother’s Day on May 11. His play however, speaks for itself. After playing the famed Arizona Fall League this past offseason, Ugueto translated those learnings into success in April, leading the team in batting average, runs scored and tied for the team lead in doubles.

At the rapid-pace he’s stealing bases so far this season, the outfielder would obliterate the Springfield Cardinals single-season stolen base record, currently held by Mike Antico who swiped 52 bags in 2023. Antico is also the franchise’s all-time stolen base leader (100) as the only player to ever hit triple digits. Ugueto, at the time of writing, is on pace for roughly 70 steals this season.

Gaudy numbers aren’t on the 23-year-old’s mind, however. Although unrevolutionary, health is the only thing that matters to Ugueto at this stage. “Be healthy. That’s my goal. I don’t pay attention to the numbers. I just give my 100% right now.” That line of thought has paid off so far.

A healthy Ugueto is a happy Ugueto.

A happy Ugueto is an elusive Cardinal Red and highlighter yellow blur.