Cards call Sierra from A Advanced ball to Majors

If the ascent through the Minor Leagues to the Majors is generally a slow climb along a ladder, Magneuris Sierra has caught the express elevator.
With José Martínez suffering a left groin injury and becoming the third St. Louis outfielder to hit the disabled list in three days, the Cardinals promoted their No. 7 prospect all the way from the Class A Advanced Florida State League to "The Show" for a Sunday debut. Sierra became the first 21-year-old member of the St. Louis organization to play in the bigs since Albert Pujols debuted in 2001.

"I almost pulled out my hair because I was so happy," Sierra, who recorded his first big league hit with a single off R.A. Dickey in the sixth inning, told MLB.com after being summoned to the Majors. "[I'm] thankful to God for the opportunity. I never expected this, but I've always been ready. I'm thankful to be here."
A left-handed-hitting center fielder with 60-grade running, throwing and fielding tools according to MLB Pipeline, Sierra batted .272/.337/.407 with four triples through his first 20 games of the season with Palm Beach. He fell a homer short of the cycle during a four-hit game on May 1.
He stole 31 bases in the Midwest League last year and also posted a .307 average and clubbed 21 doubles. In 2014 -- the first season in the States for the native of the Dominican Republic -- he hit .386/.434/.505 in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League to earn Cardinals' Minor League Player of the Year honors.
Even for the most highly touted prospects, bypassing both Triple-A and Double-A is uncommon. Now with the Braves, pitcher Akeel Morris did it in the Mets organization in 2015, jumping from St. Lucie to New York for a June 17 start against Toronto. The Blue Jays got to the young right-hander for five runs -- all earned -- while only retiring two batters, and he spent the rest of the season with Double-A Binghamton in the Eastern League.
However, Sierra more than held his own against big league competition in Spring Training this year. Through 31 Grapefruit League games, he batted .387/.424/.484.