Cardinals call up red-hot OF/1B Alec Burleson

After tormenting International League pitchers all season, outfielder/first baseman Alec Burleson received his first call-up to the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday.

Burleson will take the roster spot of outfielder Dylan Carlson, who was placed on the injured list with a thumb sprain.

Burleson, 23, was batting .331 at Triple-A Memphis with a .905 OPS and had 20 home runs with 87 RBIs in 109 games. The former second-round draft pick in 2020 jumped from Single-A to Triple-A last season and played this season entirely at Memphis.

Carlson, 23, is batting .240 with eight home runs and 39 RBIs in 112 games. The switch hitter is well below his production from a season ago when he had 18 home runs and 65 RBIs over 149 games while finishing third in the National League rookie-of-the-year vote.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Cardinals designated OF Conner Capel for assignment.