Grading Cardinals-Leo Bernal Electric 18-Game Run to Begin Career

The St. Louis Cardinals have found themselves a star in Leo Bernal.

Sep 14, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Leo Bernal (13) reacts after hitting a double against the San Francisco Giants during the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The St. Louis Cardinals potentially have found their answer at catcher.

That is, of course, young backstop Leo Bernal. Now, it's a bit early to make a big statement like that, but Bernal has been that good in his 18-game stint to begin his big league career.

With that being said, let's grade Bernal's start to his Cardinals career and break it down.

Leo Bernal Cardinals Grade After 18 Games — A+

Sep 20, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Leo Bernal (13) hits a two-run home run against the Washington Nationals during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bernal has impressive, to say the least. In 18 games, Bernal has slashed .311/.354/.514 with an .868 OPS, four home runs, 17 RBIs, three doubles, and a 145 OPS+. The 145 OPS+ means that he has been 45 percent better than the average offensive player since making his big league debut.

If you were to project Bernal's numbers across 162 games, he's on pace for 36 homers, 153 RBIs, and 27 doubles. What else could you ask for out of a young backstop just trying to get adjusted to the big league game? Plus, let's not forget that at the same time, Bernal has been adjusting and learning how to operate with the pitchers on the Cardinals' roster. That's a tall task in itself and Bernal has handled it well.

When it comes to Bernal, it was known going into the majors that he was elite defensively. He won a MiLB Gold Glove in 2025 and has been just as good in the majors.

So, he has been elite defensively and elite offensively as well. When it comes to the Cardinals' catcher position, they haven't been getting the type of production that Bernal has been able to bring. Jimmy Crooks struggled offensively and was solid defensively. The same can be said about Pedro Pagés. Iván Herrera has been very good offensively, but hasn't been the same defensively.

That's part of the reason why Bernal stands out as much as he does. He's not one-dimensional, to say the least. This is a guy who has already shown in the majors that he can be elite defensively while also making a significant impact in the lineup each night. That's what the Cardinals have been looking for. It has been a talking point for a bit that the Cardinals have a lot of talent in the system behind the plate. Rainiel Rodriguez hasn't gotten his shot yet. While this is the case, Bernal looks like the real deal.