Ex-Cardinals 32-Year-Old Pitcher Signs With Dodgers After Indy Ball Stint

The Cardinals were the last MLB team to employ Keynan Middleton until the Dodgers signed him...

Aug 16, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of Los Angeles Dodgers hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at SunTrust Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have had quite an eventful offseason. They didn't make any big splashes in free agency, but they were the most active team in the league when it comes to trading big league talent.

They sent Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox. They moved Nolan Arenado to the Arizona Diamondbacks. St. Louis completed its big offseason by trading Brendan Donovan to the Seattle Mariners in a three team blockbuster.

With the season coming up, the Cardinals have seemingly turned their attention away from these trades and onto their own prospects and youngsters currently in camp.

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While the Cardinals were preparing for the season in big league camp this spring, one of their former players, Keynan Middleton, signed a minor league deal with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Middleton was with the Cardinals in 2024, but struggled with injuries.

Ex-Cardinal Keynan Middleton lands minor league deal with Dodgers

Mar 2, 2024; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Keynan Middleton (93) pitches in the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Middleton, 32, has spent time with five different big-league clubs across his seven-year career. He was originally with the Los Angeles Angels, where he pitched the first four years of his career. Middleton would land with the Seattle Mariners in 2021, when he put up a mediocre season with an ERA right around 5.00.

Following 2021, the righty would put together his worst big-league season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, posting a -0.6 WAR in 18 games. He would split time between the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees during the 2023 season, which would be the last time he was in the big leagues.

After a solid 2023 campaign, Middleton made five appearances for the Cardinals' Double-A affiliate before suffering injuries that ended his season and his time with the Cardinals. He never reached the big leagues in St. Louis.

Last year, Middleton took his talents to independent baseball, where he played for the Long Island Ducks in the Atlantic League. He pitched 3 2/3 innings for the Ducks before finding his way back to the minor leagues with the Dodgers this offseason.

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