The Cienfuegos native César Prieto ended a long wait this Sunday by hitting his first extra-base hit in the Major Leagues, a triple to right-center field, in the final game of the MLB regular season.
The hit came during the St. Louis Cardinals' defeat against the Milwaukee Brewers with a score of 6-4, at American Family Field, with Prieto batting eighth as the second baseman, according to the site Pelota Cubana USA on their social media.
The hit shot out toward deep right-center field and grazed the glove of outfielder Garrett Mitchell, who had to cover a long distance without being able to reach it. Prieto, who was rounding second base, dove headfirst to reach third and complete the triple.
"Shot like a cannon to the back of center-right field. It gets away from Mitchell's glove. Prieto rounding second. He's going to slide into third. His first extra-base hit in the Major Leagues," the game commentator described.
It was Prieto's third hit of the 2026 MLB season and the fourth of his entire career in the Big Show. In the game, he finished 1-for-4 with one strikeout, and with the triple, he reached two runs scored in his Major League history, although he still has not added any RBIs.
The achievement comes with a bittersweet taste. The 2026 season was a rollercoaster for the Cuban second baseman: three call-ups to the Majors —in May, August, and September— with returns to Triple-A Memphis each time. In total, he accumulated only 34 at-bats in MLB, with an average of .059 and zero RBIs.
The contrast with his performance in the Minors is striking. With the Memphis Redbirds in Triple-A, Prieto batted .308 with 12 home runs and 43 RBIs in 335 plate appearances, numbers that keep him as one of the most promising Cuban prospects in the St. Louis system.
Born in Cienfuegos in 1999, Prieto defected from the Cuban national team in May 2021 and originally signed with the Baltimore Orioles. He joined the Cardinals in August 2023 in the transaction that sent pitcher Jack Flaherty to Baltimore. He made his MLB debut on August 29, 2025 and recorded his first hit—a single—two days later against Cincinnati.
The Cardinals finished the 2026 season with a record of 77-84, placing fourth in the National League Central Division, far behind the Brewers, who ended as division champions with a record of 102-59.
The three-pointer on the last day of the regular season is, for now, Prieto's standout moment in the Major Leagues, and the lingering question is whether he will finally secure a spot on the St. Louis roster in 2027.
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