#15 - RHP Darlin Saladin
Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 45 | Changeup: 45 | Command: 55 | Overall: 40+
Background:
Saladin has been in the Cardinals' system since 2019, when he signed out of the Dominican Republic at age 16. After spending three seasons in the DSL and the Florida Complex League, he finally made his full-season debut with an appearance for Palm Beach at the end of 2023. He went on to earn a spot on Palm Beach’s Opening Day roster in 2024 and quickly emerged as one of the top pitching prospects in the system, thanks in large part to his unique and extraordinary fastball. Over 123 innings between Palm Beach and Peoria in 2024, Saladin posted a 2.71 ERA along with an impressive 27.4% strikeout rate and a 6.7% walk rate.
Scouting Report:
The calling card for Saladin is his fastball, and it’s not just good—it’s one of the best in the system. On paper, the pitch may not pop immediately, sitting 92–94 mph with around 16 inches of induced vertical break. But once you factor in his release characteristics, the pitch takes on a different dimension. Saladin throws from a higher three-quarters arm slot but works into a surprisingly low launch position with his lower half, resulting in a vertical release height of just 5.5 feet. The amount of ride he generates from his release gives hitters fits, and the pitch routinely sneaks by bats at the top of the zone despite not having elite velocity.
Even more impressive than the pitch’s movement profile is Saladin’s command of it. He’s among the best in the Cardinals’ system when it comes to fastball location, consistently locating the pitch in the upper third of the strike zone and in the shadow zone. He rarely leaves it in the heart of the plate, and opposing hitters simply haven’t been able to square it up. The amount of ride he's able to generate relative to his release and ability to execute the pitch so consistently is what gives it a chance to play well above its raw velocity readings. It’s not just a good pitch in a vacuum—it’s one that Saladin knows exactly how to use effectively.
Saladin also throws two secondaries: an 81 mph bullet slider with 1 inch of vert and 3 inches of arm-side run and a mid-80s changeup. While neither offering grades out as plus at the moment, both show flashes of functionality. The slider has close to a pure bullet shape but sways a bit to the arm-side due to his pronation bias.
He primarily uses it against right-handed hitters and can throw it for strikes when ahead in the count, though it hasn’t shown much swing-and-miss potential to this point. The changeup is the more promising of the two, with him selling the pitch well out of his hand. It’s the secondary pitch he’s most comfortable using against left-handed hitters, and there have been outings where it flashes as a potential average or better offering.
The biggest question with Saladin’s profile is whether he can develop a true bat-missing secondary pitch. The fastball is good enough to carry him through a lineup once but unless the changeup or slider takes a significant step forward, it’s hard to envision him turning over major-league lineups consistently as a starter. That said, the command, feel for secondaries and delivery efficiency give him a chance to stick in the rotation, especially if he's able to improve his arsenal. The fallback as a middle reliever is still compelling given a quality fastball that will profile better with a velocity uptick.
Future:
Darlin Saladin’s breakout 2024 season put him firmly on the radar as a legitimate pitching prospect in the Cardinals' system. The development of a more reliable secondary mix could ultimately determine whether he starts or relieves at the next level. While I’d still like to see one of the breaking or offspeed offerings miss more bats, the strike-throwing and fastball execution are strong enough to potentially carry him to a big-league role. Whether as a back-end starter type or a middle reliever, Saladin has a real shot to contribute meaningfully at the next level.
