Cory Spangenberg’s professional baseball season was on an upswing as July came to a close.
Spangenberg made his first Major League Baseball appearance since the 2019 National League playoffs and although he was quickly returned to Triple-A, he ended the month on one of his best offensive stretches of the season.
The 2009 Abington Heights graduate was a defensive replacement for the St. Louis Cardinals July 26 in a 10-3 loss to the Blue Jays in Toronto. He went in for legendary first baseman Albert Pujols and, as part of a double switch, took over at third base.
St. Louis signed Spangenberg to a minor league contract in March after he spent two years playing in Japan’s major league. The Cardinals selected Spangenberg’s contract from their top affiliate, the Memphis Redbirds, July 25, elevating him to their 40-man roster and the Major Leagues. They returned him to Memphis July 28.
The Cardinals became the third Major League team for the 31-year-old from Clarks Summit, who was drafted and came up with the San Diego Padres and made his first postseason appearance in his only year with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Spangenberg has struggled at times offensively in his return to North America, but in five games between July 15 and the end of the month, he raised his season batting average 13 points to .220. During that stretch, Spangenberg went 7-for-19 (.368) with a double, triple, home run, stolen base, three walks, six runs scored and three RBI.
Valued for his defensive versatility, Spangenberg has played 38 games at third base for Memphis this season. He has started 15 games and made one other appearance at second base. He has also played five games at shortstop, three in left field and two games plus another as a defensive replacement at first base. Spangenberg has also served as designated hitter four times.
The 11th-year professional is a .292 hitter in 601 career Minor League games, including batting .288 in 221 career games on the Triple-A level. In 420 games over parts of seven Major League seasons, he is a .256 hitter.
