Andre Granillo Bio
Andre Anthony Granillo (born May 12, 2000) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). A right-handed reliever who rose quickly through the Cardinals’ farm system, Granillo made his major league debut in 2025 after a steady climb through the lower minors. His ascent from a 14th-round draft pick to a big-league bullpen option marked him as one of the organization’s emerging relief arms.
Early Life and Background
Andre Anthony Granillo grew up in Hemet, California, a community in Riverside County known for producing a steady stream of amateur baseball talent. He attended West Valley High School, where he developed into a credible pitching prospect and attracted attention from college scouts. His high school years laid the foundation for a transition to Division I college baseball.
After completing his prep career, Granillo enrolled at the University of California, Riverside, where he played college baseball for the UC Riverside Highlanders. The Big West Conference program gave him the opportunity to face experienced collegiate hitters and refine his repertoire against older competition. His time with the Highlanders also connected him to summer showcase leagues that put him on professional scouting radars.
Path to Professional Baseball
In 2021, Granillo spent a summer in the Cape Cod Baseball League, one of the most prominent amateur circuits in the United States, suiting up for the Cotuit Kettleers. The wooden-bat league is a traditional proving ground for top college players, and his performance there helped solidify his draft stock. That same year, the St. Louis Cardinals selected him in the 14th round of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft, and he signed with the organization rather than returning to UC Riverside.
Being a 14th-round pick came with modest expectations, and Granillo entered the Cardinals’ system as a relief pitching project. His first assignment was the Palm Beach Cardinals of the Low-A Florida State League, where he opened his professional account with a 1.50 ERA over 18 innings. Those early results hinted at a pitcher who could miss bats and limit damage, traits that would define his climb through the minors.
Andre Granillo Career
Early Career (2022)
Granillo opened the 2022 season back in Palm Beach before earning midseason promotions to the Peoria Chiefs of the High-A Midwest League and the Springfield Cardinals of the Double-A Texas League. Working across three levels, he finished the year with a 4-6 record, a 4.13 ERA, and 82 strikeouts over 52 and one-third innings. The movement between affiliates reflected the Cardinals’ confidence in his arm as he adjusted to the longer grind of a full professional season.
Springfield and Memphis Years (2023–2024)
Granillo returned to Springfield to open the 2023 season and was promoted to the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds in mid-August. Over 53 relief appearances between the two clubs, he went 3-4 with a 4.74 ERA, 89 strikeouts, and 14 saves over 68 and one-third innings, showing the kind of late-inning usage the Cardinals envisioned for him. Following the season, the organization selected him to participate in the Arizona Fall League with the Scottsdale Scorpions, a common assignment for prospects on the cusp of major league readiness.
In 2024, Granillo again opened the year in Springfield before being promoted to Memphis in mid-May. Across 48 relief appearances spanning both clubs, he posted an 8-2 record and a 3.88 ERA with 80 strikeouts over 65 innings, a clear step forward in both results and consistency. The combination of a strong win-loss mark, dependable ERA, and high strikeout totals positioned him for an eventual major league opportunity.
St. Louis Cardinals Era (2025–Present)
Granillo was assigned to Triple-A Memphis to open the 2025 season, where he served as one of the closer options for the Redbirds. Over 18 relief appearances and 29 and two-thirds innings, he posted a 1.82 ERA and 46 strikeouts, numbers that forced the Cardinals’ hand at the major league level. On June 12, 2025, the Cardinals selected his contract and promoted him to the major leagues.
That same night, Granillo made his MLB debut at American Family Field against the Milwaukee Brewers, pitching two and two-thirds scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Less than a week later, on June 19, he appeared in both games of a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox, recording his first career win in the first contest and his first career save in the second. The back-to-back milestones in a single day gave him a memorable first week in the Cardinals’ bullpen.
Driving Style and Strengths
Granillo works primarily out of the bullpen, with a relief profile built around swing-and-miss stuff and the ability to log multiple innings when needed. His minor league track record shows a pitcher who generates strikeouts at a high rate relative to innings pitched, and his Double-A and Triple-A usage reflected trust from managers in high-leverage spots. The Cardinals have deployed him in middle and late relief, and his willingness to pitch on consecutive days, as shown during the Chicago doubleheader, has already become part of his value to the staff.
Notable Events and Milestones
His MLB debut on June 12, 2025, against the Brewers stands as the signature moment of his young career, and his doubleheader against the White Sox on June 19 turned a single day into a collection of firsts: first win and first save. The Cape Cod League stint with the Cotuit Kettleers in 2021 and his Arizona Fall League assignment with the Scottsdale Scorpions after 2023 mark the amateur and developmental checkpoints that shaped his rise.
Andre Granillo Career Wins
Granillo’s win column is still in its early stages at the major league level, with his first MLB victory coming on June 19, 2025, in the first game of a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox. In the minors, he built a foundation of late-inning success, including 14 saves in 2023 split between Springfield and Memphis, and an 8-2 record in 2024 across the same two affiliates. The combination of high strikeout totals and a sub-4.00 ERA in his most recent full minor league season suggests his big-league win totals are likely to climb.
Andre Granillo Family
Personal Life
Granillo is an American baseball player whose personal life has largely stayed out of the public spotlight as he focuses on the early chapters of his professional career. He has been based in Cardinals minor league cities across Florida, Illinois, and Tennessee since being drafted in 2021, and his social media presence has remained centered on his playing career rather than personal matters.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been the breakthrough year of Granillo’s professional career. He opened at Triple-A Memphis, where his 1.82 ERA and 46 strikeouts across 18 relief appearances put him at the top of the Cardinals’ relief depth chart. The club’s June 12 decision to select his contract reflected both his performance and a likely need for fresh arms in the major league bullpen.
Once in the majors, Granillo wasted little time making an impact. His scoreless debut against the Brewers, followed a week later by a win and a save in the same day against the White Sox, gave the Cardinals an early glimpse of his late-inning potential. The remainder of the 2025 season will be an opportunity to see how his minor league gains translate over a full major league workload and whether he can cement a high-leverage role in St. Louis.