Cedar Rapids Kernels catcher Noah Cardenas: A good guy and a good player

CEDAR RAPIDS — Being given a moniker like nicest guy on the team might make some guys brustle. But Noah Cardenas seems to embrace it.

“It’s good, it’s good. Absolutely it’s a compliment,” Cardenas said Sunday afternoon, as his Cedar Rapids Kernels walked off Peoria, 7-6, at Veterans Memorial Stadium. “During these games, throughout the year when you’re playing 140-something games or whatever it is, I feel like I just want to be someone guys can talk to and get to know.”

The 23-year-old catcher always is pleasant, always acknowledges you, whether you are a teammate or just an average Joe saying hello. While some guys don’t necessarily enjoy autograph Sundays at the ballpark, Cardenas seems to relish signing and conversing with fans postgame, especially kids.

The parent Minnesota Twins honored him as one of their Harmon Killebrew Award winners last season when he was with the low-A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. The award goes to a player at each of the Twins minor league affiliates for outstanding community service.

You notice Cardenas’ name scrawled as a volunteer for whatever the Kernels ask players to do.

“I think it’s just carrying on with the opportunities that we have,” he said. “Like every Sunday, we have these opportunities. These kids, they think we’re superstars, and we’re able to make their day. Just stuff like that is cool. We had a day at the food shelter, where we were giving extra food. Meals on Wheels. We had a play ball event. Just good stuff. I remember when I was a kid how cool I thought professional baseball players were.”

Especially this one.

“Noah is a great kid,” Kernels Manager Brian Dinkelman said. “His teammates love him around here. He works hard and supports all the guys. He is one of our best teammates.”

Cardenas was an eighth-round pick of the Twins in 2021 out of UCLA. He went 3-for-3 with a walk, double and RBI Sunday, boosting his batting average to .283 and his OPS (on base plus slugging) over .800.

He has improved defensively since turning pro, especially at calling pitches. That was something he did not do in college, which isn’t unusual at the major college level.

Coaches usually want that control. That philosophy has trickled down to the high school level as well.

“I think he’s getting better at it,” Dinkelman said. “With some of our processes we use for the pitchers and that, the pitches they use and how to attack hitters or whatever, he has made strides this year in that department.”

Cardenas said UCLA Coach John Savage always was good at explaining to him why he called certain pitches in certain situations.

“Here in pro ball, it’s a little bit different with all the pitch movements, how you are trying to attack guys, tunnel pitches and stuff,” he said. “This staff is really good at communicating with me what they are working on, what pitches they want after certain pitches. It’s been good.”

It’s been good overall for the Kernels (56-34), as they moved to a season-best 22 games over .500 by scoring three runs in the ninth innning. That rally came after a pinch-hit grand slam by Thomas Francisco in the eighth inning gave Peoria a 5-4 lead.

  Buy Photo

A leadoff double and walk and a one-out error loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth. C.R.’s Kala’i Rosario was hit by the first pitch thrown by Peoria reliever Edwin Nunez to bring home a run, then Ben Ross bounced a grounder over the lead of the Chiefs third baseman and into left field to bring home the winning runs.

The Kernels won the final five games of the six-game series. Monday is a Midwest League off day as usual, with the club traveling to Wisconsin for a six-game series that begins Tuesday.

Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com