Prior to a December trade that sent Stephen Piscotty to the A's, the Cardinals seemingly had endless close-to-the-majors outfielders and between one and zero MLB-caliber defensive shortstops. Enter Munoz, whom the Cardinals received from Oakland, along with Max Schrock. He may never hit enough to be an everyday player, but he has the glove to handle the six, and is also capable of playing second base and third base. In addition to his defensive chops on the dirt, Munoz fills another need for the Cardinals with above-average speed on the bases. He has hit for power at times in the minors, most notably last year at Double-A when he posted a .216 ISO, but he is unlikely to hit many over the fence in the majors without really compromising his approach. With 272 plate appearances under his belt at Triple-A, the 23-year-old is close to being ready to fill a bench role for the big club. His speed makes him interesting in really deep leagues, as his defense could earn him at-bats if Paul DeJong regresses.

After slashing .320/.372/.480 in the High-A California League in 2015, Munoz was promoted to Double-A Midland. He struggled to find his form, slashing .240/.286/.367 in 102 games with the Rockhounds. Although it was a down season for Munoz, the good news is the glove-first player is still just 21 years old. He made the majority of his starts in 2016 at shortstop, but he also started more than 20 games at second and third base. His true utility-man status makes him a valuable prospect, something the A's have acknowledged by adding him to their 40-man roster. Although he isn't major league ready, Oakland's decision shows how much raw talent the young utility-man possesses. He will likely start off again in Double-A, hoping to settle in and regain his swing before a Triple-A Nashville promotion.