Top Prospects Series
Below is an evaluation of the prospects within the farm system of the St. Louis Cardinals. Scouting experiences have been compiled with data offered by business sources in addition to our personal observations. This is the third yr we’re delineating between two anticipated aid roles, the abbreviations for which you’ll see within the “position” column under: MIRP for multi-inning aid pitchers, and SIRP for single-inning aid pitchers. The ETAs listed typically correspond to the yr a participant needs to be added to the 40-man roster to keep away from being made eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Manual changes are made the place they appear acceptable, however we use that as a rule of thumb.
A fast overview of what FV (Future Value) means may be discovered right here. A a lot deeper overview may be discovered right here.
All of the ranked prospects under additionally seem on The Board, a useful resource the positioning affords that includes sortable scouting data for each group. It has extra particulars (and up to date TrackMan information from varied sources) than this text and integrates each workforce’s checklist so readers can evaluate prospects throughout farm programs. It may be discovered right here.
Other Prospects of Note
Grouped by sort and listed so as of choice inside every class.
Devil Magic Candidates
Nathan Church, OF
Mike Antico, OF
Victor Scott II, OF
Alex Iadisernia, OF
This group of principally old-for-the-level hitters tends to lack the facility to profile on the positions they’ll play, however a number of of them have bat-to-ball really feel or good secondary abilities and would possibly stroll a model of the Jon Jay path. Church, slightly lefty stick from UC Irvine, has the most effective bat-to-ball really feel of this group however arguably the least physicality. Antico and Scott can each fly. Scott particularly is taking part in effectively within the Midwest League, however we don’t see his swing as having long-term viability, because it’s so lengthy. Iadisernia has some barrel really feel and a compact lefty stroke and is doing effectively at Low-A.
Defense Might Carry Them
Jimmy Crooks, C
Michael Curialle, 3B/OF
Aaron McKeithan, C
Noah Mendlinger, 2B
Crooks, a fourth rounder out of Oklahoma from the 2022 draft, has a group of 40-grade instruments that can play on a 40-man if he can change into a 50 or higher defender. Curialle has been a notable prospect since he was a highschool underclassman. He carried out effectively at UCLA, so he needs to be crushing the Florida State League and he’s. His swing has some similarities to Justin Turner’s, however Curialle’s palms aren’t fairly that fast. He’s not a lock to remain at third, but when he can play a number of nook positions, he’ll hit sufficient to be a 40. McKeithan is outdated for High-A, however he has on-base abilities, sneaky pull pop, and performs a premium place. Mendlinger has been powerful for upper-level pitchers to make swing and miss, and he performs second and third base.
Has a Relief Shot
Trent Baker, RHP
Roy Garcia, RHP
Andrew Marrero, RHP
Nathanael Heredia, LHP
Baker has been within the Peoria rotation sitting 92-94 mph along with his normal plus changeup. His supply is as violent as the tip of Once Upon A Time in Hollywood and extra typical of a reliever. Garcia and Marrero (additionally each with Peoria — Garcia was simply promoted) sit about 95. For Marrero, that’s a four-tick bump in comparison with 2022, although he has little or no launch consistency proper now. Garcia’s fastball performs down a bit because of its sink. Heredia hasn’t thrown at an affiliate as of checklist publication, however a supply advised us he’s been sitting 92-94 with sink and a good slider in prolonged. That’s under our earlier notes on him by a couple of ticks, sufficient to slip him right here. He was lately assigned to Palm Beach and would possibly get underway there quickly, so regulate his velo in case it rebounds.
Depth Starters
Max Rajcic, RHP
Inohan Paniagua, RHP
Hancel Rincon, RHP
Cade Winquest, RHP
Rajcic has a vertical fastball/curveball combo that ought to do effectively within the decrease ranges of the minors. He sits 92-93 mph with using life and has a pathway to the bigs as a multi-inning reliever if his slider and changeup maintain taking part in towards extra superior hitters. So far these pitches are performing effectively on a price foundation, however he’s barely throwing them. Paniagua is an athletic little righty with 30-grade velo and an excellent curveball who has been out with a shoulder damage thus far in 2023. Rincon, 21, has a whole lot of starter elements in his repertoire depth (led by a changeup), and the benefit and charm of his supply. He’s solely sitting 90-94 proper now and is of smaller construct, like Paniagua however with out a nasty secondary pitch. Winquest can also be athletic, throws strikes, and can bump 95, however he lacks an out pitch proper now. He can land his breaking ball for strikes and has a extremely agency changeup which may develop right into a power-action model cambio.
Big Money High School Picks
Alec Willis, RHP
Joshua Baez, DH
Tre Fletcher, RF
Willis was a $1 million prep signee within the 2021 seventh spherical. There was some extent when the 6-foot-5 righty was sitting 82-85 mph as an beginner, then he got here again from ulnar nerve decompression surgical procedure and was peaking within the mid-90s. Arm points have stored him from pitching a lot in any respect in components of three professional seasons. Baez and Fletcher have been additionally massive cash highschool draft picks who, it seems, are 20-grade hit software guys.
System Overview
The high of the Cardinals system is potent, thanks largely to their success through the truncated 2020 beginner draft. Their first three picks that yr have been Jordan Walker, Masyn Winn, and Tink Hence, all of whom have made strides throughout their improvement to solidify their standing as Top 100 prospects. They additionally chosen Alec Burleson, who has already reached the majors, and Ian Bedell, who has had a robust exhibiting since his return from Tommy John. Indeed, a majority of the gamers on this checklist are homegrown, which speaks to the org’s sustained success at each drafting and improvement, and can also be a sign that they haven’t had a have to commerce for prospects shortly. Overall this method is common, perhaps a tad under. It is flush with near-ready aid pitching, however extraordinarily gentle on place gamers.
The Cardinals do a good job cultivating worldwide expertise however aren’t as lively within the Dominican Republic as most different orgs. Instead, they have an inclination to signal extra Venezuelan and Panamanian gamers (each catchers on this checklist and Edmundo Sosa are latest hits) and go away bonus pool house open for Cuban or Asian gamers who hit the market later within the course of. There isn’t a ton to point out for that strategy within the system proper now, however it’s how they got here to signal Randy Arozarena, Adolis García, Johan Oviedo, and a number of other others. St. Louis’ strategy to signing pitchers within the worldwide market appears to yield both little, undersized athletes or huge-framed howitzers with poor management.
St. Louis’ strategy to pitching within the home beginner house has been to focus on guys who throw strikes, notably if they’ve a low launch level, even when they generate a sink/tail model fastball from mentioned launch level. This arguably limits the ceiling you possibly can hit if you use excessive picks on the Michael McGreevys and Cooper Hjerpes of the world, however you find yourself with a whole lot of stable backend arms, depth groups have to contend. Plus, the Cardinals have proven they’ll develop velocity, it’s simply been uncommon for them to take action with guys who have already got a strike-throwing basis, Gordon Graceffo apart. It’s extra frequent with relievers like Ryan Loutos and Andre Granillo.
Content Source: blogs.fangraphs.com