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It’s that time of year again – time for The Cardinal Nation to select our Top 50 Players in the Cardinals Minor League organization. First, how did we do last year?
1. Jordan Walker
2. Masyn Winn
3. Gordan Graceffo
4. Tink Hence
5. Alec Burleson
6. Ivan Herrera
7. Matt Liberatore
8. Michael McGreevey
9. Zack Thompson
10. Coopere Hjerpe
11. Leonardo Bernal
12. Joshua Baez
13. Inohan Paniagua
14. Jonathan Mejia
15. Moises Gomez
16. Brycen Mautz
17. Conner Thomas
18. Alec Willis
19. Freddy Pacheco
20. Pete Hansen
21. Cho
22. Crooks
23. Rajcic
24. Antico
25. Walsh
26. D. Rodriguez
27. Koperniak
28. Davila
29. T. Baker
30. Love
31. Mills
32. Loutos
33. Bedell
34. Pages
35. Granillo
36. Pino
37. Romeri
38. Buckberger
39. Scott
40. Baker
41. Heredia
42. Ralston
43. Rivas
44. G. Rodriguez
45. Grant
46. Redmond
47. Yeager
48. D Guerrero
49. Pinder
50. Parsons
51. Andrew Marrero
52. Osvaldo Tovalin
53. Chris Rotondo
54. Hancel Rincon
55. Gianluca DalatriWe did pretty well mostly. There were a few guys that caught some helium at the end of last season that we were a little too high on (I’m looking at you Connor Thomas), but overall, it’s a pretty balanced effort. We were low on Victor Scott (39) and Luken Baker (40). Those were probably our biggest misses. Both look pretty egregious in retrospect. But heh, you miss some, right? It’s interesting to go back and read some of the comments one year later.
We will start our voting up tomorrow so begin thinking about your lists. We’ll begin with just one player at a time being selected.
One note on eligibility criteria. A player is not eligible as a Rookie anymore after they have 130 MLB plate appearances or 50 innings pitched or more than 45 days on a MLB Roster. Therefore, we cannot choose several guys that we got to pick from last year. Here are some key names who are NOT eligible: Ivan Herrera, Richie Palacios, JoJo Romero, Buddy Kennedy, Matthew Liberatore, Zack Thompson, and Juan Yepez.
Most everyone else in the minors is eligible including some major leaguers like Masyn Winn, Drew Rom, Luken Baker, James Naile, Jose Fermin, and Michael Siani.
Let me know if there are any questions before we get started. Also, feel free to start discussing who your Top 3 are and why to see if you can sway some votes your way.
Post script
Here is the final list for 2024 as voted upon.
COMMUNITY TOP 50 PROSPECTS
1. Winn
2. Saggese
3. Hence
4. Roby
5. Scott
6. Hjerpe
7. Graceffo
8. McGreevey
9. Davis
10. Bernal
11. Rajcic
12. Robberse
13. Cho
14. Kloffenstein
15. Crooks
16. Showalter
17. Hansen
18. Bedell
19. Mautz
20. Honeyman
21. Rom
22. Pages
23. Baez
24. Prieto
25. Granillo
26. Nunez
27. Matthews
28. Antico
29. Levenson
30. Paniagua
31. Mejia
32. Rincon
33. Gómez
34. Cornwell
35. Svenson
36. Mendlinger
37. Koperniak
38. Baker
39. Redmond
40. Dunn
41. Fernandez
42. Willis
43. Iadisernia
44. Santos
45. Thomas
46. Siani
47. Yeager
48. Love
49. Church
50. RivasMy Top 3 are Winn, Roby, and Hence in that order. All 3 could be all-stars in the future. They are all very young and extremely accomplished for their age and they all look like they have at least 2 skillsets that are well above average. With Roby, the question mark is really only durability. Winn still needs to prove he can handle a starter’s workload. He’s still never gone over 5 innings in a game. Both of these guys got a bit roughed up by AA hitters, but they were both great up until that point and they both still looked dominating at times in AA. I’m personally more confident in Roby than Hence which is why I have him one place higher. But both could be future #1 or #2 starting pitchers for the Cardinals, which is something we haven’t developed in a while.
Baker has 81 days of service time, Naile has 96 and Fermin has 70. Those three should probably be out. Same with Young at 61.
Rom has 44. Siani has 33. O’Brien has 9. Winn has exactly 45, so he is right on the line (what a coincidence! ha!). Same with Zuniga, so they stay in.
All the best to the community in your voting. FYI, the site countdown, starting with #50, begins on Monday, 11/20.
Thanks Brian. The service days are tough to track. I knew Herrera was over the line but there were some I wasn’t sure about. I appreciate the clarification!
A couple things that come up. We will need a way of handling any acquisitions and departures concerning the part of the list we have already done. Also, we sometimes have trouble getting someone to moderate the lower part of the list, and I did it last year, so somebody else will need to step up if needed.
I would be willing to moderate the lower part of the list. I am retired, so I will have the time. Just fill me in on what needs to be done and when, and I will be happy to help.
Thanks 64. If you get called up, maybe scan the later part of last years thread to see how it went. Nobody was complaining.
All right. Let’s begin and if we run into issues we can address them then.
Voting is now open for the Cards #1 prospect.
I’ll vote for Winn.
1. Winn
There is an awkward situation now as to Roby. He had been very effective until going off a cliff last night in the AFL game. 1.1 IP, 7 ER, 3 H, 1 K, 4BB. Given his history, the possibility of arm trouble is never going to be off the table. It would be useful to know what he looked like, etc., but I did not see the game. If his velocity was off, etc.
For our purposes, I know that some consider ceiling and not risk, but I am not one of them. I like to factor in risk due to distance from the show as well as from health/durability concerns.
Ok. Winn is unanimous at #1. Let’s open up # 2.
Number 1 felt easy. Number 2 is a bit trickier. I’m going to stick with Roby due to his stuff. Development of a very good pitcher is so important right now and Roby looks like the guy with the best shot.
I’ll stick with Markevian (Tink) Hence…. 100 mph fastball, dominant curve, above average changeup and above average slider. Still only 21 years old.
Tink Hence at No. 2
By spring training 2024, Roby should be fully recovered from his surgery and ready to continue his upward spiral. With that, there’s the possibility that the Cardinals could have two top of rotation guys in the system at the same time. Unheard of until now.
2. McGreevy
In my mind Herrera (not eligible for the vote) and McGreevy nudge ahead of Roby, Hence and Hjerpe. I would agree that neither has the greatest ceiling ever, but our system is like that.
Proximity and staying healthy reduce risk, and in both cases performance at the AAA level was there. Both should play a role in STL, if they are still here. Herrara did all he needs to do offensively in AAA this year. I think he is good enough in all facets behind the plate, except a bit weak controlling the runnning game. McGreevy had a rough patch in August, but was otherwise good all year.
Roby needs to show he can stay on the field. Its as simple as that. He just got toasted early, so I am concerned about it. Hence’s drop off moving to AA will need to resolve next year, while staying healthy. Hjerpe needs to stay on the field and throw more strikes, a lot more strikes. Saggese will need to establish as more than a prospective UT. I have to become convinved that his glove plays as an everyday starter somewhere. For now I will have him out of the top 5.
A most definite win-win with Winn at one. For me, Thomas Darren Saggese is a stone cold clear cut choice to occupy our coveted #2 slot. And speaking of “win-win”, the deal sending Montgomery & Stratton to Texas for Saggese, Roby and King, was exactly just that. When first hearing of the deal, I thought Mo had just pulled off the biggest theft since the Dunbar armored heist. But the Rangers knew what they were doing, as they do not win this year’s world series without Montgomery. But now……and maybe for the next 10-15 years, it’s the Cardinals that will be reaping the benefits from the transaction.
And we’d be terribly remiss in not thanking the esteemed Mr. Nevel for once again grabbing the bull by the horns and conducting this popular community thread with the knowledge, class, patience and amusement that he so wonderfully brings to the table. And it is with a healthy dose of sadness that we bid farewell to Bling moderating selections 26-50……you did it with style, Bling! But there will be a new sheriff in town for our later selections…….and oh what a sheriff he’ll be! Can’t wait to see you in action, CardsFan64!
Winn was my number 1 also.
For #2, I’m going with Roby.
I think he has better stuff than Hence. Both are about the same build. A little on the small side for a starting pitcher. Both really need innings in 2024
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