Among eight minor league transactions announced by the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday, July 25 is the move of right-hander Adam Kloffenstein to the seven-day injured list at Triple-A Memphis.
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All posts by Brian Walton
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Interview – Zack Showalter
Palm Beach’s 20-year-old closer, The Cardinal Nation’s 14th-ranked prospect, discusses coming to the Cardinals in trade, the origin of his unique delivery, his offerings and his role for the Class-A club.
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Cardinals Formally Announce 2024 Draft Signings
photo: Brian Holiday (Oklahoma State University Athletics)
Via two separate social media posts on Monday, July 22, the St. Louis Cardinals formally announced the signing of 14 of their 18 2024 draft picks who have reportedly come to contract terms with the organization. The announcements mean that for these players, all the “I”s have been dotted and all the “T”s have been crossed. These young men are now officially professional baseball players.
Four of the 18 have apparently not completed their physicals and approvals and therefore, have not yet been announced. They are first-round shortstop J.J. Wetherholt, fourth-round catcher Ryan Campos, sixth-round catcher Josh Kross and 17th-round pitcher Brandt Thompson. They should be officially joining the fold soon.
The team’s other draft pick, who is not expected to sign, is 19th round high school shortstop Brendan Lawson.
| Rd/overall | 2024 draft | StL announce | Team |
| 1-7 | J.J. Wetherholt | 2024-07-23 | FCL |
| 2 forfeited | |||
| 3-80 | Brian Holiday | 2024-07-22 | none |
| 4-109 | Ryan Campos | 2024-07-24 | none |
| 5-142 | Braden Davis | 2024-07-22 | none |
| 6-171 | Josh Kross | 2024-07-23 | none |
| 7-201 | Andrew Dutkanych | 2024-07-22 | none |
| 8-231 | Jack Findlay | 2024-07-22 | none |
| 9-261 | Cade McGee | 2024-07-22 | none |
| 10-291 | Bryce Madron | 2024-07-22 | none |
| 11-321 | Jon Jon Gazdar | 2024-07-22 | none |
| 12-351 | Ian Petrutz | 2024-07-22 | none |
| 13-381 | Nolan Sparks | 2024-07-22 | none |
| 14-411 | Mason Burns | 2024-07-22 | none |
| 15-441 | Sam Brodersen | 2024-07-22 | none |
| 16-471 | Deniel Ortiz | 2024-07-22 | none |
| 17-501 | Brandt Thompson | 2024-07-23 | none |
| 18-531 | Christian Martin | 2024-07-22 | none |
| 19-561 | Brendan Lawson | will not sign | |
| 20-591 | Owen Rice | 2024-07-22 | none |
None of the newest Cardinals have been added to a team roster at this time, though some of the hitters could join one of the Class-A teams soon.
Tuesday update
On Tuesday mid-day, the Cardinals formalized the Wetherholt signing as well as the additions of Kross and Thompson. Wetherholt has been assigned to the Florida Complex League Cardinals, a team that has just two official games remaining.
That leaves just Campos.
Ready to work! 💪
We have agreed to terms with our 2024 first round draft pick, JJ Wetherholt!#ForTheLou pic.twitter.com/3WNYeKdqL1
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 23, 2024
Wednesday update
On Wednesday morning, the organization formally announced Campos’ signing, so the Cardinals are finished with this draft class.
We have agreed to terms with C Ryan Campos, our 4th round pick from the 2024 MLB Draft.#ForTheLou pic.twitter.com/383kQFHl7p
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 24, 2024
For more draft information
For full financial details on how the Cardinals managed their draft spending and a comparison to recent years, review this exclusive article for paid subscribers to The Cardinal Nation.
For transaction and roster information
To see all players in the system by level and position plus every transaction all year ‘round, check out the always free Roster Matrix here at The Cardinal Nation, refreshed today.
On The Cardinal Nation team rosters, these 2024 draft picks will be found under either “Draft players unsigned” or “Players signed”.
Now Available – 2024 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its seventh year. It includes 282 pages of in-depth commentary about more than five dozen of the best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including in-depth scouting reports, 2023 recap, extensive draft and international histories and more.
Special half-price off deal for paid subscribers. Order your PDF or printed book copy today.
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Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com or for fastest turnaround, pose your questions on The Cardinal Nation’s members-only forum. Follow Brian on X/Twitter.
© 2024 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Two Cardinals in Sunday’s Dominican Summer League All-Star Game
Why first-year St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, shortstop Yairo Padilla and catcher Rainiel Rodriguez, earned spots in the 2024 DSL All-Star Game and what transpired in Sunday’s contest.
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Cardinals 2024 Draft Signing Update – July 21
Though none have been announced by the team, 17 of the St. Louis Cardinals’ 19 2024 draft picks have reportedly come to financial terms with the club.
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The Cardinal Nation Prospect Interview – Chen-Wei Lin
The 22-year-old 6-foot-7 right-hander, The Cardinal Nation’s 16th-ranked prospect, discusses his youth in Taiwan, how he developed his skills and his upper-90’s velocity and his first 12 months in the US.
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The Cardinal Nation Prospect Interview – Sammy Hernandez
Palm Beach’s 20-year-old catcher, The Cardinal Nation’s 24th-ranked prospect, discusses his career as well as the sacrifices his family made in coming to the US so he could pursue his baseball dream.
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Cardinals Add Free Agent Lefty Michael Watson
The St. Louis Cardinals have reportedly signed a non-drafted left-handed pitcher with a very interesting and unique prior travel itinerary.
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Cardinals Conclude 2024 Draft with 10 Picks
photo: Jon Jon Gazdar (Austin Peay Athletics)
On Tuesday, July 16, the St. Louis Cardinals are making their final 10 selections in the third day of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, covering rounds 11-20.
Though fewer observers pay attention to Day 3 selections compared to the first 10 rounds, the reality is that good major leaguers have been sourced from these picks. In fact, the Cardinals have been especially successful over the years finding talent in round 11 and later.
Note that the Cardinals would be required to use a portion of their $10,213,000 pool allocation from rounds 1-10 to cover any harder-to-sign any Day 3 selections who receive more than $150,000 in signing bonus.
It remains to be seen if the Cardinals go down this path in 2024, as they did not in either 2022 or 2023. But in 2021, they spent an extra $175,000 to sign 11th round shortstop Mack Chambers and 12th round pitcher Chris Gerard. (Neither remain in the system today.)
There is another belt-tightening factor in 2024, as well. Given the loss of the second-round selection and its associated slot money, coupled with the rumored overslot bonus required to sign first rounder J.J. Wetherholt, the Cardinals seem to have very little cap flexibility to overspend anywhere else. That certainly seemed to be the case during Day 2.
Specifically, with the signing of Sonny Gray during the off-season, the Cards forfeited their second-round spot and associated cap spending of over $2.225 million. These factors leave them less opportunity to reallocate money to overpay selected Day 3 picks.
On Days 1 and 2 of the 2024 Draft, the Cardinals focused exclusively on college players, using all nine of their picks there. Of the nine collegians added to date, just one is a senior, taken in the 10th round.
The lack of financial leverage that goes with having a smaller that average (ranked 17th) overall bonus pools is a big reason why the Cardinals have not yet selected a high schooler in this draft. If they want to go after such a higher upside, higher risk teenager at all, it could be in the early rounds of Day 3.
Draft recap
In the 20 rounds, the Cardinals took 19 players – six right-handed pitchers, three lefties, two catchers, six infielders (four shortstops and two third basemen) and two outfielders.
The team selected one high schooler and one junior college player. Among the 17 collegians taken are 10 juniors, six seniors (including five taken during Day 3) and one sophomore.
For the second consecutive day, scouting director Randy Flores was asked about the large number of under six-foot tall selections. He replied, “It’s not as if they are throwing 85-88 (mph). They have good velocity and performance.” Flores also noted the Cardinals were “looking for value.”
That led to another value-related question. I asked Flores about the predominance of seniors, which represent just under one-third of the Cardinals’ selections. That is more than usual and can be a signal of a club looking to conserve signing bonus money.
Flores responded that the 2024 class includes the “last remnants of COVID” and the associated extra year of eligibility they received. He also wondered if NIL and transfer flexibility were factors.
Flores said he would have to look at the makeup of other teams’ selections to answer whether the Cardinals took more seniors than other organizations. He did make it clear that it was “not an intentional strategy” to target seniors but they wanted to “draft guys who are ready to play.”
Overall, Flores said he expected “more certainty” in the draft because the Cardinals were drafting in the top third vs. their usual bottom third placement. However, that did not turn out to be the case.
Flores closed by noting that his scouts have already scattered “with all eyes moved toward the 2025 draft.”
The Cardinals now have 16 days to get as many of these 19 drafted players signed as their budget will allow, with the deadline of August 1. The signed players will be turned over to Gary LaRocque and the Player Development function.
For more
Click on each player’s headshot photo to be taken to his player profile page here at The Cardinal Nation, with additional information.
To reference the Cardinals’ new draft class on an ongoing basis, each player will have a profile located on a holding team called “DRAFT PLAYERS UNSIGNED”. This can be accessed at the bottom of the drop-down menu in the red column in the left menu called “ROSTERS/PLAYERS/MOVES” or click here.
Cardinals Select J.J. Wetherholt on 2024 MLB Draft’s First Day
As Tuesday progresses from afternoon into evening, this article will be updated as picks are made and information added, so please check back often.
St. Louis’ 2024 Day 3 selections
11th round, 321st overall
Jon Jon Gazdar, shortstop
Austin Peay State University (TN), senior
5’11/180 pounds
Bats/Throws: R/R
Hometown: Walnut Creek, CA
Gazdar played at Chabot (CA) College in 2022 before moving to Austin Peay for 2023-2024. In his freshman season, he appeared in 38 games, batting .325 with 12 doubles, 22 RBI, and 33 runs scored with 18 stolen bases.
He competed in 2023 and 2024 for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod League. Between his two summers in the Cape, Gazdar’s average dropped from .361 to .314, but he raised his slugging by 30 points, leading to an improvement in OPS from .842 to .872.
For Austin Peay in 2024, Gazdar batted .405 (10th in Division 1) with 13 home runs and 55 RBI. He only struck out 14 times vs. 27 walks taken.
Over his two seasons at Austin Peay, he slashed .359/.443/.570/1.013 with 45 doubles, 16 home runs, 90 RBI, and 106 runs scored in 113 games.
Gazdar draws raves for his contact rate but has below average power. He is an above average runner and could become a versatile defensive performer.
Flores was pleased that Gazdar was available in the 11th round, noting he “makes contact and can impact the ball.” Cardinals scouts like the “freedom in his swing” and his “good velocity he showed in the Cape.”
12th round, 351st overall
Ian Petrutz, outfield
University of Alabama, junior
6’0/210 pounds
Bats/Throws: L/L
Hometown: Mantua, New Jersey
Petrutz spent his first two years at the University of Maryland and joined Alabama for the 2024 campaign.
Petrutz led the Crimson Tide in OBP at .447 with 30 walks and 20 hit by pitches. He batted .321 with 14 doubles, six home runs and 40 RBI.
In his three years as a collegian, he hit .302 with 29 home runs and 131 RBI over 149 games.
13th round, 381st overall
Nolan Sparks, pitcher
University of Rochester (NY), senior
5’10/195 pounds
Bats/Throws: R/R
Hometown: Aurora, Colorado
Sparks is a four-year Division III pitcher with mid-90s fastball. He also competed for the Bourne Braves in the Cape Cod League.
Sparks is Rochester’s all-time leader in strikeouts, including 60 of his 248 Ks in 2024 (in 60 innings). In 10 starts this spring, Sparks was 4-2 with a 2.25 ERA.
He started all four years for the Yellowjackets with a career record of 19-5, a 3.06 ERA over 38 starts (43 appearances) over 209 innings, with 248 strikeouts and .234 opponent average against.
Sparks is a two-time Liberty League Pitcher of the Year and was First Team All-Liberty League in each of the last two seasons.
Flores said his scouts noted that Sparks “moves well on the mound”. He had “gains in stuff and velocity and his K rate spiked” in 2024, and Flores sees the potential for “continued development” by Sparks.
Career strikeout #200 for @URBaseball senior pitcher Nolan Sparks! #GoJackets #d3baseball pic.twitter.com/eeYxlYvE0C
— University of Rochester Athletics (@UofRathletics) April 6, 2024
14th round, 411th overall
Mason Burns, pitcher
Western Kentucky University, senior
6’3/215 pounds
Bats/Throws: R/R
Hometown: Bloomington, Illinois
In two years at Western Kentucky, Burns saved 19 games and struck out 118 hitters in 90 innings.
As a senior, Burns broke WKU’s single-season saves record and finished second in Division 1 with 15 saves in 28 appearances. He posted a 3-3 record with a 4.00 ERA while striking out 52 batters in 35 innings and with only 13 walks.
Burns played his freshman and sophomore seasons at Illinois State.
How are we feeling, Tops fans? 😤#NoLimitsOnUs | @WKU_Baseball pic.twitter.com/NpQG1T1q9J
— Conference USA (@ConferenceUSA) May 24, 2024
15th round, 441st overall
Sam Brodersen, pitcher
Louisiana Tech University, senior
6’1, 200 pounds
Bats/Throws: R/R
Hometown: Orlando, Florida
Brodersen pitched first three seasons for Wingate University before moving to Louisiana Tech for 2024.
Brodersen and Wingate were the NCAA Division II National Champions in 2021. He won the national title game with five innings of no-hit relief. In 121 1/3 career IP with the Bulldogs (2021-2023), Brodersen went 10-3 with a 3.63 ERA and 164 strikeouts.
In 2022, Brodersen pitched for the Bluefield Ridge Runners of the Appalachian League, now a collegiate summer league. He appeared in just two games, yielding three runs in 2 2/3 innings on four hits, six walks and four strikeouts.
This spring at Louisiana Tech, Brodersen went 8-1 with a 3.05 ERA and 96 strikeouts and 40 walks in 56 innings. He held opponents to a collective .160 batting average. In Conference USA, he was First-Team All-Conference,
Brodersen features a four-seam fastball that can reach 97 mph and a plus slider, but he has below average control.
Sam Brodersen comes in and freaking dominates!!
3 up
3 down 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/XSWjQMpDoq— Teri Netterville (@TeriNettervill) February 17, 2024
16th round, 471st overall
Deniel Ortiz, third baseman
Walters State Community College (TN), Juco 2
6’1/230 pounds
Bats/Throws: R/R
Hometown: Lynn, MA
In two seasons at Walters State, the Puerto Rico native hit .387 with 34 home runs and 116 RBI in 117 games. Ortiz drew 91 walks against 70 strikeouts.
The 19-year-old batted .321 in 26 games for the 2024 State College Spikes, a member of the MLB Draft League. The prior summer, he was an Appalachian League All-Star, leading the collegiate league with 10 home runs for Kingsport, and won the circuit’s Home Run Derby.
Flores commented that it is “challenging to scout at the Juco level” due to the wide variety in quality of play. The Cardinals like Ortiz’ exit velocity and that “he held his own playing against older players (in the Draft League).”
Deniel Ortiz (@denielll27) goes first to home on @samueldb24's single to left field, padding @SCSpikes' lead in the 7th.
Tune in: https://t.co/OTo8uLjVMw pic.twitter.com/vBoAAFNIuX
— MLB Draft League (@mlbdraftleague) June 6, 2024
.@denielll27 launches a three-run shot 396 feet to give the @SCSpikes an early lead 🚀🚀 pic.twitter.com/cVMb6VEF6C
— MLB Draft League (@mlbdraftleague) June 28, 2024
17th round, 501st overall
Brandt Thompson, pitcher
Missouri State University, senior
5’9/180 pounds
Bats/Throws: R/R
Hometown: Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Thompson began his career with two seasons at North Iowa Area Community College, ranking eighth in school history with 112 career strikeouts.
This spring, Thompson started 16 games for Missouri State and went 5-2 with a 3.78 ERA and 75 strikeouts and 22 walks in 78 2/3 innings. He led the Missouri Valley Conference with a 1.16 WHIP, ranked second in ERA and third in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.41) and opponent average (.234).
In his two seasons with the Bears, Thompson went 11-7 with 159 strikeouts and 49 walks in 162 innings and was an All-MVC conference selection both years (2023 and 2024).
Thompson also pitched this summer for the St. Cloud (MN) Rox of the collegiate Northwoods League. He posted a 3.00 ERA, struck out 30 and issued just two free passes in 24 innings.
.@brandtthompson4 (@MSUBearBaseball) gets three strikeouts in the third!@KrillanStudio | #RoxSolidFun pic.twitter.com/XQYMze5aQD
— St. Cloud Rox (@StCloudRox) June 29, 2024
Brandt means business 💼⚾️
What a day on the mound for @brandtthompson4 (@MSUBearBaseball), who struck out eight in five innings of one-run ball!@KrillanStudio | #RoxSolidFun pic.twitter.com/QTaWfO3cNf
— St. Cloud Rox (@StCloudRox) June 21, 2024
18th round, 531st overall
Christian Martin, shortstop
Virginia Tech University, junior
5’10/185 pounds
Bats/Throws: L/R
Hometown: Amherst, Virginia
In 54 games for the Hokies this spring, Martin batted .313 with six home runs, 16 doubles, 36 RBI and seven stolen bases. In 130 career games at Virginia Tech, the lefty hitter had a .321 average with 10 home runs, 28 doubles and 65 RBI. He stole 16 bases in 24 tries.
Martin played for the Falmouth Commodores in the Cape Cod League the last two summers. In 22 games in 2024, he slashed just .182/.400/.227/.627. Martin had four hits including a double, five walks and five strikeouts and played second base defensively.
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/WTQ3TS6AjS5gQ47s/
19th round, 561st overall
Brendan Lawson, shortstop
P27 Academy (Lexington, Kentucky), high school senior
6’3/205 pounds
Bats/Throws: L/R
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Via the tweet below, posted during the afternoon on Tuesday, it appears that Lawson has reaffirmed his commitment to play collegiate ball for the University of Florida. Lawson relocated from Canada to South Carolina before his senior year of high school.
Lawson played for the Trenton Thunder in the 2024 MLB Draft League, posting a .344 average (11-for-32), with two RBI and a 12:10 BB:K ratio for a .533 OBP.
Flores said his scouts loved Lawson, especially his results this summer. The teen had been slowed this spring by illness and injury so “it was difficult to get a lot of looks at him.”
The 18-year-old prep star feels like a relief valve for the Cardinals in the very unlikely event that something goes wrong with signing first-rounder J.J. Wetherholt and the team has a lot of money left unspent. Most likely, Lawson will not sign with the Cardinals and head to college next month.
The scouting director readily volunteered that it would be a “very long shot to sign” Lawson.
Let’s run it 🐊 nation!!!@GatorsBB @chuck_jeroloman
— Brendan Lawson (@Brendan_lawson1) July 16, 2024
2024 Brendan Lawson takes on the monster in left field with this backside bomb! Brendan is the #1 player out of Toronto, Ontario Canada! Florida (@GatorsBB) commit@P27Blacksmiths | @PerfectGameUSA #DoubtedAthletes pic.twitter.com/ycXJoJ9pk4
— Doubted Athletes (@DoubtedAthletes) May 15, 2024
Another barrel here from Brendan Lawson, this one was smoked through the RS for a single. #PGAcademies #NAA @pg_int1 @naaconference @P27Blacksmiths @GatorsBB signee @PG_Draft https://t.co/wgIk4qFsum pic.twitter.com/C2nQXGPuli
— Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) May 16, 2024
Brendan Lawson continues to swing it well here on Day 3, makes a great adjustment here and fires one into the OF for a knock. #PGAcademies #NAA @pg_int1 @naaconference @P27Blacksmiths @GatorsBB signee @PG_Draft https://t.co/r7Jsfjx8rF pic.twitter.com/fH9W8yXTnr
— Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) May 16, 2024
20th round, 591st overall
Owen Rice, pitcher
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, junior
6’6/230 pounds
Bats/Throws: L/L
Hometown: East Troy, Wisconsin
At 6-foot-6, Rice is the tallest player selected by the Cardinals in the 2024 class. His numbers indicate both his ability to strike out batters and inability to avoid issuing free passes, hence his selection in the final round.
He appeared in 15 games (10 starts) for the Panthers during 2024, his second year with the program. Rice was third on the team with 51 strikeouts in 33 innings, but also walked 33. He posted a 6.27 ERA while holding opponents to a collective .242 batting average.
Rice pitched in seven games (five starts) during his first season at Wisconsin-Milwaukee, with a 4.76 ERA over 11 1/3 innings while striking out 14 and walking nine.
In summer ball with Burlington in the Prospect League in 2022, Rice logged a 5.19 ERA, 18 strikeouts and eight walks in 8 1/3 innings.
Rice began at McHenry County College in Illinois.
𝑪𝑯𝑬𝑫𝑫𝑨𝑹 from @owenrice21 🧀🧀🧀#ForTheMKE | #HLBASE pic.twitter.com/djPp7F4PFc
— Milwaukee Baseball (@MKE_Baseball) May 18, 2024
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Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian on X/Twitter.
© 2024 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
St. Louis Cardinals Select Eight in Day 2 of 2024 Draft
photo: Brian Holiday (Oklahoma State University Athletics)
The second of three days of the 2024 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, with the St. Louis Cardinals selections’ being made by AGM/Scouting Director Randy Flores, consists of eight selections in rounds 3-10 on Monday, July 15.
St. Louis’ initial Day 2 selection is Oklahoma State right-handed pitcher Brian Holiday, MLB Pipeline’s no. 223 draft prospect.
Overall, encompassing these eight picks and the first-round selection named on Sunday, infielder J.J. Wetherholt, the Cardinals have been allocated a signing bonus total of $10,213,000, 17th most of the 30 organizations. They will almost certainly not exceed that by more than 5% as their selections are signed in the upcoming days.
See the Cardinals full 2024 Draft Day 1 details here.
Cardinals Select J.J. Wetherholt on 2024 MLB Draft’s First Day
Update: Draft day 2 summary
Overall, in the first two days, the Cardinals took four pitchers, two left-handers and two right-handers. They also added two catchers, a shortstop (in the first round), a third baseman and an outfielder (in the 10th round).
The position player script flipped from 2022/2023 to 2024. Last year, St. Louis selected four outfielders in the first two days but no infielders or catchers for the second year in a row.
Same as in 2022 and 2023, St. Louis passed over high schoolers completely, This year’s mix includes seven college juniors, a sophomore and a senior. Several may be money-saving picks amid rumors that first rounder J.J. Wetherholt may be an overslot sign.
The Big 12 was the predominant conference with six of the organization’s nine picks to date. Asked about that, Scouting Director Randy Flores said, “It is just the way it happened to be.”
I asked him about the lack of high schoolers. Flores noted, “The draft is not over.” He also said the “signability” of the prep players they were interested in “didn’t match up” with their pool plans. He also remarked that no second rounder (and associated pool allocation of $2,224,700) was a factor.
Regarding the quantity of under 6-foot players selected, Flores noted that some players can “get a lot out of their body despite their size” and that some pitchers have an advantage with a lower release point.
For more
Return to this article at The Cardinal Nation often on Monday afternoon and evening as information about all St. Louis’ day 2 draft picks will be posted shortly after they are made.
To reference the Cardinals’ new draft class on an ongoing basis here at The Cardinal Nation, each player will have a profile located on a holding team called “DRAFT UNSIGNED PLAYERS”. This can be accessed at the bottom of the drop-down menu in the red column in the left menu called “ROSTERS/PLAYERS/MOVES” or click here.
St. Louis’ selections – 2024 Draft Day 2
Third round, 80th overall
Brian Holiday, right-handed pitcher
Oklahoma State, junior
5’11/203 pounds
Bats/Throws: R/R
Hometown: Tampa, FL
The 2024 All-Big 12 selection began as a reliever at two schools before joining the Oklahoma State Cowboys, where his coach was Josh Holliday, brother of former Cardinal Matt (unrelated to Brian).
In his junior year , Holiday allowed 82 hits and 19 walks with a conference-best 128 strikeouts in 113 innings.
Sporting an old-fashioned high leg kick and 12-6 curveball, overall Holiday was 24-4 with a 2.63 ERA (253 2/3 IP), six saves, and 343 strikeouts in 55 games (33 starts) in three collegiate seasons with Oklahoma State (2024), Central Florida Junior College (2023) and Florida Southwestern State Junior College (2022).
At Central Florida, Holiday led national JUCO pitchers in strikeouts and helped his team with the Junior College World Series, from which he was named Most Outstanding Pitcher.
Holiday’s best pitch is a slider. His fastball is 91-93 mph. The 21-year-old is deceptive with good command and mound presence. He projects as a backend starter or middle reliever.
Flores called Holiday “competitive, intriguing and compelling”, saying that he “gained momentum and continued to improve”.
The pool amount for this pick is $964,500. So, given his 223rd ranking per MLB Pipeline, this looks to be a money-saving pick by the Cardinals.
Fourth round, 109th overall
Ryan Campos, catcher
Arizona State University, junior
5’8, 190 pounds
Bats/Throws: L/R
Hometown: Mesa, Arizona
The left-handed hitter is known for average over power. He has good leadership skills, but is considered fringy behind the plate.
In his junior campaign at Arizona State this spring, Campos slashed .364/.461/.610/1.071 with 11 home runs and 56 RBI in 58 games. He reached base in 137 of 147 career games, including 57 of 58 contests in 2024. His career .369 batting average as a Sun Devil was tops among all Division I catchers.
Campos was twice named to the Pac-12 First Team, in both his sophomore and junior seasons.
Flores admitted the term is hard to define, but called Campos “a baseball player, well rounded.” He noted it can be difficult to ascertain how much game calling experience a catcher has, but through their interviews, Campos knew the “pulse of his staff” and “he has always hit.”
The pool amount for this pick is $669,300. Again, at the number 176 draft eligible player per MLB Pipeline, Campos may be a budget-saving selection for the Cardinals.
Fifth round, 142nd overall
Braden Davis, left handed pitcher
University of Oklahoma, junior
5’11, 180 pounds
Bats/Throws: L/L
Hometown: Keller, Texas
After being a successful reliever as a freshman and sophomore at Sam Houston State, Davis transferred to Oklahoma, where he became an All-Big 12 starting pitcher as the Sooners’ Friday night starter.
In 92 innings in his junior year, Davis posted a 4.30 ERA with a team-best 117 strikeouts that ranked 17th in the nation. He held opposing batters to .208 average and issued 41 walks. Davis earned 2024 All-Big 12 First Team and Big 12 All-Tournament Team honors.
Over his career, Davis went 14-9 with a 3.86 ERA (in 154 innings) and 198 strikeouts in 51 games (16 starts) between Oklahoma and Sam Houston State.
Davis’ change-up is his best pitch with good fading action. His fastball is in the low-90’s, topping out at 95 mph, along with a slider. He is projected as a major league lefty reliever.
Flores said, “It’s always nice to get a left-hander.” The scouting director noted that Davis has “sneaky deception and throws strikes.”
The pool amount for this pick is $485,700. Davis was not ranked among MLB Pipeline’s top 250 draft prospects.
Sixth round, 171st overall
Josh Kross, catcher
University of Cincinnati, junior
6’2, 226 pounds
Bats/Throws: B/R
Hometown: Brunswick, Ohio
When the selection of Kross was announced, neither Jonathan Mayo or Jim Callis initially had any information on the Cardinals’ second catcher taken in their first five picks. MLB also had no graphic prepared about Kross.
Kross is an offense-first switch-hitting catcher who can also play first base. In 2024, he was second in the Big 12 in home runs and RBI (notice the early Cardinals concentration on this conference). Kross’ defense is not considered to be as advanced as his offense.
He began at Eastern Michigan before joining the Bearcats for the 2024 season. In his junior year with Cincinnati, Kross batted .317 with 19 home runs, 65 RBI, 14 doubles, 50 runs scored, a .638 slugging percentage, and he absorbed 26 hit-by-pitches!
This season, Kross was named First-Team All-Big 12 and ABCA/Rawlings All-Region.
This summer pre-draft, Kross played for the Keene Swamp Bats of the the New England Collegiate Baseball League. There, he hit .340 with three long balls and 21 RBI in just 12 games.
Flores praised Kross’ bat-to-ball skills from both sides of the plate. He noted the Cardinals were “looking for upside in the sixth round” and catching skills can be improved in terms of framing and receiving.
The pool amount for this pick is $369,100.
Seventh round, 201st overall
Andrew Dutkanych, right handed pitcher
Vanderbilt University, sophomore
6’3, 230 pounds
Bats/Throws: R/R
Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana
The right-hander is a draft-eligible sophomore and because the Cardinals selected him, he is expected to be signable.
Dutkanych’s best pitch is his 92-94 mph fastball. He also throws a mid-80’s power slider and his curveball and changeup are developing.
The 20-year-old has been slowed by injuries at Vandy, appearing in just nine games, throwing just 17 innings over two years. He was slowed by a hamstring injury in 2023 and underwent Tommy John surgery this March.
In other words, Dutkanych is a high-upside, relatively low-risk gamble by the Cardinals. He has the talent or he wouldn’t have been a Commodore, considered one of the best programs in the country. In fact, Baseball Reference ranked him as the 35th-best draft eligible player in the 2022 draft, but he chose to join Vanderbilt.
In his post Day 2 remarks, Flores reminded us that Dutkanych was considered a “top 50-100 prospect out of high school.”
The pool amount for this pick is $288,700.
Eighth round, 231st overall
Jack Findlay, left handed pitcher
University of Notre Dame, junior
6’3, 220 pounds
Bats/Throws: L/L
Hometown: Ledgewood, New Jersey
As a freshman in 2022, Findlay made 12 relief appearances and eight starts. He logged a solid 2.17 ERA, 6-2 record and four saves through 49 2/3 innings with 54 strikeouts.
In 2023, he made five starts and five relief outings with a 4-2 record and 3.79 ERA over 40 1/3 innings. Findlay struck out 54 and only walked 11 batters. However, he required Tommy John surgery that April and did not appear in 2024.
Given the timing of normal TJS recovery, Findlay should be ready to go soon, making this yet another upside play for the Cardinals.
The big, physical lefty has a slider and a big-breaking curve. Findlay also has a low 90s fastball that touches 93-94 mph.
Regarding taking apparent risks with the seventh and eighth round TJS picks, Flores said that Findlay is “further along” than Dutkanych and scouts watched Findlay throwing both prior to and during the recent combine.
Flores noted that Findlay had an almost 30% strikeout rate in 2023 and “pitchers with starter profiles begin to run out earlier than the seventh and eighth rounds.”
The scouting director labeled the two as having “great opportunity profiles later in the draft.”
The pool amount for this pick is $229,000.
Ninth round, 261st overall
Cade McGee, third base
Texas Tech University, junior
6’1, 195 pounds
Bats/Throws: R/R
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
McGee, 21, began his college career with two seasons at Gonzaga, where he was the West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year. He transferred to Texas Tech for his 2024 junior season.
This season, the right-handed hitter slashed .282/.450/.580/1.030 with 15 home runs and 55 RBI in 57 games for the Red Raiders. Continuing an interesting theme in this class, McGee was hit by 23 pitches in 2024 when he was an All-Big 12 honorable mention.
Considered a good defender, McGee had a .944 fielding percentage with eight errors and 97 assists at the hot corner.
Over his three seasons, McGee has a line of .291/.424/.552/.976 with 31 home runs, 30 doubles, 106 RBI in 132 career games.
McGee went on to play in the Cape Cod League this summer, but did not impress with the bat, hitting .185 with a .594 OPS in 18 games.
Per MLB Pipeline, McGee could develop into having 15-20 home run power in the majors.
The pool amount for this pick is $198,000.
10th round, 291st overall
Bryce Madron, outfielder
University of Oklahoma, senior
5’8/181 pounds
Bats/Throws: L/L
Hometown: Blanchard, Oklahoma
The Cardinals returned to the Oklahoma Sooners with their first senior pick of 2024. Madron is undersized and is probably limited to the corners because he is a fringy runner. The left-handed hitter controls the strike zone well, so can take a walk and is a gap-to-gap hitter.
The 23-year-old began his college years with two seasons at Cowley Community College in Kansas. Between his two years with the Sooners, Madron was very consistent, slashing .319/.459/.593/1.052 in 115 games. He hit 24 home runs, drove in 104 and stole 29 bases in 2023 and 2024.
Along with 2024 fifth-rounder Braden Davis, Madron is the fourth Sooner to be selected by St. Louis in the last three MLB Drafts. They join infielder Dakota Harris (11th round 2023) and catcher Jimmy Crooks (fourth round 2022).
The pool amount for this pick is $185,000.
What is next?
Check back at The Cardinal Nation on Tuesday for details of Day 3 of the 2024 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Earlier article
Cardinals Select J.J. Wetherholt on 2024 MLB Draft’s First Day
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Cardinals Select J.J. Wetherholt on 2024 MLB Draft’s First Day
photo: J.J. Wetherholt (University of West Virginia)
The St. Louis Cardinals named their lone selection on Day 1 of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, encompassing the first two rounds. Reactions from first rounder J.J. Wetherholt and scouting director Randy Flores follow.
The first two rounds of the 20-round 2024 Major League Baseball First-Year Player draft were held on Sunday evening, July 14 in Arlington, Texas. For the fourth year, the draft is reduced to 20 rounds and held a month later than traditionally, now as part of MLB’s All-Star Weekend.
By virtue of their dismal 2023 season, the St. Louis Cardinals received the seventh overall selection in the first round via the lottery. It is their earliest selection since they took J.D. Drew fifth in 1997.
However, for the second consecutive year, the Cardinals forfeited their second rounder (which would have been no. 42 with associated pool money of $2,224,700) plus the loss of $500,000 international cap space for the signing free agent Sonny Gray during the off-season.
In compensation, Gray’s former club, the Minnesota Twins, received the 33rd overall selection. This comp pick, at the end of the first round, has an associated slot bonus of $2,766,100.
As a result, St. Louis has just one selection in the first 79 picks in this draft, their only Sunday night pick. (Their third rounder will be no. 80 overall.) In contrast, the Diamondbacks, Brewers and Twins each have four picks on Sunday alone, all to be made before the Cardinals can take their second player.
The Cardinals organization’s eight picks in the third through 10th rounds will be made on Monday, starting at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time. The final 10 selections (rounds 11-20) will be unveiled starting at 2:00 p.m. ET Tuesday. Both days’ proceedings will be streamed live by MLB.com.
The Cardinals have been assigned a pool total of $10,213,000 to cover the signing bonuses for their nine players selected in the first 10 rounds plus any bonuses greater than $150,000 for draftees selected in rounds 11-20. Due to the loss of the second-round allocation, St. Louis’ total is just 17th of the 30 teams in 2024.
To reference the Cardinals’ new draft class on an ongoing basis here at The Cardinal Nation, each player will have a profile located on a holding team called “DRAFT UNSIGNED PLAYERS”. This can be accessed at the bottom of the drop-down menu in the red column in the left menu called “ROSTERS/PLAYERS/MOVES” or click here.
St. Louis’ selection – 2024 draft day 1
First round, seventh overall – J.J. Wetherholt, SS/2B
University of West Virginia
5’10, 190 pounds
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Hometown: Mars, PA
The Cardinals had to be absolutely delighted when one of the top players, if not the top player, in the draft was still available when their first pick came up.
Coming into the draft, Wetherholt was ranked as the number one eligible prospect according to Fangraphs, third per Baseball America and The Athletic and fourth at MLB Pipeline.
Baseball America’s most recent mock draft had Wetherholt going to the Cleveland Guardians as the number one pick. Recurring hamstring issues that caused him to miss 24 of 60 games and play often as designated hitter in 2024 may have contributed to Wetherholt’s falling to the Cardinals at number seven.
The left-handed hitter is known for his ability to drive balls to all fields with authority and demonstrating excellent pitch recognition.
The 22-year-old’s bat to ball skills are evidenced by his NCAA-leading .449 batting average in 2023. That dropped to “just” .331 in 2024. Wetherholt is a base-stealing threat with his 36 stolen bases tops in the Big 12 in 2023, when the then-sophomore was the conference Player of the Year.
Wetherholt, a Pittsburgh-area native, played three seasons for the Mountaineers, slashing .370/.468/.625/1.093 with 29 home runs, 49 doubles, 129 RBI, 148 runs and a 1:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio with 82 walks in 145 career games.
TC Calhoun was the Cardinals area drafting scout.
The pool amount for this pick is $6,823,700.
Randy Flores comments
Cardinals assistant general manager/director of scouting Randy Flores spoke with the media via Zoom shortly after the selection was made Sunday evening. As one would expect, he said the organization is “very, very excited” to land Wetherholt.
“Looking at his batting line and the back of the baseball card is that he’s hit and he’s always hit,” Flores said. “What was impressive to our scouting group this summer was that he did it against the best competition and he did it while nursing some soreness.
“Often times in this day and age, it’s natural that players only want to play when they are 100 percent. But even though he was limited physically this summer, he was taking at bats and DHing.
“All indications are that he is ready to go and start playing,” Flores said. The scouting director declared that Wetherholt will begin his professional career at shortstop, but also emphasized that the organization values his versatility.
I asked Wetherholt if he had any indications that he might be asked to play less in the field initially and more at designated hitter in 2024 given the long college season and his earlier injuries. He replied that he has no knowledge of that yet, but earlier said, “My hamstring is good. I’m really healthy now.”
First pick comments
Wetherholt, a 2022 WVU teammate of Memphis outfielder Victor Scott, offered his opening remarks as a Cardinal on Sunday evening, via Zoom as well.
“I am super blessed and super excited to be a Cardinal and I can’t wait to get started,” he said.
“It’s a baseball city, they’re winners and I’m super excited to join the family,” Wetherholt said. “I know that they’ve got a great staff and a great farm system, and I know that they’re going to make me a better player. So, I’m as super excited to go there as they are to have me.”
His full media comments follow. (Note the Q&A begins about 2:00 minutes in, so skip ahead.)
@Cardinals let’s go!!!!
— JJ Wetherholt (@jj_wetherholt) July 15, 2024
What is next?
Check back at The Cardinal Nation for details of Days 2 and 3 of the 2024 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
The Cardinal Nation Interview – Florida Complex League Cardinals Manager Roberto Espinoza
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Cardinals Promote Minor League Relief Pair
With Memphis reliever Kyle Leahy spending Saturday, July 13 with St. Louis as the 27th player in their doubleheader with the Chicago Cubs, the St. Louis Cardinals organization provided a backfill for the Triple-A Redbirds and one for Double-A Springfield, too.
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The Cardinal Nation Interview – Florida Complex League Cardinals Manager Roberto Espinoza
In an exclusive interview, the manager of the Florida Complex League Cardinals recaps the 2024 season, which is nearing its end. Roberto Espinoza touches on key contributors from his youthful roster and discusses unique challenges in rookie ball.
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Iván Herrera Returns, but with Memphis
As the Triple-A rehab period for Iván Herrera ended, the St. Louis Cardinals decided to leave the catcher there, optioning him to Memphis on Friday, July 12.
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The Cardinal Nation Interview – Palm Beach Manager Gary Kendall
In an exclusive interview, the manager of the Palm Beach Cardinals recaps his club’s championship first half and considers the major draft-related changes just ahead for his Low-A club. Gary Kendall also touches on key 2024 contributors from the Beach Birds’ roster, past and present.
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Palm Beach Cardinals Lose Catcher Maikel Hernandez to Injury
The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals placed one catcher on the injured list and received a replacement from below. A rookie level pitcher is out for the year.
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The Cardinal Nation Interview – St. Louis Farm Director Gary LaRocque
In an exclusive in-depth interview, the Director of Player Development for the St. Louis Cardinals recaps the first half and sets up the major draft-related changes just ahead. Gary LaRocque also touches on 2024 success stories across the system.
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Cardinals Minors Transactions Center on Injured Lists
Across the St. Louis Cardinals system on Tuesday, July 9, two pitchers returned to the injured list as two hitters came off. One infielder is promoted to replace one released and a major leaguer is set to take his first action of 2024.
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2024 Cardinals Starting Pitching – Results Over Innings Eating
photo: Sonny Gray (Jim Rassol/USA TODAY Sports)
Perhaps surprisingly, the St. Louis Cardinals’ 2024 rotation isn’t yet eating more innings than did the 2023 group, but the results have been much better, so does it matter?
It has been repeated so often that we’ve come to accept it. The St. Louis Cardinals added three “innings eaters” during the off-season to stabilize the rotation and relieve pressure on the bullpen.
There is no doubt that the trio of Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn have driven better results from the starting rotation. Specifically, the starters’ ERA is about 0.80 better year to year to date.
A major contributing factor is a bullpen that is improved from 2023 even more than the rotation.
The following graphic generated an in-depth discussion at The Cardinal Nation’s free forum. As you can see, the innings pitched by the bullpen (and therefore the rotation, as well) are comparable from year to year (though again, the results are markedly better).
Point: It seems the Cardinals have used fewer starters this year than last.
Not so. To date in 2024, St. Louis has called upon eight different starting pitchers, when last season at this time, they had deployed just seven.
However, 2023 was two very different seasons in one, with major roster changes for the final two months. The relative stability of the rotation was the area most affected.
Of course, a key reason new starters were needed was that two pretty good ones, impending free agents Jordan Montgomery and Jack Flaherty, were sent away at the trade deadline.
As the season was lost, Adam Wainwright slogged on in his personal quest for 200 career wins (until September 18) and the replacement starters were not of the same quality as the ones they replaced.
After this date last year, the trio of Dakota Hudson, Drew Rom and Zack Thompson made all 29 of their 2023 starts. Collectively, they logged a 5.69 ERA while averaging just under five innings per start.
Point: The 2024 starters are eating more innings than the 2023 starters TO DATE.
The data indicates this is not true. But again, the results are considerably better (for both the starters and relievers), which is what matters most.
Further, the stability outlook for the rotation is much better for the remainder of the season. If the current starters continue on their course for the remainder of the year, it very well could be that they will eat more innings than the 2023 starters did.
Of course, this may also depend on the bullpen maintaining its effectiveness. If Andre Pallante continues to pitch well in the rotation this month, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Cardinals go conservative and stand pat with the rotation, while adding another veteran reliever at the trade deadline.
That might be good enough to help them secure one of the three Wild Cards, but it wouldn’t increase the low confidence that this Cardinals team has enough starting firepower to complete deep into the playoffs.
Returning to the subject of this article, when considering innings eating, for me it gets down to the comparison point, whether the end of last season or the first half of 2023. Gray, Gibson and Lynn are a major step up from Hudson, Rom and Thompson, but less so from the prior group, led by Montgomery and Flaherty.
But as long as the results are there and the Cardinals keep winning, any concern about innings eating is just a secondary discussion – for now.
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Davis and Mathews Named Cardinals Organization Top June Minor Leaguers
photo: Quinn Mathews (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
St. Louis Cardinals release
The St. Louis Cardinals today (Friday, July 5) announced their selections for Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Month for June, with Palm Beach Cardinals (A) outfielder Chase Davis and Springfield Cardinals (AA) left-handed starting pitcher Quinn Mathews taking home the honors.
Davis, 22, led all qualified Cardinals minor leaguers in OPS (1.147), on-base pct. (.464), slugging pct. (.683), extra-base hits (12) and RBI (23), while also ranking among the leaders in batting average (.333, 4th), home runs (5, T3rd), walks (17, 2nd), runs (16, 5th), and total bases (43, T5th). The left-handed batter reached safely in 18 of his 20 games played and recorded an RBI in 13 games, including a season-high 5 RBI vs. St. Lucie on June 28. It is Davis’ first career organizational Minor League Player of the Month award selection.
“In June, Chase led the league in on-base percentage, slugging and OPS, hitting five home runs in 20 games, helping the Palm Beach Cardinals win the first half of the FSL East Division and a playoff berth,” said Cardinals Assistant GM & Director of Player Development Gary LaRocque.
The 6’1, Sacramento native was selected in the 1st round (21st overall) of the 2023 MLB Draft following his junior year out of Arizona, where he finished his career with the third-most home runs in school history. He is currently rated as the 6th best prospect in the Cardinals organization by Baseball America, and leads Palm Beach on the season with 24 XBH and 40 RBI. Davis was also recognized as the Florida State League Player of the Week from June 10-16.
Mathews, 23, posted a 3-0 record with a 2.10 ERA (7 ER/30.0 IP), 0.80 WHIP with 37 strikeouts and just 15 hits allowed across five starts. He made four consecutive quality starts at High-A Peoria to begin the month before being promoted to Double-A Springfield where he allowed just one hit over 5.1 innings in a no-decision on June 30. He also tallied his third double-digit strikeout performance of the season, punching out 11 (with no walks) versus South Bend on June 16. The 6’4”, southpaw was named to the National League All-Star Futures Game roster on July 2.
“Before Quinn’s promotion to Springfield in late June, his month was highlighted by four quality starts in Peoria, 24.2 innings, seven earned runs, six walks and 34 strikeouts,” stated LaRocque.
Ranked as the 98th overall prospect by Baseball America in its latest midseason update, Mathews was selected in the 4th round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Stanford, where he was named the 2023 Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year and ranked second in Division I with 158 strikeouts. Overall this season, Mathews is 6-2 in 14 starts across three different levels with a 2.03 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 113 strikeouts (2nd-most in MiLB).
After also being selected in April of this year, Mathews becomes the third pitcher ever to take home Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Month honors twice in his first professional season, joining left-hander Rick Ankiel (May & June 1998) and right-hander Max Rajcic (June & August 2023).
Brian Walton’s take
Congratulations to the winners. In The Cardinal Nation’s earlier analysis and announcements, Davis was also our choice as the June Pitcher of the Month.
However, Mathews and his 2.10 ERA did not make our list of finalists. The lefty is clearly the system’s hottest prospect, ranked third in our monthly organizational rankings. Yet, others performed better. Specifically, five other qualifying pitchers registered ERAs under 2.00 in June, including our selection, Keiverson Ramirez, at 1.00.
Non-finalist pitchers with June ERAs comparable to Mathews are Michael McGreevy (Memphis) at 2.12, Ian Bedell (Springfield) at 2.20 and Ixan Henderson (Palm Beach) at 2.38. Had we raised our ERA bar above 2.00, this trio would have been considered alongside Mathews.
For more information
The Cardinal Nation June 2024 Player of the Month – Chase Davis
The Cardinal Nation’s June 2024 Pitcher of the Month – Keiverson Ramirez
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The Cardinal Nation June 2024 Player of the Month – Chase Davis
photo: Chase Davis (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
Palm Beach outfielder Chase Davis turned around a first year of frustration with a breakout June, topping eight other finalists as The Cardinal Nation’s top hitter in the St. Louis Cardinals system last month. Top 10 prospects and last month’s winners’ results are also reviewed.
This article details the selection of The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Month. Considered were offensive results during June across the entire St. Louis Cardinals system. The winner as well as a group of eight runners up are highlighted.
Using the MiLB rule of 2.7 plate appearances per team game played, we used 70 PAs as the qualifying line this month, except for players from the Florida Complex League, which played 20 games, for a minimum PA line of 54 for rookie ballers.
As a result, a total of 39 hitters in the system qualified. Nine further separated themselves with an OPS above .900. They are bunched in pairs with two over 1.085, two around 1.040, two in the mid .900s and the final three just over the qualification line.
When all is said and done, Palm Beach outfielder Chase Davis is our June winner.
Demographics
In a bit of a surprise, the rookie-level Dominican Summer League Cards tied Memphis with three finalists each. Palm Beach, Peoria and Springfield split three while the Florida Complex League Cards were shut out, with no qualifying hitter posting a June OPS of .850 or better.
Reminder
Please remember, this is NOT the “Player of the Month Among Top Prospects”. Every player in the system has an equal chance, with only their performance during the month used to differentiate the best of the best. Age and level, which are key prospect considerations, are not factors here, either.
We will take two views of the data. The first look will be basic counting stats, followed by rate stats. Names are listed in the same sequence in both tables, in descending OPS order.
Counting stats
| June hitter | Tm | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | CS | OPS |
| Chase Davis | PB | 19 | 71 | 59 | 15 | 19 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 22 | 17 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 1.107 |
| Nick Dunn | Mem | 19 | 76 | 69 | 8 | 29 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.085 |
| Luken Baker | Mem | 22 | 94 | 79 | 14 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 17 | 14 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 1.041 |
| Dakota Harris | Peo/Spr | 20 | 87 | 76 | 15 | 30 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 23 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1.039 |
| Matt Koperniak | Mem | 23 | 102 | 93 | 12 | 33 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 7 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0.960 |
| Chris Rotondo | Peo | 19 | 85 | 72 | 15 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 23 | 6 | 2 | 0.935 |
| Rainiel Rodriguez | DSL | 15 | 69 | 58 | 12 | 19 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0.908 |
| Yairo Padilla | DSL | 17 | 81 | 67 | 17 | 22 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 16 | 2 | 0.903 |
| Facundo Velasquez | DSL | 18 | 64 | 56 | 17 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 12 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0.901 |
The top two hitters in OPS should be considered the early leaders, with Davis at 1.107 and Memphis infielder Nick Dunn at an also impressive 1.085.
The next stat that caught my eye was the run production of two players. Peoria-Springfield second baseman Dakota Harris impressively drove in 23 runners in just 20 games. Davis was right behind with 22 RBI.
Our May Player of the Month, Memphis first baseman Luken Baker, set the new Redbirds career home run record, capped off by a system-leading nine in June. However, Baker’s RBI count was “just” 17.
Tied for second in the system with five long balls was Harris, who earned a late month promotion to Double-A.
In a gauge of potential emerging power, Davis tied two non-finalists for the most doubles in the system last month with seven.
In his professional debut, switch-hitting DSL shortstop Yairo Padilla really stepped forward with 16 stolen bases in 18 tries – over just 17 games. Only one other player in the system, non-finalist Miguel Villarroel, had more than nine steals (12) during June.
In addition to his exceptional OPS, Dunn stands out for his very low walk total of four, which doubles his amazingly low strikeout total of two in 76 plate appearances. Wow!
The only other finalist who walked more than he struck out was Davis, with 17 free passes taken against 13 Ks.
Rate stats
| June hitter | Tm | PA | BB% | K% | BABIP | ISO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Chase Davis | PB | 71 | 21.3% | 16.3% | 0.333 | 0.322 | 0.322 | 0.463 | 0.644 | 1.107 |
| Nick Dunn | Mem | 76 | 5.3% | 2.6% | 0.403 | 0.217 | 0.420 | 0.447 | 0.638 | 1.085 |
| Luken Baker | Mem | 94 | 14.9% | 20.2% | 0.250 | 0.380 | 0.278 | 0.383 | 0.658 | 1.041 |
| Dakota Harris | Peo/Spr | 87 | 5.7% | 10.3% | ~0.420 | 0.212 | 0.395 | 0.432 | 0.607 | 1.039 |
| Matt Koperniak | Mem | 102 | 6.9% | 15.7% | 0.397 | 0.194 | 0.355 | 0.412 | 0.548 | 0.960 |
| Chris Rotondo | Peo | 85 | 10.6% | 27.1% | 0.457 | 0.167 | 0.333 | 0.435 | 0.500 | 0.935 |
| Rainiel Rodriguez | DSL | 69 | 7.2% | 15.9% | 0.367 | 0.190 | 0.328 | 0.391 | 0.517 | 0.908 |
| Yairo Padilla | DSL | 81 | 11.1% | 19.8% | 0.412 | 0.149 | 0.328 | 0.425 | 0.478 | 0.903 |
| Facundo Velasquez | DSL | 64 | 16.2% | 35.1% | 0.414 | 0.232 | 0.250 | 0.419 | 0.482 | 0.901 |
As we get into the rate stats, we see that Dunn is joined by Harris, Memphis outfielder Matt Koperniak and DSL catcher Rainiel Rodriguez with walk rates under 7.3%.
The best walk rate among finalists by a considerable margin was compiled by Davis at 21.3%. This is not a flash in the pan, as the outfielder was known for his discriminating eye at the plate while in college at Arizona.
The candidacy of DSL center fielder Facundo Valasquez is hurt by his very high 35.1% strikeout rate. Peoria outfielder Chris Rotondo was next highest among finalists at 27.1%.
Dunn’s minuscule 2.6% strikeout rate dwarfed everyone, though Harris’ 10.3% mark is also notable.
Good fortune in the guise of a high BABIP pushes down many of the OBP leaders. Specifically, six of the nine finalists had BABIPs of .397 or higher and another came in at .367.
At the other end of the spectrum, Baker’s .250 BABIP suggests the big man was somewhat unlucky during June, making his strong results while overcoming BABIP misfortune even more impressive.
That leaves Davis as the only finalist with a June BABIP in a somewhat normal range, though a tad high at .333.
In Isolated Power, ISO, again Baker’s .380 led the way. The .322 ISO of Davis is also very notable as the only other finalist above .232.
Though aided by a high .403 BABIP, Dunn’s .420 batting average was still impressive, topping the entire system in June. Also exceptional was Harris at .395 (with an approximate .420 BABIP).
In fact, almost all the finalists hit for average in June, with only two, Baker (.250) and Velasquez (.278), below .322.
Davis’ .463 on-base percentage was highest, with Dunn, Rotondo and Harris all at .432 or above. No finalists reached base at a clip lower than .383 (Baker).
The top three hitters in OPS were also tops in slugging, though in a different sequence. Baker was the top slugger, followed by Davis, with Davis leading Dunn in OPS.
When all is said and done, Davis’s exceptional month across the board gives him the honors as The Cardinal Nation’s June Player of the Month. He led finalists in doubles, walks and walk rate, OBP and OPS. The Palm Beach outfielder was second in RBI, isolated power and slugging percentage, all while registering a reasonable BABIP.
About the winner
Davis needs little introduction, as most readers know the 22-year-old was St. Louis’ first-round draft pick in 2023, receiving over $3.6 million to sign. It has been a tough road for the left-handed hitter since, however.
In his Low-A Palm Beach introduction last season, Davis slashed just .212/.366/.269/.636. That included just six doubles and no home runs in 131 plate appearances, despite coaches asking him to be more aggressive at the plate.
Davis returned to the Beach Birds in 2024 and did not show progress through April and May. In fact, he digressed offensively. Coming into June, Davis was hitting just .184 (26-for-141), with a 29.7% strikeout rate and 10.8% walk rate. This makes his June emergence as surprising as it was exceptional.
Judging by roughly halving his K rate and doubling his walk rate in June, Davis may have returned to his core strengths. He was the Florida State League Player of the Week for the period of June 10-16 and is The Cardinal Nation’s 11th-ranked prospect.
On Wednesday, July 3, Davis was also selected as the FSL Player of the Month, after ranking first or second in the Class-A circuit in OBP, slugging, OPS, RBI, extra-base hits and walks.
Continued success in Low-A should earn Davis a promotion to High-A Peoria, where he can catch up with other top hitting draft picks from last July. After all, the Cardinals 2024 draft class will be arriving in Palm Beach later this month.
Top 10 hitters in the system during May
Here is how the top 10 hitters in the Cardinals organization per The Cardinal Nation’s rankings fared last month.
#5 Thomas Saggese (Memphis) – The infielder digressed from his tepid .623 OPS in May to a .595 mark in June, far below his career history. Saggese’s June strikeout rate was 24.5%, up from 23% the month before. His June walk rate of just 5.3% was a minuscule improvement from 5% in May.
#6 Victor Scott (Memphis) – Known for his stolen bases, Scott took fewer chances in June, leading to six total steals for the month, down from 12 in May. The center fielder slashed just .233/.266/.289/.555, with the latter down from his unimpressive May OPS of .571.
#7 Leonardo Bernal (Peoria) – The 20-year-old catcher quietly continued his strong play for an offensively starved Peoria club. Bernal’s June slash line was .275/.375/.464/.839.
#8 Jimmy Crooks (Springfield) – Same goes for the backstop one level up, as Crooks fashioned a consistent and solid June Double-A line of .278/.366/.458/.824.
May’s winners in June
The June results of The Cardinal Nation’s May Player of the Month, Baker, are documented in the finalist tables above. It surprises me that while some fans are clamoring for his recently hot teammates Dunn and Koperniak to join St. Louis, the more consistent Baker is seemingly forgotten.
The Cardinals organization also looked away from Baker in May, making his prospect teammate Cesar Prieto the Player of the Month selection instead. This is despite the former having posted superior numbers.
The Cardinal Nation May 2024 Player of the Month – Luken Baker
In June, Prieto slashed .295/.353/.423/.776, credible results but ones that are far below our finalists. After a month of May in which it looked like his power was emerging, Prieto hit just one hone run and plated only four in 86 June plate appearances.
What is next?
The Cardinals organization should also name their own selections of June Player and Pitcher of the Month in the upcoming days.
Related article
The Cardinal Nation’s June 2024 Pitcher of the Month – Keiverson Ramirez
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
TCN’s Monthly Cardinals Top 50 Prospect Rankings – June 2024
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© 2024 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The Cardinal Nation’s June 2024 Pitcher of the Month – Keiverson Ramirez
photo: Cardinals Dominican Academy (St. Louis Cardinals)
Dominican Summer League right-hander Keiverson Ramirez had the top overall pitching performance in the St. Louis Cardinals system in June. The 18-year-old’s results are compared to four other finalists with ERAs under 2.00, Top 10 prospects and last month’s winner.
This article outlines the selection process for The Cardinal Nation’s Pitcher of the Month for June 2024. Pitchers across all levels of the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system, including the two rookie level Complex League teams, are eligible.
As a reminder, this is NOT the “Pitcher of the Month Among Top Prospects”. Every player in the system has an equal chance, with only their performance during the month against their league peers used to differentiate the best of the best. Age and level, which are key prospect considerations, are not factors here.
Guidelines
To qualify, a pitcher must have thrown at least the minor league minimum of 0.8 innings per team game. At the top end, Memphis played 26 games, and at the bottom end, the Dominican Summer League played 20. So, we will use the latter as our bar for all pitchers, set at 16 innings during June.
Across the system, 19 pitchers made the first cut. To reach the short list of five finalists, an ERA below 2.00 was required.
The finalists represent three of the four full-season levels of the organization plus both the rookie level Florida Complex League and Dominican Summer League. The exception is Double-A Springfield, though High-A Peoria’s representative had just one start at the level.
Surprisingly, the DSL leads the pack with two finalists, with the other affiliates sporting one each. All are starters.
Counting Stats
In the following table, the finalists are listed in ascending ERA order.
| Pitcher | Tm | W | L | ERA | G | GS | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO |
| Keiverson Ramirez | DSL | 1 | 0 | 1.00 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 18 |
| Nelfy Ynfante | FCL | 2 | 0 | 1.53 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 17.2 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 21 |
| Jefferson Moran | DSL | 2 | 0 | 1.59 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 17 |
| Gordon Graceffo | Mem | 3 | 0 | 1.69 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 15 |
| Darlin Saladin | PB/Peo | 3 | 0 | 1.88 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 24 | 19 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 19 |
As you can see, one of the finalists compiled an exceptional ERA of 1.00, with no one else closer than 1.53. This immediately makes DSL right-hander Keiverson Ramirez the early leader.
As a side point, some discount or completely ignore the results of rookie ball players because of the uneven quality of play. We don’t do that. Our take is that all players are competing to the best of their ability against their peers and as such, good results deserve to be recognized.
Having said that, I expect the Cardinals organization selection for June to be Memphis starter Gordon Graceffo. Not only did the right-hander post a strong 1.69 ERA in three starts for the Redbirds, Graceffo also made a solid 4 1/3-inning Major League debut for St. Louis (not that the latter matters here).
Finalist Graceffo would certainly not be a bad choice, but let the data tell you who is the best choice.
Advanced stats
Here are additional statistics from the finalists in the same ascending ERA sequence.
| Pitcher | IP | K/9 | BB/9 | K/BB | BAA | BABIP | WHIP | ERA |
| Keiverson Ramirez | 18 | 9.0 | 1.0 | 9.0 | 0.227 | 0.313 | 0.94 | 1.00 |
| Nelfy Ynfante | 17.2 | 10.7 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 0.200 | 0.295 | 1.08 | 1.53 |
| Jefferson Moran | 17 | 9.0 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 0.200 | 0.244 | 1.00 | 1.59 |
| Gordon Graceffo | 16 | 8.4 | 1.7 | 5.0 | 0.183 | 0.209 | 0.88 | 1.69 |
| Darlin Saladin | 24 | 7.1 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 0.209 | ~0.290 | 1.13 | 1.89 |
The three rookie-ball pitchers struck out at least one batter per inning, with the FCL’s Nelfy Ynfante on top at 10.7 K per nine. Ramirez and DSL rotation mate Jefferson Moran were also solid with the same rate of 9.0 per nine.
Consensus May Pitcher of the Month Darlin Saladin kept up his strong results, but his strikeout rate plummeted from 12.6 in May to just 7.1 in June. While Saladin was promoted during June and made one start for Peoria, his Palm Beach June K rate was just 5.2.
Ramirez, followed by Graceffo, were stingiest with free passes at just 1.0 and 1.7 per nine, respectively. The other three finalists were higher, clumped together in the 2.7 to 3.1 range.
By a country mile, Ramirez comes out on top in strikeout to walk ratio at 9.0. Graceffo was next at 5.0, which is better than many other monthly winners. At just 2.4, Saladin pulled up the rear.
Three of the five pitchers held opposing hitters to a collective batting average at .200 or lower. Graceffo at .183 is the best of a very good group with the highest mark just .227 (Ramirez).
In BABIP (batting average on balls in play), the candidacy of Graceffo loses steam. His very low .209 June mark suggests he was the benefit of considerable good fortune that balances out over time. To that point, for the season (including June), Graceffo’s BABIP is a reasonable .292.
While Ramirez has the highest finalist BABIP of .313, it is not excessive, and it clearly did not negatively impact his results.
In terms of baserunners allowed, with WHIP as a surrogate, three finalists allowed a stellar one or fewer runners per inning. Graceffo (0.88) was tops, with Ramirez close behind (0.94). Moran was third at 1.00.
In summary, Ramirez’ name was mentioned from the very start and was repeated often. Others had their high points, but Ramirez led the finalists in lowest ERA, lowest walk rate and highest strikeout to walk ratio and was second in strikeout rate and WHIP.
When considering all results, Ramirez is The Cardinal Nation’s June Pitcher of the Month.
About the winner
Ramirez, 18, is a second-year DSL starter, after being a January 15 signing for $75,000 from Venezuela in 2023. Last season, the right-hander logged a 4.31 ERA in 39 2/3 innings.
Returning to the DSL in 2024, Ramirez began with two four-inning starts and followed with a pair of five-inning appearances. He allowed three runs, two earned, in his second start with the other three outings scoreless.
This season, the tall and slender Ramirez (6-foot-1, 170 pounds, up from 155 at signing) has been strong against right-handed batters (.250 BAA) as well as versus lefties (.211).
Baseball America praised Ramirez’ simple, low-effort delivery that leads to his plus control. Pre-signing, his fastball touched 90 mph with projection for more velocity, and he also throws a slider and changeup.
Top 10 prospects
Here is how Top 10 organizational pitching prospects per The Cardinal Nation fared in June. Just one of the six was a finalist for our Pitcher of the Month honors.
#1 Tink Hence (Springfield) – The right-hander left both June starts early with a trainer, throwing just three innings in total. Hence is neither on the injured list nor is among Springfield’s probable starters this week.
#2 Tekoah Roby (Springfield IL) – The oft-injured right-hander reportedly has not thrown since being placed on the injured list on May 27.
#3 Quinn Mathews (Peoria/Springfield) – The fast-rising lefty finished his High-A stint with a 2.55 ERA in four June starts including 34 punchouts in 24 2/3 innings. In his first Double-A start, Mathews allowed two runs, neither earned, in 5 1/3 frames.
#4 Cooper Hjerpe (Peoria/Springfield) – Twice the Texas League Pitcher of the Week to close the month, the lefty has been strong while capped to five inning starts. Over three starts with Springfield, Hjerpe had a 3.55 ERA including a current 10-inning scoreless streak after throwing four innings of no-hit ball in his final Peoria outing.
#9 Sem Robberse (Memphis IL) – Before going on the IL, the right-hander was bombed for 12 runs, 11 earned, in 5 1/3 innings over two June appearances.
#10 Gordon Graceffo (Memphis) – June finalist. See results above.
May’s winner in June
The consensus May Pitcher of the Month according to the Cardinals organization and The Cardinal Nation was Palm Beach right-hander Darlin Saladin. The June results for the 21-year-old, who was promoted to Peoria, are highlighted above.
What is next?
Next, The Cardinal Nation will announce our Player of the Month for June across the system. The Cardinals organization should also name their own selections in the upcoming days.
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
TCN’s Monthly Cardinals Top 50 Prospect Rankings – June 2024
Now available – 2024 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its seventh year. It includes 282 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of new scouting reports and much more.
Not yet a member?
Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.
Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com or for fastest turnaround, pose your questions on The Cardinal Nation’s members-only forum. Follow Brian on Twitter.
© 2024 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Cardinals Select Reliever Jacob Bosiokovic from Memphis
While adding a fresh arm to the bullpen, the St. Louis Cardinals optioned Gordon Graceffo to Memphis and designated Kolton Ingram for assignment.
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Cardinals Select RHP Gordon Graceffo from Triple-A Memphis
St. Louis Cardinals’ 2022 Minor League Pitcher of the Year Gordon Graceffo to make his MLB debut. Kyle Leahy was optioned out and Steven Matz was moved to the 60-day injured list.
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Cardinals Promote a Pair of 22-Year-Old Prospect Infielders
A pair of 22-year-old St. Louis Cardinals minor league prospect infielders with strong first halves in Class-A have been promoted upward just a few days into the second half.
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Cardinals Prepare System for 2024 Second Half Action
On Monday, June 24, the St. Louis Cardinals made a series of announcements that impacted all five US-based teams in the organization. Included is the return of the major league team’s top hitter and good news for the system’s third- and fourth-ranked prospects.
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Cardinals Place Ivan Herrera on Injured List
photo: Iván Herrera (Federales de Chiriquí)
St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera is out with lower back tightness, replaced by Nick Raposo with Keynan Middleton moved to 60-day injured list.
St. Louis Cardinals release
The St. Louis Cardinals have placed catcher Iván Herrera on the 10-day Injured List with lower back tightness, retroactive to June 19. Rookie catcher Nick Raposo (ra-POH-so) was selected from Memphis (AAA). Right-handed pitcher Keynan Middleton has been transferred from the 15-day to 60-day Injured List.
Raposo, 26, was signed by the Cardinals as a non-drafted free agent in June 2020 following a career at Wheaton (Mass.) College. The Providence, Rhode Island native began his career in Double-A Springfield in 2021 and played three seasons there before a promotion to Memphis in 2023 and has played in 47 games there in 2024. He was batting .187 with 5 HR, 22 RBI and six doubles when he was selected. Behind the plate, he retired seven of 43 attempted base stealers (16.3%).
When he first appears in a game, Raposo will become the seventh Cardinals player to make his Major League debut in 2024 and the first Cardinals player born in Rhode Island to appear in a Major League game since right-handed pitcher Phil Paine on September 19, 1958, against the San Francisco Giants at Sportsman’s Park. As of today, he will be the only active player on a 2024 Major League roster born in Rhode Island.
Herrera, 24, last played on Tuesday, June 18 at Miami and did not play on Thursday at the Rickwood Field game in Birmingham against the San Francisco Giants. He was batting .279 with 3 HR and 19 RBI at the time of injury.
Raposo will wear uniform number 70.
Brian Walton’s take
Due to his superior defensive skills, Pedro Pages had migrated into the regular catching duties with the offensive oriented Herrera more often serving as the designated hitter. Raposo is up because starting catcher Willson Contreras is in the early stages of his Triple-A rehab.
Injured during spring training, Middleton has never appeared in a regular season game for St. Louis. The free agent relief signing had season-ending right forearm surgery.
For more
To see all players in the system by level and position plus every transaction all year ‘round, check out the always free Roster Matrix here at The Cardinal Nation, refreshed today.
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