The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 prospect countdown for 2021 continues with a right-hander who lost his 40-man roster spot, but has yet to pitch at Double-A and just turned 22 years of age.
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The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 prospect countdown for 2021 continues with a shortstop who has increased his infield versatility and has been ready to step in whenever called upon. A steadier Triple-A assignment seems immediately ahead.
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The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 prospect countdown for 2021 continues with a 21-year old outfielder with raw power potential but with limited opportunity to date to mature.
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The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 prospect countdown for 2021 continues with a late-blooming Pac-12 pitcher who dominated in his professional debut as a reliever. What is next for Jack Ralston?
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2021 individual rankings – Brian Walton #39, Matt Thompson #42
Prior top 50 rankings –2019 NR, 2020 #30
Matt Thompson’s scouting report
Physical Description: Small frame, lacks muscle. Above-average athlete. Hard-nosed, gritty, grinder. Pick your favorite old-timey phrase and it’ll fit here. Toerner has touched four different affiliates since getting drafted and looked like he might have had an under the radar breakout in 2019. Plays above size and can be reckless at times.
Hit: Toerner was a four-year starter at Cal State Northridge and leadoff hitter in part due to his hit tool. He hits slightly crouched with legs spread wide. He puts the bat on the ball and has an advanced feel for the strike zone. Short quick swing and will take walks. Grade: 50
Justin Toerner (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
Power: Toerner found some power, improving on the one homer he hit in his draft year with eleven in 2019. He’s been elevating the ball more as he jumps levels and also got out of tough power environments in Peoria and Jupiter. It’s likely a combination of things and I can see him hitting six to eight homers a year at the big league level, but with a fair amount of double and triples due to speed and all fields approach. Grade: 40
Field: Toerner is borderline reckless in the outfield, and that aggressiveness is part of what makes him such a strong defender. It also caused his season to end prematurely after he was injured in August after making an acrobatic play in the outfield. He gets fantastic jumps and is capable of playing all three outfield positions. Plus defenders up the middle don’t grow on trees. Has all the makings of a nice fourth outfielder. Grade: 60
Arm: One of the stronger outfield arms in the system. Grade: 55
Run: Above-average runner. Speed influences all aspects of his game. Can swipe a bag but the defense shows up more in the field. Grade: 55
Overall: Toerner will be a very popular player when he gets to the big leagues and the fan base will absolutely love how he plays. Max effort all the time. I’m not concerned about the strikeout jump in Double-A, and think it comes back to earth when baseball restarts. He should be the everyday centerfielder in Memphis and could reach the big leagues in 2021.
Future Value: 40 Role: Platoon/Bench Bat Risk: Low
Brian Walton’s environmental impact report
2019 recap
After signing with the Cardinals in 2018, Toerner spent most of the summer with short-season Class-A State College, but also debuted in Class-A and High-A. He opened 2019 with Palm Beach, where he started on fire. His .394 batting average and .591 on-base percentage in April led all of Minor League Baseball.
In the ongoing game of adjustments, Florida State League pitchers began to work around him and mix in more off-speed stuff. Toerner hit just .224 over 26 games in May as he struck out 31 times.
By mid-June, he had shown more restraint at the plate, and received a promotion to Double-A Springfield following recognition as a Florida State League All-Star. His Texas League debut was much quieter. Over 49 games, he hit just .211 with seven home runs and 18 RBI, but walked at a solid 14.1% rate.
In terms of monthly progress at Springfield, Toerner’s results were flat. Or more positively, he was consistent in the partial months of June and August and the full month of July in between. Of the slash stats, only his on-base percentages of .333 (June), .339 (July), .345 (August), .338 (overall) were noteworthy.
His Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+) was 103, or just above league average. But it easily could have been better. Toerner’s Batting Average on Balls in Play (BABIP) at Springfield was a full 100 points lower (.259) than with Palm Beach (.359). The latter was unlucky, with the prior result fortunate.
Known as a tough player packed into a 5-foot-10, 165-pound frame, Toerner was injured on a play in the field in mid-August to close his 2019 prematurely, but it did not seem to linger into 2020.
2020 recap – Assignments
January instructional camp – yes
St. Louis’ spring training camp – no
St. Louis Summer Camp – no
Springfield alternate camp – no
St. Louis – no
Toerner was back in Jupiter in January for his second consecutive instructional camp. There, he was one of six outfielders, and among three who had prior Double-A experience, along with Scott Hurst and Lars Nootbaar.
None of these players were selected to be part of the 60-man active player pool for 2020, however. In fact, no outfielders below Triple-A were in camp other than Trejyn Fletcher, who played in short-season ball in 2019.
2021 outlook
In these rankings, Toerner fell 10 spots year to year, but in all fairness, seven of those who moved ahead are the members of the Cardinals’ 2020 draft class and another is the organization’s top international signee. Two of them are outfielders. No one can ever stand still.
The good news is that Toerner has a partial season of Double-A experience. The bad news is that his OPS was just .706 in a hitters league and he struck out at a career-worst rate of 27.6%.
Dylan Carlson and Justin Toerner (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
Other than Conner Capel perhaps, the competition from below for jobs with Triple-A Memphis should primarily consist of the aforementioned Hurst and Nootbaar. Toerner should have an advantage.
However, it remains unclear which of the eight 40-man roster outfielders will be with St. Louis. Several have minor league options remaining, including Austin Dean and Lane Thomas, but Justin Williams and Rangel Ravelo do not. In the latter cases, a trip through waivers would be required before they could return to the minors. Toerner’s immediate Memphis opportunity may depending on these others, but even if he isn’t a Redbird on Opening Day, he should get his chance during the season.
While Toerner has limited experience in left field and center, the vast majority of his playing time has been in right field, including in 2019. A chance to become the everyday center fielder with Memphis may depend on whether Lane Thomas and Conner Capel are also on the club.
Making the 40-man roster and reaching St. Louis during 2021 seems to carry much lower odds. Getting some exposure to the big league coaches as a non-roster invitee to spring training camp would be a nice start for Toerner. Remember, there are currently eight 40-man roster outfielders ahead of him as well as the more experienced Capel.
Future outlook
Because Toerner initially moved so quickly through the system, he has more time than most others to impress and better position himself for major league consideration. As Matt noted above, he has another year before any Rule 5 protection considerations come into play and two more seasons before potential minor league free agency.
A good showing at Memphis in 2021 could put Toerner in the picture to help St. Louis as a reserve in 2022. Not surprisingly, this is exactly a year behind the schedule I predicted in his 2020 prospect assessment.
MLB debut: 2022
Our 2021 Top 50 series continues
To see the entire list of top Cardinals prospects, grading scales and remaining article schedule, click here. This includes the Top 50 countdown and 12 in-depth, follow-up articles coming up at the rate of one article per day through the remainder of the year.
Also, please participate in the daily discussion about each prospect at The Cardinal Nation’s free message board.
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If you enjoyed this article, please consider joining The Cardinal Nation to receive the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system, including access to every article in our 2021 Top Cardinals Prospects series.
The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 prospect countdown for 2021 continues with a corner infielder who has picked up the outfield while refining his power-potential swing. But does Juan Yepez have enough time ahead to make the majors with St. Louis?
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The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 prospect countdown for 2021 continues with a former first-round shortstop who in 2019 had his best season since his rookie year, but still has a long way to go offensively and is running out of time to achieve it.
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The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 prospect countdown for 2021 continues with a right-handed control artist who dominated in the first half of 2019 at Palm Beach, but ran into late troubles at Springfield and did not have the opportunity to bounce back in 2020.
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The Cardinal Nation’s top 50 prospect countdown for 2021 continues with the St. Louis Cardinals’ 32nd-rounder who put on an impressive power display in his 2019 professional debut. But the Appalachian League is far from MLB.
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Physical Description: Average build that lacks physical projection. No issues with listed height of weight. He plays much smaller than his frame. Naked eye says he should have some pop but that’s not his game.
Hit: He does a lot of things well at the plate. Excellent plate coverage and a pest in the box that is difficult to strikeout due to his two-strike approach. Contact first approach, but to the point where it sacrifices driving the ball. He’s going to get challenged at the big league level though. Grade: 45
Power: He’s going to get challenged by pitchers because they can knock the bat out of his hands. There might be 40-grade raw pop here, but his in game power is nearly at the bottom of the scale. All the good he does at the plate will be completely undone at the big league level due to the lack of power. Grade: 30
Field: Mendoza might be the best defensive infielder in the system and one of the top defenders on the infield in all of the minor leagues. He lacks footspeed but his instincts and lateral quickness is very strong. He covers a lot of ground at third base, and spent some time at shortstop during instructs in January, and if he can play a strong defensive shortstop that is a huge plus for this profile. Grade: 70
Evan Mendoza (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
Arm: It’s a plus arm for Mendoza. Accurate and strong. Capable of making any throw. Different motions but was a pitcher briefly at NC State. Grade: 60
Run: Not fast, but is quick. Speed tool shows up more defensively for Mendoza. Grade: 45
Overall: It’s a strange profile, but if he can play shortstop at the big league level then that changes the profile for me. Right now he’s a fringe big leaguer due to the complete lack of power for a corner infielder. He’s an off the charts makeup guy and likely has a future in coaching or player development if he wants it, but if he can play a passable shortstop he can hold off on buying suits and polos for a bit longer.
As a third baseman, the former North Carolina State teammate of Andrew Knizner was coming off all-star berths earned in each of his first two professional seasons – at Short-Season Class-A State College in 2017 and High-A Palm Beach in 2018.
Mendoza had two long cracks at the hitter-friendly Texas League – 98 games in 2018 and 54 in 2019. This total of 152 games is more than one full season, yet the aggregate results were underwhelming – six home runs, 46 RBI and an OPS of .636. His Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+) with Springfield fell from 81 down to 70 in his second season. In other words, his 2019 output was 30 percent below the TL average.
While his 2019 began with those two months in Double-A, Mendoza’s season came to an abrupt, premature and painful end at just six games into his Triple-A debut. While chasing a foul ball at Memphis’ AutoZone Park on June 14, he slammed into a side wall, breaking his right arm. So he did not receive the chance for an extended trial in the Pacific Coast League. That should be rectified in 2021.
2020 recap – Assignments
January instructional camp – yes
St. Louis’ spring training camp – yes (non-roster invitee)
St. Louis Summer Camp – yes
Springfield alternate camp – yes
St. Louis – no
Mendoza was a repeater for instructional camp in Jupiter to open the New Year. The new news, broken by me, was that Mendoza was exclusively playing shortstop. This move came in the best Paul DeJong tradition, though it appears it was a broadening assignment, rather than a permanent shift. Mendoza did stay at short for all of instructional camp.
He reprised his role in the abbreviated original big league camp after having appeared in 15 games the prior March. Mendoza showed his versatility, playing at first, short and third. However, he was not added to the 40-man roster, so of course, did not reach St. Louis during the shortened 2020 regular season.
When a first baseman was needed, John Nogowski received the call from alternate camp instead. Max Schrock took the second base opportunities, though Mendoza doesn’t play that position. With Matt Carpenter, Tommy Edman and Brad Miller all on the active roster, no Springfield replacements at the hot corner were required. When Paul DeJong was out with COVID, Edman was the primary shortstop, backed up by Miller (at least on paper), as Edmundo Sosa was sick, as well.
2021 outlook
Here we are with the second of our back-to-back “Evans”, with Mendoza following our number 46, Kruczynski. This is also one of the greatest ranking differences between Matt and I in the new Top 50 – 19 spots – with my score more bullish.
The Cardinals have a well-established track record of squeezing the maximum value from players like Mendoza. With just a little more in the bat, his defensive strength would almost certainly carry him ahead to St. Louis. When injuries occur in 2021, I believe it will happen, though probably only as a fill-in.
Evan Mendoza (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
With Schrock and Miller gone, it seems Sosa is the next in line for reserve infielder duties. Mendoza is perhaps next in the chain, though Kramer Robertson should not be counted out, either.
Given third base is chock full of prospects and with Nogowski likely back at first for the 2021 Memphis club, my on-paper choice to start at short for the Redbirds would be Mendoza.
Getting on the 40-man roster probably won’t occur until the day he is actually needed in St. Louis. I do not expect Mendoza to be added to the 40-man roster prior to the December 2020 Rule 5 Draft, nor do I anticipate he will be taken.
Future outlook
I cannot take exception to Matt’s assessment of Mendoza’s future probably being that of an up-and-down player. He simply lacks the power to be a big-league starter at either infield corner.
But heck, Pete Kozma’s defense was good enough that he could forge a seven-year off-and-on MLB career with a similar profile. I am not suggesting Mendoza is as slick at short, but I do think he will be able to keep playing for some time if he so chooses. Versatile guys who are plus defenders seem to always have a home.
MLB debut: 2021
Our 2021 Top 50 series continues
To see the entire list of top Cardinals prospects, grading scales and remaining article schedule, click here. This includes the Top 50 countdown and 12 in-depth, follow-up articles coming up at the rate of one article per day through the remainder of the year.
Also, please participate in the daily discussion about each prospect at The Cardinal Nation’s free message board.
Not yet a member?
If you enjoyed this article, please consider joining The Cardinal Nation to receive the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system, including access to every article in our 2021 Top Cardinals Prospects series.
The Cardinal Nation’s top 50 prospect countdown for 2021 continues with a left-handed pitcher who made a major step forward in 2018, but hasn’t yet regained that momentum since.
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Next up in The Cardinal Nation’s top 50 prospect countdown for 2021 is a right-hander who in 2019 earned an in-season promotion into the Gulf Coast League before turning 18, and held his own against older hitters.
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The Cardinal Nation’s top 50 prospect countdown for 2021 continues with an outfielder who briefly reached Triple-A Memphis in 2019 but was passed over for the Springfield alternate camp. Even so, outfield opportunity remains if Conner Capel can realize his power potential of the plate.
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Day 2 of The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 prospect countdown continues with an older Cuban reliever who despite no Double-A or Triple-A experience could be poised to make a major leap forward in 2021.
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Note: You may notice that the layout of our prospect write-ups have changed substantially for 2021. The major addition is scouting reports which include tool-by-tool assessments of each player on the standard 20-80 scale, written by Matt Thompson of Prospects Live.
2021 individual rankings – Brian Walton #44, Matt Thompson #48.
Prior top 50 rankings – 2019 not ranked, 2020 #39
Matt Thompson’s scouting report
Physical Description: Good baseball frame. Reminds me of Tommy Edman physically. Smaller build with long legs, good athlete. Moves well. No long term issues with frame or sustainability.
Hit: Donovan has one of the more simplistic approaches you’ll find in the organization. Little to no wasted movement with a quiet swing. What I mean by that is he just barely lifts his front foot off the ground and is short and quick to the ball. He keeps the bat through the zone and rarely gets fooled. The approach is outstanding, and he had more walks than strikeouts during his career at South Alabama and was one of the best hitters in the Sun Belt Conference. All of that has translated into his first full season with a strong 13% walk rate. Grade: 50
Power: The left-handed hitting Donovan will use all fields but when he drives the ball it’s more commonly to the right centerfield gap. Will slap the ball the other way or just take what’s given to him but he’s not physical enough to drive pitches on the outer half over the left field wall consistently. There’s more power here, but it would come at the price of some of his contact ability. I’d like to see him develop a more exaggerated load but that is a drastic swing overhaul. A long stretch with no real competitive games though would be the time to incorporate something like that. Grade: 40
Field: This is the primary reason a bat like this was available in the seventh round. It’s a profile the Cardinals historically do quite well with, the “position less” prospect. If Donovan could play an average shortstop he’s a top ten guy in the system, but he lacks the foot speed, range and arm to play short. He played primarily third in college and that’s likely his best spot but his profile fits best at second base and that’s where the Cardinals had him last season. He’s an average defender and that will play up a tick in a heavy shifting organization. Grade: 40
Arm: He has quick hands and his quick transfer will make up for some of the lack of carry on the throwing arm. He has enough arm to play on the infield, but don’t expect much on the throws that take his momentum elsewhere. Grade: 40
Run: Below average runner, but not base clogging slow either. It’s another secondary tool that Donovan lacks. Grade: 45
Overall: Donovan’s hit tool and approach will get him to the big leagues but he lacks the secondary skills to be anything more than a fun bench bat. Needs a little more power, or speed or arm to be an everyday option, and his inability to play shortstop has a negative effect as well. There isn’t much demand for offensive minded 2B/3B utility types anymore, but Donovan has an intriguing hit tool and I want to see how it plays in the current MLB offensive climate.
Future Value: 40 Role: Bench bat Risk: Moderate
Brian Walton’s environmental impact report
2019 recap
After his 2018 professional debut was cut short due to a wrist injury, Donovan got off to a quick start with the Class A Peoria Chiefs. He was the Midwest League Player of the Month for July, hitting .390 and had the highest OPS (1.164) and extra-base hits (14) of anyone in the Cardinals system.
However, his August OPS was a whopping .474 points less, at just .690. In his defense, he kept his walk rate up and his strikeouts were under control other than a major spike in May. So, while that was his only month with a poor OBP, it was Donovan’s slugging that was really all over the map. In fact, in his other best two months combined, he did not have as many extra base hits as his 14 in July.
If you are wondering if fatigue was a factor, it is not an unreasonable suspicion given 2019 was his first year of playing into July and August. But that was not the case – at least the numbers don’t support it. His worst month was not August, but back in May, when his OPS was just .563.
So, when I observe that Donovan’s season was extremely inconsistent, you can see what I mean. Is he the guy who OPSed 1.164 one month or the guy who played an entire other full month with an OPS less than half of that? The likely reality is somewhere in the vast gulf between. Exactly where that will settle over time is to be determined.
Still it should be noted that for the season, his Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+) of 132.8 with the Chiefs was ninth-best in the system. Another positive indicator is that the Cardinals gave Donovan a nice late-season perk. He was promote to Triple-A Memphis as roster backfill for the season’s final series. It was a nice, albeit brief, reward for a good season.
2020 recap – Assignments
January instructional camp – yes
St. Louis spring training camp – no
St. Louis Summer Camp – no
Springfield alternate camp – no
St. Louis – no
2021 outlook
Last year at this time, I ranked Donovan #41 on my personal list, so his new placement five spots lower 12 months later is a reflection of newer arrivals slotting about him rather than any suggestion that he has taken a step backward during a season in which he did not play.
Brendan Donovan (Peoria Chiefs)
Having taken over 400 at-bats at Class A Peoria in 2019, Donovan may be slated to open the 2021 season as the regular second baseman for High-A Palm Beach. The combination of fewer affiliates and a growing number of more promising third base prospects in the system, most recently augmented by 2020 first-rounder Jordan Walker, would seem to close off the hot corner as a daily destination for Donovan.
However, with no Top 50 prospects in the system ahead of him at second base, Donovan should not be blocked when he demonstrates he is ready for further advancement. Immediately ahead are Irving Lopez and Nick Dunn with Chandler Redmond and Donivan Williams coming up behind.
Future outlook
As Matt noted, Donovan has been assigned a future value of 40 – a bench player in the majors, with moderate risk associated with the left-handed hitter achieving it. Think of a Max Schrock-kind of role here, but with a potentially lower batting average.
MLB debut: 2023
Our 2021 Top 50 series continues
To see the entire list of top Cardinals prospects, grading scales and remaining article schedule, click here. This includes the Top 50 countdown and 12 in-depth, follow-up articles coming up at the rate of one article per day through the remainder of the year.
Also, please participate in the daily discussion about each prospect at The Cardinal Nation’s free message board.
Not yet a member?
If you enjoyed this article, please consider joining The Cardinal Nation to receive the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system, including access to every article in our 2021 Top Cardinals Prospects series.
52 weeks a year, there is significant activity occurring in the St. Louis Cardinals world – impacting the major leagues, minor leagues, draft and literally every facet of the team’s operations.
Every Wednesday, Cardinals play-by-play broadcaster Dan McLaughlin and Brian Walton of The Cardinal Nation outline the key news items currently affecting the team – and then take the next step to explain what they mean for both the present and the future.
They go deeper, discussing rosters, salaries, contracts, job battles, awards, arbitration, free agency, schedules, MLB labor matters and rules, emerging prospects, rankings, minor league results – and so much more. These are the topics on their minds, and likely yours, too!
Now in their third year, new and prior episodes alike can be always found at ScoopsWithDannyMac.com. Selected portions of the full weekly talk are also featured on Dan’s “Scoops With Danny Mac” show on 101 ESPN Radio in St. Louis, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
For those who want even further detail on most of the important topics covered during their talks, supporting articles can be found right here at The Cardinal Nation. Then, for ongoing discussion with other Cardinals fans, head over to TCN’s free forum.
We are all busy with jobs, families, home schooling, community commitments and more. But if you can devote just 10-15 minutes each week listening to Wednesday with Walton at Scoops with Danny Mac, they will keep you updated on all the Cardinals news you need to follow.
Cardinals Nation lost two legends, Lou Brock and Bob Gibson, in 2020. FOX Sports Midwest pays tribute to the Hall of Famers in 30-minute specials premiering next week.
Remembering Gibby premieres Monday, Oct. 19, at 8 p.m. CT. Remembering Lou debuts Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m. CT. Dan McLaughlin, the television voice of Cardinals baseball, hosts both shows. The shows include interviews with their teammates and other Cardinals greats, including Ozzie Smith, Tim McCarver, Tony La Russa, Whitey Herzog, Bill DeWitt Jr., and Bill DeWitt III.
Remembering Gibby, which airs the night before Game 1 of the World Series, looks back at Gibson’s life and career. Gibson’s teammates, including close friend and battery mate McCarver, share stories about his impact on their world championship teams. Fans will also relive Gibson’s career highlights, including his 1968 MVP season, record-setting 17-strikeout game in the World Series and 1971 no-hitter, plus portions of old interviews with Gibson.
In Remembering Lou, Brock’s teammates talk about the trade that brought him to St. Louis. We hear interviews with Brock from throughout the years, reflecting on his 3,000 hits, stolen base records and 1964 World Series Game 7 home run, as well as a powerful portion of his Hall of Fame induction speech. And Smith talks with FOX Sports Midwest’s Jim Hayes about Brock and Cardinals baseball.
Bob Gibson (AP photo)
Upcoming air dates for Remembering Gibby
Times Central; streaming on FOX Sports GO; available in the Cardinals television footprint
photo: Adam Wainwright (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
MLB Players Association news release
Players selected José Abreu, Shane Bieber and Freddie Freeman as finalists for Major League Baseball’s Player of the Year and Nelson Cruz, Jason Heyward and Adam Wainwright as nominees for Marvin Miller Man of the Year in voting for the 2020 Players Choice Awards.
The Players Choice Awards are held in high regard by players because the winners are selected in balloting among their peers. In addition to the Marvin Miller Man of the Year and Player of the Year award winners, who represent both leagues, players in the American and National Leagues choose their outstanding players, pitchers, rookies and comeback players.
All told, the 2020 Players Choice Award winners will designate charities to receive grants totaling $55,000 from the Major League Baseball Players Trust. Since 1992, the Players Trust has recognized the outstanding on-and off-field performances of Players Choice Awards recipients by contributing more than $5 million to charities around the world.
Marvin Miller
In balloting for the Marvin Miller Award, players are asked to vote for the player they “most respect based on his leadership on the field and in the community.” Curtis Granderson, who retired after the 2019 season, won the award four times. Other recent honorees include Anthony Rizzo (2017), Adam Jones (2015), Clayton Kershaw (2014) and Mariano Rivera (2013).
The award is dedicated to Marvin Miller, who served as the Major League Baseball Players Association’s first full-time executive director, from 1966 through 1982, and guided its emergence as one of the country’s strongest and most cohesive labor unions.
Below are all the finalists:
Outstanding Player Award
National League players: Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Juan Soto American League players: José Abreu, DJ LeMahieu and Mike Trout
Outstanding Pitcher Award
National League players: Trevor Bauer, Yu Darvish and Jacob deGrom American League players: Shane Bieber, Gerrit Cole and Lance Lynn
Outstanding Rookie Award
National League players: Alec Bohm, Jake Cronenworth and Devin Williams American League player: James Karinchak, Kyle Lewis and Luis Robert
Comeback Player Award
National League players: Daniel Bard, Adam Duvall and Wil Myers American League players: Carlos Carrasco, Salvador Perez and José Ramírez
The Marvin Miller Award winner receives a $10,000 grant, while the recipients of the nine other awards receive grants of $5,000.
Through their collective charity, players pool resources to support efforts that provide hope, sustainability and lasting change around the world. Players direct grants to the wide range of causes they support – from disaster relief to health and human services to promoting the growth of baseball in the United States and abroad.
Players Choice Awards voting among all players was conducted in mid-September. Winners will be announced Oct. 22.
For more information on the 2020 Players Choice Awards, be sure to visit the link here.
ABOUT THE MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYERS TRUST
Major Leaguers contribute their time, money and celebrity to call attention to important causes. Each year the Players Trust distributes more than $1 million in annual grants and programs. For additional information, please visit www.PlayersTrust.org. Follow the Trust on Twitter (@MLBPlayersTrust) and Instagram (@mlbplayerstrust).
October 22 update
Adam Wainwright of the #stlcards was a finalist for the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award, which went to Nelson Cruz. https://t.co/WOo3Likr6V
The St. Louis Cardinals organization, the St. Louis community and baseball fans everywhere are saddened this evening (Sunday, September 6) to learn of the passing of Hall of Famer Louis Clark “Lou” Brock at the age of 81. Brock, who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1985, is survived by his wife Jacqueline, daughter, Wanda, sons, Lou Jr. and Emory, stepchildren Marvin Hay and Jacqueline Means, grandchildren Darian, Alivia, Colston, Spencer and Iris, and preceded in death by his son, Daniel.
Our hearts are broken.
Lou Brock was an amazing player and outstanding person.
“Lou Brock was one of the most revered members of the St. Louis Cardinals organization and one of the very best to ever wear the Birds on the Bat,” said Cardinals’ Principal Owner & Chief Executive Officer William O. DeWitt Jr. “Lou was a Hall of Fame player, a great coach, an insightful broadcaster and a wonderful mentor to countless generations of Cardinals players, coaches and members of the front office. He was an ambassador of the game around the country and a fan favorite who connected with millions of baseball fans across multiple generations. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.”
Brock enjoyed 19 seasons in the majors, including parts of 16 years with the Cardinals from 1964-79. The Louisiana native, who was born on June 18, 1939 in El Dorado, Arkansas, was a fan-favorite who still holds the National League record with 938 career stolen bases.
Lou Brock (Scott Rovak/US Presswire)
The Cardinals’ acquisition of outfielder Lou Brock from the Chicago Cubs on June 15, 1964, ranks as perhaps the greatest trade in franchise history. St. Louis traded pitchers Ernie Broglio and Bobby Shantz and outfielder Doug Clemens in exchange for Brock and pitchers Jack Spring and Paul Toth.
Over the course of his career with the Cardinals, Brock established himself as the most prolific base stealer in baseball history to that time. His 938 stolen bases stood as the Major League record until Rickey Henderson bettered the mark in 1991. Brock’s total remains the National League standard, and he owns the Major League record with 12 seasons of 50 or more steals. Brock led the N.L. in thefts on eight occasions (1966-69, 1971-74). He set the single-season record with 118 in 1974, bettering Maury Wills’ mark of 104 during the 1962 campaign, and finished 2nd in N.L. MVP voting that season. In 1978, the N.L. announced that its annual stolen base leader would receive the Lou Brock Award, making Brock the first active player to have an award named after him.
Lou Brock
In addition to his base-stealing records, Brock was a career .293 batter with 3,023 hits. Eight times he batted at a .300 or better clip. In 1967, Brock slugged 21 home runs and had 76 RBI from the leadoff spot. He also had 52 stolen bases, making him the first player in baseball history with 20 homers and 50 steals. The following year, Brock topped the N.L. in doubles (46), triples (14) and stolen bases (62), becoming the first player in the Senior Circuit to do so since Honus Wagner of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1908. Brock joined the 3,000-hit club Aug. 13, 1979, with a fourth-inning single off Dennis Lamp of the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium. Brock’s 3,023 career hits rank 28th on baseball’s all-time list.
Upon his arrival in St. Louis, the left-handed hitting Brock paid immediate dividends, batting .348 for the balance of the 1964 season and propelling the Cardinals from eighth place in the N.L. to a World Championship win over the New York Yankees. The Cardinals won the World Series again in 1967 over the Boston Red Sox and were N.L. champions in 1968. Brock was at his best in postseason play. His .391 career batting average (34-for-87) ranks as the seventh-best in World Series history, while his 14 stolen bases are tied for the most all-time with Eddie Collins of the Philadelphia Athletics and Chicago White Sox. Brock holds the Fall Classic record for stolen bases in a single series (7 in both 1967 and 1968).
Lou Brock and his Brockabrella
On the Cardinals’ career lists, Brock ranks first in stolen bases (888 – Vince Coleman is second with 549); second in games played (2,289), at-bats (9,125), runs (1,427) and hits (2,713); third in doubles (434) and total bases (3,776); fourth in triples (121); sixth in walks (681); and 11th in RBI (814). His 21 career leadoff home runs are the second-most in club annals. Brock’s uniform no. 20 was retired by the Cardinals in 1979.
Brock remained active in baseball since retiring as a player following the 1979 season. He worked in the Cardinals’ broadcast booth from 1981 to 1984; was a base-running consultant for the Minnesota Twins in 1987, Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988 and Montreal Expos in 1993; and had served as a special instructor for the Cardinals (base running and outfield play) since 1995.
The six-time N.L. All-Star was a first-ballot National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee in 1985 and was an inaugural member of the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2014. He was voted the left fielder on the All-Busch Stadium II team in 2005. In 2015, Brock was voted by the fans as a member of Franchise Four, joining Bob Gibson, Rogers Hornsby and Stan Musial as one of the most impactful players who best represented the history of the Cardinals.
In 2016, the organization launched #STLisLou, a season-long campaign to honor and celebrate Lou Brock while helping raise money for children with diabetes in Lou’s name. Brock fought various medical conditions in recent years, including having his left leg amputated below the knee because of an infection relative to a diabetic condition in 2015 and a diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma in 2017, but returned valiantly each time. A fixture for many Opening Days in St. Louis, he recently visited Busch Stadium to cheer on the team and celebrate his 80th birthday in June 2019.
photo: Adam Wainwright via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
St. Louis Cardinals release
For the fifth time in his career, pitcher Adam Wainwright has been named the St. Louis Cardinals 2020 nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award. The Roberto Clemente Award is the annual recognition of a player from each MLB Club who best represents the game of Baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field. It is the most prominent individual player award bestowed by MLB.
“To be the Cardinals nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award is extremely humbling. Roberto Clemente was a great player on the field, but just as great of a man and humanitarian off the field,” said Wainwright. “He set the bar high for all of us, and I just can’t think of a better compliment than to be nominated for his namesake award.”
Wainwright, with brother Trey, founded Big League Impact (BLI) in 2013 to provide basic needs including food, clean water, medical care and shelter in an effort to restore dignity and hope to those in need across the globe. Wainwright’s first fundraising event was Waino’s World Fantasy Football Draft. Today, Wainwright works with over two dozen MLB players to bring their charitable aspirations to life through Fantasy Football Drafts, game nights, and Swing for Impact events. Through Wainwright’s leadership, by the end of 2020, $5.2 million will have been raised by 150 players to benefit 62 charities.
Additionally, Wainwright and BLI once again partnered with Garth Brooks’ foundation Teammates for Kids and MLB on the Home Plate Project, a league-wide initiative to support childhood hunger prevention and battle food insecurity. As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, the need for food assistance became greater and more immediate. Across MLB, teams embraced the initiative with fifty players participating, raising nearly $1 million and providing more than four million meals to those in need across the U.S. and Canada. Locally, the initiative raised $122,250 for Operation Food Search, Crisis Aid and the St. Louis Area Foodbank resulting in over 200,000 meals distributed across the St. Louis area.
“Adam Wainwright has shown his dedication to humanitarian efforts time and time again, especially during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Michael Hall, Vice President, Community Relations & Executive Director, Cardinals Care. “We admire his worldwide efforts to help people in need, and are proud to have him as a member of the Cardinals.”
The league-wide winner of the Roberto Clemente Award will be selected via a blue ribbon panel, including Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., representatives from MLB-affiliated networks (MLB Network, FOX Sports, ESPN and TBS) MLB.com, as well as Roberto’s children, Enrique, Luis and Roberto Clemente, Jr. Beginning today, fans can vote for the overall winner of the Roberto Clemente Award via mlb.com/clemente21. The site will feature bios of each of the nominees and will allow fans to vote until the end of the season on Sunday, September 27th. The winner of the fan vote will count as one vote among those cast by the blue ribbon panel.
The concept of honoring Major League players for their philanthropic work was created in 1971 as the “Commissioner’s Award.” The recognition was renamed to the “Roberto Clemente Award” in 1973 in honor of the Hall of Famer and 15-time All-Star who died in a plane crash on New Year’s Eve 1972 while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
Previous Cardinals to win the Roberto Clemente Award include Yadier Molina (2018), Carlos Beltran (2013), Albert Pujols (2008), Ozzie Smith (1995) and Lou Brock (1975). More information and award nominees for all 30 MLB teams can be found at mlb.com/clemente21.
2018 Roberto Clemente Award ceremony (St. Louis Cardinals)
The St. Louis Cardinals today (Tuesday, July 16) announced that every 2020 regular season game will be televised locally or nationally as well as broadcast on KMOX and the Cardinals Radio Network. Additionally, all 30 home games played in St. Louis will feature live Spanish radio broadcasts.
In its 27th season with the team, and tenth as the exclusive local TV home of the Cardinals, FOX Sports Midwest will carry 55 of the 60-game regular season schedule. FOX Sports Midwest will also televise the Cardinals-Royals exhibition game at Busch Stadium on July 22. Each FOX Sports Midwest telecast will also be streamed live on the FOX Sports GO app and at FOXSportsGO.com. FOX Sports Midwest will continue to produce the Cardinals Live pre- and postgame shows for every regular season telecast, including expanded pregame coverage on Opening Night.
Dan McLaughlin, Jim Edmonds, Ricky Horton and Brad Thompson will call home games from the broadcast booth at Busch Stadium, but will remain in St. Louis to call road games. Jim Hayes, Scott Warmann and Erica Weston will serve as reporters and hosts for Cardinals Live, while Al Hrabosky and Rick Ankiel serve as pre- and postgame analysts. Hall of Famer Tim McCarver has opted not to travel from Florida to broadcast Cardinals games this season. The network will also continue to air Cardinals Insider, the club-produced weekly television show, with new episodes beginning on Sunday, July 19.
Currently, five regular season games will be carried exclusively on FOX (aired locally on KTVI) and ESPN as part of Major League Baseball’s national television packages, including the Cardinals’ contest against the Chicago White Sox in the “MLB at Field of Dreams™ presented by GEICO”. The schedule is subject to change based on future national television selections.
In addition to televised game coverage, KMOX 1120 AM, the team’s flagship radio station, and most stations on the Cardinals Radio Network, will carry every regular season game. Broadcasters Mike Shannon (49th season) and John Rooney (15th season) will again share all the Cardinals calls on the radio at home. Ricky Horton will continue to join John Rooney to announce all Cardinals road games from St. Louis. Mike Claiborne returns to assist with broadcasts while Tom Ackerman, Chris Hrabe and Joe Pott will serve as pre- and postgame hosts on KMOX. This year marks KMOX’s tenth consecutive season as the flagship station and 63rd year overall. The Cardinals Radio Network consists of 145 radio stations in eight states and is the largest radio network in MLB.
The Cardinals, in cooperation with WIJR 880 AM La Tremenda, will produce 30 Spanish-language radio broadcasts for all St. Louis homes games during the 2020 season. Play-by-play announcer Polo Ascencio and color commentator Bengie Molina will return for their fifth season to provide Hispanic and Latino fans with a way to follow the Cardinals in their native language. All 30 broadcasts will air locally on WIJR 880 AM and be streamed via cardinals.com and the MLB app.
A complete broadcast schedule for the 60-game 2020 season follows.
The St. Louis Cardinals, in conjunction with Major League Baseball’s league-wide release, today (Thursday, July 9) announced their 2021 regular season schedule. The home opener is set for Thursday, April 8, against Milwaukee as part of a six-game home stand with the Brewers (April 8, 10-11) and Washington (April 12-14).
The Cardinals will open the 2021 season on the road with a three-game series at Cincinnati beginning on Thursday, April 1, followed by a three-game series at Miami (April 5-7).
Among the key home dates for 2021 are a pair of three-game weekend series visits by the Chicago Cubs on May 21-23 and to conclude the regular season on October 1-3. The Cubs will also visit St. Louis for a four-game series July 19-22. Additionally, the game against the Milwaukee Brewers in St. Louis on Saturday, April 10, will mark the 15th anniversary of the first game played at Busch Stadium III (also against the Brewers).
The 2021 season will feature 26 home series and 26 road series, including 13 weekend series at Busch Stadium: April 8, 10-11 vs. Milwaukee, April 23-25 vs. Cincinnati, May 7-9 vs. Colorado, May 21-23 vs. Chicago Cubs, June 3-6 vs. Cincinnati, June 24-27 vs. Pittsburgh, July 16-18 vs. San Francisco, July 30-August 1 vs. Minnesota, August 6-8 vs. Kansas City, August 20-22 vs. Pittsburgh, September 10-12 vs. Cincinnati, September 17-19 vs. San Diego, and October 1-3 vs. Chicago Cubs.
The Cardinals 20-game interleague schedule will feature a pair of three-game home-and-home series with in-state rival Kansas City on consecutive weekends (August 6-8 at Busch Stadium & August 13-15 at Kansas City), marking the first time the Cardinals have hosted a three-game weekend series against the Royals since 2015. The interleague schedule also features a pair of two-game home-and-home series against the Cleveland Indians (June 8-9 at Busch Stadium & July 27-28 at Cleveland) and the Detroit Tigers (June 22-23 at Detroit & August 24-25 at Busch Stadium). Additionally, the Redbirds will host a three-game interleague series versus the Minnesota Twins (July 30-August 1) and travel to Chicago for a three-game interleague series against the White Sox (May 24-26).
The Cardinals are scheduled to play 41 of their 81 home games before the July 12-14 All Star Break, playing 13 home games in April, 12 in May, 16 in June, 9 in July, 15 in August, and 16 in September/October. The club is scheduled to host holiday games on Mother’s Day (May 9 vs. Colorado) and Labor Day (September 6 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers).
The Cardinals longest home stand of the 2021 consists of nine games (July 30-August 8) with three games against each of the Twins, Atlanta Braves, and Royals. Their longest road trip consists of two 10-game trips from May 24-June 2 and before the All-Star Break from July 1-11. The team has two stretches that will see them play 17 consecutive games without a day off from April 23-May 9 and May 21-June 6.
The Cardinals will make future announcements regarding game times, ticket pricing and ticket availability for the 2021 season. The complete 2021 regular season schedule can be viewed at cardinals.com/schedule.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS 2021 HOME SCHEDULE
April 8, 10-11 vs. Milwaukee
April 12-14 vs. Washington
April 23-25 vs. Cincinnati
April 26-29 vs. Philadelphia
May 3-6 vs. New York Mets
May 7-9 vs. Colorado
May 18-19 vs. Pittsburgh
May 21-23 vs. Chicago Cubs
June 3-6 vs. Cincinnati
June 8-9 vs. Cleveland
June 14-16 vs. Miami
June 24-27 vs. Pittsburgh
June 28-30 vs. Arizona
July 16-18 vs. San Francisco
July 19-22 vs. Chicago Cubs
July 30-August 1 vs. Minnesota
August 3-5 vs. Atlanta
August 6-8 vs. Kansas City
August 17-19 vs. Milwaukee
August 20-22 vs. Pittsburgh
August 24-25 vs. Detroit
September 6-9 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
September 10-12 vs. Cincinnati
September 17-19 vs. San Diego
September 28-30 vs. Milwaukee
October 1-3 vs. Chicago Cubs
Full schedule – Grid view
Now Available! – TCN’s New 2020 Prospect Guide
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The St. Louis Cardinals, in conjunction with Major League Baseball’s league-wide release, announced their 60-Game 2020 season schedule. The regionally-based schedule will feature 40 divisional games amongst National League Central opponents and 20 Interleague games against American League Central teams.
The Cardinals will open up the season at Busch Stadium on Friday, July 24, with a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates and finish their 60-game slate at Busch Stadium on Sunday, September 27, versus the Milwaukee Brewers. The Redbirds will also take part in the only game to be played outside a current Major League city when they take on the host Chicago White Sox in the “MLB at Field of Dreams presented by GEICO” game at the site of the beloved 1989 baseball-themed movie in Dyersville, Iowa on Thursday, August 13.
The 2020 60-Game schedule will feature 10 home series and 10 road series, with home matchups against Pittsburgh (July 24-26, August 10-12), Detroit (August 5-6), Chicago Cubs (August 7-9), Cincinnati (August 20-23, September 11-13), Kansas City (August 24-26), Cleveland (August 28-30), Minnesota (September 8-9), and Milwaukee (September 24-27). The club will have multiple road series against Milwaukee (July 31-August 2, September 14-16) and the Chicago Cubs (August 17-19, September 4-7).
The Cardinals will make future announcements regarding broadcast schedules and any possible ticket availability for the 60-game schedule at a later date.
Prior to Monday’s announcement, Cardinals PBO John Mozeliak noted the schedule had been “quite fluid” in changes since the first draft had been distributed to teams last week. Earlier he had said that the Cardinals had no objections to the initial draft.
On the positive side, the Cardinals have a relatively easy schedule, considering the weakness of several AL Central teams last season. Kansas City (which play St. Louis six times) lost 103 games in 2019 and Detroit dropped an MLB-high 114.
Here is one analysis of the initial two weeks of the schedule. The clear message is that the Cardinals should have no schedule excuses for not making a fast start.
The Cardinals will have one of the easiest schedules thru August 6. Their opponents winning percentage, based from last year, is a combined .445. They only trail the Cubs (.445) and the Reds (.437).
— Luis Nolla/550 KTRS (@luisminolla17) July 7, 2020
In the aforementioned 12 games to open the season, only five will be held at Busch. Two of the road contests are versus the defending AL Central champions Minnesota.
Here is how I see the big picture. Given the Reds and Cubs are the other two favorites in the division, chances are that at least one of them plays well out of the gate. So if the Cardinals don’t, too, they could be in a hole when the schedule gets tougher.
A concern stated by some is that seven of the 10 head-to-head matchups with the Cubs will be in Chicago. However, the imbalance flips the other way against the Reds, with St. Louis only having to play three of 10 in Great American Ballpark. So it goes with a limited 60-game slate.
In reality, the old cliche that all games matter has never been so true as in 2020. Prior to the rash of COVID-19 cases and season opt-outs, Caesar’s odds, as reported by ESPN, had these three clubs – the Reds, Cardinals and Cubs – all at 31 1/2 wins for the season.
How could it be any tighter? Let’s Play Ball!
For more
As manager Mike Shildt and selected players meet with the media after daily Summer Camp practices, summaries of their comments are posted on The Cardinal Nation’s free message board. (A userid is not required to read forum comments.)
Brian Walton and Derek Shore weigh in on which St. Louis Cardinals 2020 draftees are top 50 prospect material in the system, where they should rank and why.
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photo: Jacob Buchberger (Andy Visockis/Davenport University)
On Monday, June 15, the St. Louis Cardinals continued their post-draft additions of minor league free agents into a second day.
The organization’s sixth overall signing is third baseman Jacob Buchberger of Davenport University in Michigan. Later in the day, he was followed by catcher Nick Raposo of Wheaton College in Massachusetts and the second Gonzaga free agent signed, pitcher Nick Trogrlic-Iverson.
You can read about the first five new Cardinals signed on Sunday here:
The Cardinals do not announce signing bonuses, but this year, all free agents across the game are limited to no more than $20,000 each.
Through Day 2 of the free agent signing period, St. Louis’ eight additions are the third-most of the 30 MLB organizations, trailing only Boston (10) and the Chicago Cubs (9). At the other end of the spectrum are the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels, Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays, with no new signings, per data compiled by Baseball America.
Updates
The Cardinals also announced on Monday their first official signing from among their seven 2020 draft picks.
Later on Monday, Burleson’s under-slot signing bonus was disclosed.
Per @jimcallisMLB, the #STLCards have agreed to terms with @ECUBaseball 1B/LHP Alec Burleson, their comp pick for Marcell Ozuna, for $700K (slot value $906,800).
Bonus details from the Post-Dispatch’s Derrick Goold:
Five of the Cardinals’ eight non-drafted free agents received the maximum $20,000 bonus. Of the first 77 non-drafted free agents signed across MLB, just four did not receive the maximum, and three were Cardinals.
St. Louis 2020 Free Agent Signings (3)
1B/3B Jacob Buchberger Davenport University, senior 6’2”, 215 pounds Bats: Right Throws: Right
Buchberger is a highly productive Division II player who got better every year in college. He was not a starter in his freshman year, and he collected just 16 at-bats in 35 games. However, he became a starter as a sophomore, and that is when he broke out at the plate. He slashed .359/.435/.650/1.085 that year with six home runs and a 1:1 K/BB ratio. The following year he raised his batting average to .429, hit eight home runs, improved his K/BB ratio to 13:22, and stole 22 bases while reaching base safely in nearly half of his plate appearances. In a shortened 2020 season, he somehow managed to get even better as he posted a slash line of .525/.589/1.016/1.605 while clubbing six home runs and stealing eight bases in 15 games.
He clearly has an advanced hit tool even though he only showed it against Division II opponents. Additionally, Buchberger’s power output increased every year, and he has a good amount of size which should allow him to have a good amount of over-the-fence power in pro ball. He also showed a strong ability to steal bases in college which means that he likely has a good combination of speed and baserunning ability. It will be interesting to see how he handles such a large jump in competition once he faces professional pitching, but he was clearly a dominant force at his level in college.
Additionally, Buchberger pitched 29 2/3 innings in his college career. Davenport University seemed more interested in putting him in the lineup consistently, but when he did pitch, he was effective, as he posted a career 2.12 ERA. It is unlikely that he will pitch in professional baseball, but his history of pitching presumably means that he has a strong arm in the infield.
Buchberger racked up numerous accolades in his time at Davenport. The corner infielder won numerous academic awards as well as Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference Player of the Year, First Team All-Conference and Third Team All-American. Additionally, in 2019 he tied the school record for batting average in a season at .429.
The right-handed hitter also played three years in summer ball, allowing himself to be tested against Division I competition. He performed well as a member of the Muskegon Clippers in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League in 2017, as he batted .310 with three home runs and 18 walks in 105 plate appearances. Buchberger joined the Kokomo Jackrabbits of the Prospect League in 2018 and continued to hit the ball well. He batted .296 with three home runs, six stolen bases and 14 walks (156 plate appearances). He struggled in the summer of 2019, however, as he represented the Green Bay Booyah of the Northwoods League. Buchberger batted just .235 and struck out 34 times. Despite his overall struggles, though, his power output was solid as he hit five home runs and 15 other extra base hits.
As a player with a strong hit tool, potential plus power, and good speed, Buchberger has a chance to become a solid player. Additionally, he has a strong track record of college success as well as some summer league success as well. He is the third small-school hitter that the Cardinals have signed as an undrafted free agent.
Click here for recent video of Buchberger discussing his draft status.
C Nick Raposo Wheaton College, senior 5’11”, 195 pounds Bats: Right Throws: Right
Raposo played all three-plus of his collegiate seasons with the Wheaton College Lyons of Massachusetts. The right-handed pull hitter compiled a career slash line of .366/.440/.505/.945 through 131 games.
In both his sophomore and junior seasons, Raposo was named a second-team Division III All-American. He also received All-New England honors from D3Baseball.com and all-league honors from the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference.
During his last three summers, the Rhode Island native competed in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, starting in 2017 with the Newport Gulls. The last two years, Raposo moved to the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks, and was selected as a 2019 NECBL All-Star. Last summer, he slashed .298/.408/.430/.838, including 10 doubles and two home runs. Raposo plated 26 and drew 24 walks against just 13 strikeouts in 121 at-bats over 33 games while helping his club reach the NECBL finals.
In addition to catching, Raposo can also play first base.
Nick Raposo (Wheaton College)
Blake Newberry’s scouting report
Raposo has an established track record of hitting, both at Division III Wheaton College and in various summer leagues. Additionally, he takes a decent number of walks, but one his real strengths is avoiding strikeouts. In fact, after his freshman year, he struck out just 18 times over 300 plate appearances. This should be something that helps him in pro ball. His walks should be enough to bump up his offensive production a bit, and by not striking out very much, he gives himself more chances to get hits. If some of his success at the plate can carry over into professional ball, then this could turn him into a real asset.
However, due somewhat to his limited size, it does not seem likely that Raposo will ever develop into a legitimate home run threat. He may be able to occasionally reach double digits over the course of an entire season, but it is unlikely that he will do more than that.
One of the assets of his relatively small stature is his mobility and athleticism behind the plate. This gives him the potential to be a solid defensive catcher, although he could use a little improvement as he allowed 29 passed balls in 131 collegiate games. He will need to learn better technique in the Cardinals organization so that he can better handle pitches in the dirt. However, because of his athleticism, there is a chance that he can correct his technique. He also improved his ability to throw out potential base stealers as he matured. His caught stealing rate rose from 25% as a freshman to 39% as a junior, and he was at 57% before the 2020 season was cancelled.
It seems that the Cardinals are expecting their player development team to improve his ability behind the plate, while hoping his bat can carry him through the lower levels of the minor leagues.
Raposo has described himself as being willing to compete and do the little things, and this mentality should help him improve, especially defensively. However, his bat does seem to be more advanced than his glove currently.
There is very little video on Raposo available on the internet, but from what is there, it is possible to analyze Raposo’s swing mechanics. The right-handed hitter has a balanced stance and a somewhat large leg kick that he uses as a timing mechanism. This leg kick has an exactly opposite motion as his hands. During his load, his hands go down a little bit when his leg is coming up. Then when his leg goes forward, his hands go back towards his shoulder. This stretching of his body allows him to create a good amount of torque for such a small hitter, which gives him adequate power despite his frame. This should allow Raposo to hit for a bit of power in the professional ranks.
P Nick Trogrlic-Iverson Gonzaga University, senior 6’1”, 175 pounds Bats: Right Throws: Right
The Ontario, Canada native pitched his first two collegiate seasons at Central Arizona Community College. Trogrlic-Iverson was a reliever as a freshman, pitching in 24 games, and moved to the rotation as a sophomore. Combined, he logged a 2.61 ERA, striking out 131 and walking 44 in 124 innings.
Trogrlic-Iverson was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 15th round (455th overall) of the 2018 draft, but instead, the right-hander moved to Gonzaga.
In his junior season in 2019, he was a swingman, making seven starts and 19 relief appearances for the Zags. He totaled 41 strikeouts and 22 walks in 67 2/3 innings with a 5.05 ERA. In the truncated spring of 2020, Trogrlic-Iverson showed improvement in his four starts, with a 3.80 ERA. He fanned 20 and issued just three free passes in 21 1/3 innings.
Even prior to the draft, Baseball America ranked Trogrlic-Iverson no. 25 among all draft-eligible college seniors.
Nick Trogrlic-Iverson (Gonzaga University)
Blake Newberry’s scouting report
Trogrlic-Iverson has been a teammate of Mac Lardner, another undrafted free agent signee of the Cardinals. However, unlike Lardner, Trogrlic-Iverson does not have a strong track record of collegiate success once he transferred to Gonzaga.
Despite this, the Cardinals must think that he has projectability left, and that with a few tweaks he can be a successful pitcher. He fits the mold of what the organization has been looking for in pitchers in recent years, as he may not have massive size, but he has athleticism on the mound.
Trogrlic-Iverson throws a low-90s fastball with good movement as well as a curveball, slider, and changeup. This is a solid mix and the right-hander is capable of using it to throw strikes consistently. What is missing with Trogrlic-Iverson is a bit of polish on his secondary pitches.
His slider occasionally looks like a plus pitch, but he is not always able to get sharp break on it. If he could refine this pitch, it could be a true plus offering. Even now, when he has a good feel for it, he is able to generate plenty of swings and misses.
His fastball has plenty of late arm-side run which adds deception to it and makes it a solid offering even though it tops out around 94 miles per hour. Additionally, he has a pretty decent change-up with late life that can catch some hitters off balance. His curveball is a work in progress and seems to lag behind his other three pitches. It gets some movement, but the break is not nearly as sharp as it is on his slider. This pitch will need some work, but he can at least throw it for strikes. This four-pitch mix gives him a chance to stick as a starter, especially if he can add a few ticks to his fastball and refine his slider. However, if he is struggling in the rotation then he could move to the bullpen with his two primary pitches a fastball and a slider with the occasional change-up.
In terms of mechanics, the right-hander does not have a high effort delivery which allows it to be consistent and repeatable. During his windup, he never looks away from plate which allows him to really find his spot and attack it.
One of the more noticeable parts of Trogrlic-Iverson’s delivery is his stride toward the plate. His glove arm reaches toward the third base line and then comes back across his body and towards the plate. It looks similar to Madison Bumgarner, though not as extreme. This may cause him to have problems have problems hitting his spots occasionally, although there are ways to control it. As long as this does not throw off his direction toward the plate, he should still be able to command his pitches, and he does a pretty good job of staying on line with the plate.
Another noticeable thing about Trogrlic-Iverson is that he stands on the first base side of the rubber, but then strides towards the middle of the mound. This may cause him to fight his own body a little bit. If he could place his stride directly in front of his back foot, then he would allow his body to open up more which would prevent him from throwing across his body. This may add a little more velocity to his fastball as well as enable him to spin his pitches better. This would only require a slight adjustment as his front foot is not too far off line from his back foot.
However, he seems like the classic Cardinals ‘undersized’, athletic pitcher with more pitchabiity than pure stuff.
Your authors
TCN analyst Blake Newberry wrote the player capsules and Brian Walton filled in the rest.
For more
To track the status of the Cardinals’ 40-man roster as well as all players in the system by position and level, check out the Roster Matrix, always free and updated here at The Cardinal Nation. Also included is every player transaction across the full organization all year long.
232 pages, 97,000 words, over 60 player capsules, history and much more – in both PDF and spiral-bound book versions. Foreword by Dan McLaughlin. Order your copy today!
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Following the five-round 2020 First-Year Player Draft, in which the St. Louis Cardinals selected seven players, the team added five free agents on Sunday.
The newest Cardinals are left-handed pitchers Mac Lardner of Gonzaga University and high schooler Omar Sanchez of Puerto Rico plus outfielder Matt Chamberlain from the University of New Haven. Others are outfielder Matt Koperniak from Trinity College and pitcher Gianluca Dalatri from the University of North Carolina.
In other words, the Cardinals have essentially added the same number of players as if they had drafted 10 rounds. However, the money was certainly much less.
The organization does not announce signing bonuses, but this year, all free agents are limited to no more than $20,000 each. That compares to sixth- to 10th-round draft slot values that would have totaled just under $1 million. So the team spent at least 90 percent less acquiring the five as free agents rather than drafting them.
The following is a bit of positive news, though the Cardinals’ position on the matter is not yet known.
One useful tidbit for potential UDFAs. Teams are allowed to pay new signees the MiLB per diem they are paying other MiLB players this summer. So worth confirming you will get the $400 per week through the rest of the MiLB season (not all teams have committed to doing so til Sept)
From the moment Matt Chamberlain arrived in New Haven, Connecticut, he was an impact player. The Division II star posted a .293/.441/.395/.836 slash line as a freshman while taking 30 walks (and nine HBPs) while striking out just 20 times in 206 plate appearances. Chamberlain proceeded to improve his on-base percentage every year, from .441 as a freshman to .473 as a sophomore, to .494 as a junior, and to .512 as a senior He led his team in walks every season while raising his slugging percentage to .606 as a junior and .519 as a senior. Additionally, he improved dramatically on the base paths as he stole just six bases as a freshman before raising his tally to 14 as a sophomore and 22 as a junior.
Notable achievements by Chamberlain include setting the school record in walks (52) as well as hit by pitches (16) in the same year (2018). Additionally, he was named to multiple academic honor rolls as well as first team all-conference in 2019.
Chamberlain spent the summer of 2019 playing in the New England Collegiate Baseball League. This league brought him into contact with plenty of Division I competition, giving him a chance to validate his impressive statistics in Division 2. He did just that as he batted .298 with 39 walks and four home runs in 207 plate appearances for Martha’s Vineyard Sharks. Because of his strong performance, he was named an all-star. He had also spent the summer of 2018 with the Sharks, but they were playing in the Futures League that year. He did just as well in 2018 as he was also named an all-star due to his .307 batting average, 32 to 18 K/BB ratio, and three home runs. His ability to perform in these summer leagues demonstrated that all of his tools carried over, even against more advanced competition.
Chamberlain was clocked at 6.65 seconds in the 60-yard dash which gives him a good amount of speed and could make him a threat on the basepaths and in the field. Additionally, he can throw the ball up to 94 miles per hour on max effort throws from the outfield, which gives him plenty of arm strength to play all three outfield spots. However, he played center field in college and may be given a chance to start there, especially given his athleticism.
Matt Chamberlain (University of New Haven)
At the plate, Chamberlain recorded an exit velocity of nearly 92 miles per hour off a tee, which does not suggest too much power potential. When hitting, the outfielder has a small stride and very little movement. His swing is simple and while it may lack power, it allows him to make plenty of contact with the ball and hit to all fields. He hit just 11 home runs in his career, which means that he may never have a lot of over-the-fence power, but his ability to consistently make contact and have a good approach at the plate will be his strengths in professional ball. This is emphasized by the fact that he tallied more walks than strikeouts in every collegiate season. Even though these numbers were posted against Division II competition, they underscore what Chamberlain tries to do at the plate, which is make plenty of contact and draw plenty of walks.
It is Chamberlain’s approach at the plate as well as his ability to limit strikeouts that likely drew the Cardinals to him as the team selected two college hitters in the draft (Alec Burleson, LJ Jones IV) with advanced hit tools and strikeout rates below 15%. Additionally, it does not hurt that he hits from the left side.
LHP Mac Lardner Gonzaga University, senior 6’4”, 195 pounds Bats: Left Throws: Left
Similarly to Chamberlain, Lardner played a key role for his college team in his freshman year. The southpaw threw nearly 50 innings while splitting time between the rotation and the bullpen in 2017 and experienced some modest success as he posted a 3.99 ERA. He took a leap forward as a sophomore, however, when he moved into the rotation full time and compiled a 2.95 ERA in 100 2/3 innings. He was not a big strikeout threat as he fanned just 73 hitters, but he also walked just 28 and kept the opposition off the base paths.
The following year, Lardner seemed to take a step forward as both his strikeout and walk rates improved, but yet his ERA rose significantly to 5.06 as he was more hittable. He recovered well in four starts this spring, however, as he fanned 33 batters in 24 2/3 innings while posting a 2.55 ERA.
The Cardinals must believe that Lardner is more of the pitcher who posted a 2.95 ERA as a sophomore and a 2.55 ERA as a senior, than the pitcher with a 5.06 ERA as a junior. There are encouraging signs to support this, though, as the left-hander’s strikeout and walk rates improved each year since he entered the rotation.
Lardner spent the summer of 2019 in the Cape Cod League with the Bourne Braves, and he pitched very well against other top collegiate talent. The southpaw compiled a 2.25 ERA in six starts while posting a 31/3 K/BB ratio. He was dominant at times and allowed two or fewer earned runs in all but one of his starts. Due to his strong performance, he was named to the Cape Cod League All Star Game. Most organizations value strong results in the Cape because it showcases a player’s ability to perform against other top prospects. It also gives scouts a chance to see college players hit with wooden bats. Lardner certainly drew eyes in the Cape, including the Cardinals’.
Mac Lardner (Gonzaga University)
The Cardinals are also likely betting on some projection with Lardner as his fastball sits between 87 and 91 miles per hour. His 6’4” frame has room to add more strength and this could cause his fastball to tick up into the low to mid 90s consistently. Additionally, he has the potential for three average or better pitches which bodes well for his prospects of staying in the rotation. His most advanced offspeed pitch is his changeup, but he has also shown good feel for a curveball.
On the mound, Lardner has smooth, easy and repeatable mechanics that are not too aggressive, allowing him to command the ball well. At this point, he has better pitchability than pure stuff, but that could change if he continues to mature physically.
With this signing, the Cardinals have added another left-hander into their pitching ranks after selecting southpaw Levi Prater in the third round of the 2020 Draft.
Sanchez recently turned 18 years old and fits the mold of an athletic pitcher that the Cardinals typically look for. Despite committing to Florida Southwestern State College, Sanchez has signed with the Cardinals instead and begin his professional career. The southpaw does not have elite velocity as his fastball typically sits near 91 miles per hour. However, he gets good arm side run on the pitch allowing it to be more effective than the velocity might suggest. Also, he has filled out his 5’10” frame with some strength already and it seems likely that the Cardinals player development can add a few ticks to his fastball by getting him to explode off the mound a little more.
His go-to offspeed pitch that appears to have a 12-6 curveball shape but can also get a little slurvy. He is inconsistent with the pitch and occasionally gets some sharp movement, but he can struggle to command it at times. However, the pitch does appear to be promising and may even be a plus offering at some point. Sanchez also throws a changeup that he seems to command well, but it does not seem to have too much movement which may make it very hittable. If he can learn to add some run or some drop to the pitch while maintaining his command, then he could have a solid three pitch mix.
Omar Sanchez (B-You Academy)
In terms of mechanics, Sanchez has a long stride that allows him to utilize his lower half. He also consistently sets up on the third base side of the mound. One of the more noticeable things in his delivery is his tendency to look at the ground while he lifts his leg. Because of this, he needs to find the plate quickly while he is striding towards it. This could be something that the Cardinals change as he matures and learns to throw more strikes.
Because Sanchez is not a major college prospect, and he also did not get drafted, he is going to be rawer than the other players the Cardinals have added this week. However, he does have the potential for a solid three pitch mix and the Cardinals are likely hoping that his athleticism will allow him to make adjustments as he begins his professional career.
OF Matt Koperniak Trinity College, senior 6’0”, 185 pounds Bats: Left Throws: Right
Koperniak is the second Cardinals signee of the day to have played his college ball in the small northern state of Connecticut. The Division III star at Trinity College had recently transferred to use his final semester of eligibility at Kansas State in 2021, but decided to sign with St. Louis’ instead.
Koperniak, 22, was a two-time all-conference first-teamer at Trinity. In 2019, he hit .394 with six home runs and 31 runs batted in. As a junior, he hit .388 with five home runs and 20 RBI. In three games this spring, he went 7-for-13 including a double and a home run with four RBI and three runs scored.
Matt Koperniak (Trinity College)
In 2019 as a designated hitter, Koperniak was third in the summer New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) with a .376 batting average and seventh with 37 RBI. He hit five home runs and collected 15 doubles. In 2018 there, the left-handed batter hit .318 with a home run and 24 RBI.
Blake Newberry’s scouting report
Koperniak has a solid combination of tools as he has the potential for plus speed, power, and defense, while he also has a chance for average power.
The outfielder showed a strong ability to make consistent contact with the ball as he struck out just 34 times in nearly 500 collegiate plate appearances. This ability to make consistent contact with the ball should help him adapt well to the increased competition in the professional ranks. He also showed that he could hit in the New England Collegiate Baseball League which featured plenty of Division One talent.
Additionally, he stole 48 bases and was only thrown out six times as he was not only fast on the bases, but also intelligent and good at getting jumps. This speed should give him the ability to stick in center field as well as be a plus defender as he has solid range.
Also, even though he hit just 13 home runs in his college career, he also added 30 doubles and 9 triples. This is impressive power production even if most of his extra base hits did not go over the fence. However, as can be seen in his video, he does have some raw power in his swing, it just needs to translate into the game. If he can do that, then he should be able to hit a modest amount of home runs.
In terms of swing mechanics, Koperniak has an open stance and uses a medium sized leg kick to close his stance. This is his timing mechanism and it does not seem to take away from his ability to make consistent contact with the ball. He also has a simple loading mechanism in which he is able to generate a large amount of torque by slightly pushing his back elbow towards the first base dugout. This creates a ‘pinch’ near his shoulder blade area that gets unleashed when he swings, allowing him to generate a tremendous amount of bat speed. The ball jumps of his bat for this reason and this provides some hope for more power in the future.
If he can build on these tools, then he has the chance to be a solid overall player, both at the plate and in the field.
Blessed with both considerable size and talent, 22-year old Luca Dalatri has to this point been unable to reach his potential after being bitten time and time again by the injury bug.
As a high schooler out of New Jersey in 2016, Dalatri was a final-round pick (40th) by the Rockies, but went to the University of North Carolina instead. As a freshman, he started 15 games, pitching 97 innings with an ERA of 3.34 and was named a Frosh All-American. He made just seven appearances as a sophomore due to a stress reaction in his elbow that kept him sidelined three months.
Gianluca Dalatri (University of North Carolina)
In 2019, Dalatri was named a pre-season All-American before a hip injury in early May ended his season. He posted a 2.25 ERA in six outings, with 35 strikeouts in 32 innings. Dalatri again was drafted, and again in the 40th round, this time by the Detroit Tigers, but again, he stayed in school.
Injury returned in February 2020 when Dalatri experienced a small fracture in his right elbow and surgery to insert a screw was required.
Overall, Dalatri has a 3.12 ERA in 28 collegiate games, all starts, along with 151 strikeouts and 34 walks in 156 innings.
His father Richard played professional football and coached in the NBA for 30 years, including as its first full-time strength and conditioning coach and his Mom played professional baseball in Italy.
In November 2019, Dalatri wrote an in-depth article called “Alone on the Mound” in which he detailed his injuries and the mental strain that accompanied them. It is a long read, but definitely worthwhile to get a better insight into his long struggles.
Blake Newberry’s scouting report
Despite his size, Dalatri is not overpowering. He does, however, have a very good feel for pitching and is able to throw strikes consistently. The right-hander sits around 90-91 miles per hour with his fastball, but he can reach 94. He also throws an advanced changeup and two good breaking balls (curveball and slider). He is willing and able to throw all of these pitches and this allows him to mix his pitches very well in order to keep the hitter guessing. For an undrafted signing, he has plenty of polish and if he can get healthy, he has the potential to be a fast riser in the Cardinals system.
Despite his limited velocity right now, he gets good movement on his fastball which helps him miss bats and generate weak contact. He is also very good at establishing the lower part of the strike zone and he likes to pitch there consistently in order to generate large amounts of ground balls.
Dalatri does a good job of distinguishing his curveball and his slider. His slider gets plenty of sharp horizontal movement when he throws it well, while his curveball has more of a 11-5 shape. This allows him to give the hitter different looks and make them worry about both vertical and horizontal movement. Dalatri is very good at changing speeds and changing planes on the hitter and this helps him get outs despite his lack of velocity.
There is a chance that Dalatri will have four above average pitches to pair with his excellent control and command. That gives him the potential to be a solid starter in the MLB, he simply needs to stay healthy and keep improving.
Additionally, there is likely some projection left with Dalatri as well. When he was dealing with his injuries, he talked about simply getting through the offseason and trying to limit his pain, as opposed to improving his game. When he gets healthy and is able to spend time improving himself, there is a good chance that he will be able to add velocity to his fastball and more movement to his offspeed pitches.
Your authors
TCN analyst Blake Newberry wrote the player capsules and Brian Walton filled in the rest.
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The second and final day of the 2020 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, with the St. Louis Cardinals selections’ being made by AGM/Scouting Director Randy Flores, consists of six selections in rounds 2-5 on Thursday, June 11.
St. Louis’ initial Day 2 selection is Texas high school shortstop-pitcher Masyn Winn.
Overall, encompassing these six picks and the first-rounder named on Wednesday, the Cardinals have been allocated $7,901,100, a total which they can exceed by up to five percent if they choose (this is a correction).
The Cardinals and the Giants have the most Thursday selections, with St. Louis’ two extra picks added via the Competitive Balance program and in compensation for the loss of free agent Marcell Ozuna.
Return to this article at The Cardinal Nation often on Thursday evening and beyond as information about all St. Louis’ draft picks will be posted shortly after they are made. Also, at the end of the evening, we will add comments by Flores, so please check back often.
All player capsules are written by The Cardinal Nation analyst Blake Newberry.
St. Louis’ selections – 2020 Draft Day 2
Second round, 54th overall
SS/RHP Masyn Winn Kingwood (TX) High School 5’11, 180 pounds Bats: Right Throws: Right
Another pick, another high school player as the Cardinals seem to be targeting high ceiling prep talent in the early rounds of this draft. Winn was announced as both a right-handed pitcher and a shortstop, meaning that the Cardinals may give him the ability to play both positions in the minor leagues. In the field, there are no questions that Winn should be able to stick as a shortstop due to his elite athleticism and strong throwing arm. Scouts also raved about his instincts as the position which add to his strong upside in the field. However, if there is a negative it is that he plays the game too fast and that can lead to mistakes. However, as he matures this may become less of an issue.
On the mound, he is electric despite his diminutive size for the position. He has a fastball that typically sits between 92-96 miles per hour and can reach 98 and 99. Like most power pitchers, his secondary offering is a slider that some scouts have rated as a plus pitch, even though it can get slurvy at times. This is as well as a less advanced changeup is a common problem for young pitchers, and these are issues that Winn will have to work through if he sticks on the mound. However, despite his inconsistent control, he certainly has the athleticism to make adjustments.
At the plate, Winn has shown good bat speed and has also hit a couple balls with higher than a 100 mph exit velocity at showcases. This gives him potential for a decent amount of power despite his lack of size. Additionally, Winn is capable of running a 6.5 second 60-yard time, which gives him the potential to be dangerous on the base paths. His swing is pretty simple with some late bat action that could lead to problems against more advanced pitching unless he is consistent with it. However, the ball jumps off his bat when he connects, and like many high school hitters, his biggest flaw at the plate seems to a propensity to chase balls out of the zone.
Overall, Winn is an exciting player with very good potential on the mound and in the field, and his main flaw seems to be that he plays the game too aggressively. This can lead to mistakes in the field and an overly aggressive approach at the plate. However, with a little more refinement, he could learn to slow the game down and become a very good prospect.
Winn has committed to the University of Arkansas, but it seems unlikely that the Cardinals will have much difficulty signing him.
The pool amount for this pick is $1,338,500.
Competitive Balance Round B, 63rd overall
RHP Markevian (Tink) Hence Watson Chapel High School (Pine Bluff, AR) 6’1”, 175 pounds Bats: Right Throws: Right
For the second pick in a row the Cardinals have selected a high school right-hander committed to the University of Arkansas. Hence is still very raw as he has yet to turn 18 years old, but he has a very live arm and a feel for three different offspeed pitches. Hence, who goes by “Tink,” has a fastball that typically sits between 91 and 93 miles per hour and can touch 95, which is solid for a prep pitcher who weighs just 175 pounds.
Tink Hence (Future Stars Series)
What is most impressive about the Arkansas commit is that he has a feel for both a curveball and a slider and they are both separate and distinct pitches. Most high school pitchers and even some college ones have a tendency to combine these two pitches into something that resembles a slurve, but Hence’s ability to throw both of these pitches has caused most scouts to give him plus potential for each breaking ball. He also throws a changeup that definitely lags behind his other three pitches but has a chance to be average. It is the potential for four average or better pitches, as well as room to fill out his frame that makes him an exciting prospect.
If he can add polish to his four-pitch mix and refine his mechanics a bit, he could become a dependable starter with the ability to throw a fastball in the upper 90’s. His advanced feel for his offspeed pitches gives him clear starter potential, but as a young high school player he will likely need more developmental time than some of the other options at this point in the draft.
The pool amount for this pick is $1,076,300.
Second round (supplemental), 70th overall
OF Alec Burleson East Carolina University 6’2, 212 pounds Bats: Left Throws: Left
With the pick that the Cardinals gained as compensation for losing Marcell Ozuna to the Braves in free agency they have selected another player with two-way potential, although Burleson was announced as an outfielder. Despite decent results on the mound, he does not really have any standout attributes and will likely play the outfield in pro ball unless something changes in his career.
At the plate Burleson has a more advanced hit tool than power tool even though his size gives him plus raw power. The left-handed hitter struggled at the plate during his freshman year, posting just a .607 OPS in 103 at-bats. However, he bounced back in a strong way as a sophomore, posting a .370/.399/.573/.972 slash line with nine home runs (0 as a freshman). One worrying part of his game is his lack of interest in taking walks as he walked just 14 times as a sophomore. His strikeout rate was just under 9%, however, so he is at least very good at making consistent contact. He got off to a hot start this year before the season was cancelled, batting .375 with three home runs in 64 at-bats.
Alec Burleson (East Carolina University)
Burleson has a pretty simple swing with a very small amount of movement. His stride is simply a timing mechanism as he lifts his front foot off the ground and then sets it down in almost the same spot when he is ready to swing. The lack of movement in his body during his setup and load helps him make lots of contact, but the Cardinals may try to tweak his swing in order to make it a little more violent so that he can add power.
In the field, Burleson profiles as a corner outfielder or first baseman as he has limited athleticism. His strong throwing arm from his pitching days should give him enough strength to stick in right field, but scouts say that he has a good feel for first base, so that could be another option for him.
He is clearly a good hitter, and even though his lack of power may be somewhat concerning due to his defensive profile, the Cardinals are likely hoping that he will develop some over-the-fence power as he matures. This is the first college player that the Cardinals have taken, and even though he is far from a complete player, he should be a pretty safe pick due to his hitting ability. If Burleson can develop power and take a few more walks, could be a very good all-around hitter, but his current hitting ability makes him a safer pick than the Cardinals’ first three selections.
The pool amount for this pick is $906,800.
Third round, 93rd overall
LHP Levi Prater
University of Oklahoma
6’0, 184 pounds
Bats: Both
Throws: Left
After the Cardinals’ first three selections came out of the high school ranks, their last two picks have been college players. Prater was certainly productive as he posted a 4.09 ERA in 33 appearances out of the bullpen as a freshman before tallying a 3.26 ERA in 80 2/3 innings out of the rotation as a sophomore. Additionally, despite his small frame, he showed strong strikeout numbers as he fanned 97 hitters. He was also off to a decent start in 2020 as well as he posted a 3.42 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings. Another notable thing about Prater is that he was left with just two fingers on his right hand after a lawnmower accident when he was two years old. However, he has been able to overcome this and turn himself into a solid all-around pitcher.
Many scouts do not think that Prater has very strong tools as a pitcher, as he does not have a true dominant pitch or elite size. However, he makes up for this with good deception, toughness, and competitiveness on the mound. His fastball sits at just 90-91 miles per hour but occasionally reaches 93-94. He has also shown a slider that he throws effectively to both lefties and righties, as well as a changeup that is pretty effective as well. Scouts believe that all three pitches will eventually become average, but without elite velocity, Prater will need to rely on command and deception if he wants to make it into the big-league rotation.
In terms of mechanics, Prater sets up on the first base side of the rubber and his body turns in slightly when he winds up. This allows him to hide the ball from the hitter for a split second longer. This is how he creates deception that allows his lack of elite swing-and-miss stuff to produce better results. Additionally, the southpaw has a long stride that allows him to release the ball closer to the plate, which could help his fastball seem a bit faster.
Due to Prater’s small frame and lack of high-end velocity, some scouts think he will eventually become a reliever, so that his velocity can tick up higher, maybe even into the mid-90s. However, with a solid three pitch mix and some deception in his delivery, Prater might be able to stay in the rotation as a back-end starter.
This is a pretty standard Cardinals draft pick – a productive college pitcher with pitchability in the middle or later rounds. The Cardinals have been very good at developing pitchers, and especially college pitchers, so they will be hoping to do the same with Prater.
However, Prater is not a slam dunk to sign. Note that this is the last of the Cardinals selections for which they could receive a 2021 compensation pick if the 2020 draftee does not come to terms – unless MLB changes its rules in the interim.
Bedell is the second consecutive college pitcher, and fourth pitcher taken by the Cardinals overall. His selection also sticks with the Cardinals trend of drafting young players, and especially players that are young for their class, as Bedell skipped his high school senior season to enroll early at Mizzou. Additionally, none of the pitchers St. Louis drafted have elite size, and Bedell fits that trend. He was rated as the No. 88 prospect on MLB Pipeline entering the draft.
Like Prater, Bedell lacks high-end velocity, as his fastball sat just 89-91 miles per hour this year out of the rotation. It ticked up to 95 miles per hour when he pitched out of the bullpen last year though, and he will probably end up throwing consistently in the low 90s. His changeup is his next best pitch with most scouts believing that it will eventually become an above-average offering. He also throws a curveball that can be occasionally slurvy, as he does not have great feel for the pitch yet. He is also working on a slider, and he will need to separate those two pitches in order to have a solid starting-caliber arsenal.
Bedell’s calling card is his command. He is somewhat limited in terms of pure stuff, but he is able to locate his pitches well and does a good job of limiting of his walks. Additionally, he is very athletic and very confident on the mound and those appear to be traits that the Cardinals were targeting with their pitchers this year.
Bedell also had decent production in college for Mizzou, although he did have a limited track record as a starter. He struggled in seven appearances as a freshman, but then he dominated as a long reliever in his sophomore year, when he posted a 1.56 ERA in 40 1/3 innings with a 3:1 K/BB ratio. Bedell moved into the rotation as a junior in 2020 and compiled a 3.70 ERA in four starts while maintaining a strong 35:4 K/BB ratio. Additionally, he posted a 0.59 ERA as a starter in the Cape Cod League last summer.
There is some risk that Bedell will not make the grade as a starter, but he had strong results as a reliever in college, so he should have a pretty high floor. He could benefit from adding a couple more ticks onto his fastball so that he can reach the low-to-mid 90s consistently, but if he can develop all of his secondary pitches, he could get by as a starter who is able to locate his four pitches well.
The Cardinals are probably hoping that the athletic pitcher can make adjustments and control his mechanics well enough to develop into a back-end starter, but he at least has the potential to be a solid reliever.
The pool amount for this pick is $469,000.
Fifth round, 152nd overall
OF L.J. Jones IV Long Beach State University 6’0”, 225 pounds Bats: Right Throws: Right
https://thecardinalnation.com/player/lj-jones-iv/
After opening the draft with three straight prep selections, the Cardinals closed with four consecutive college choices. L.J. Jones is the final pick of the Cardinals and is a bit of an unknown. In fact, he was not even listed among Baseball America’s top 500 draft prospects. However, this does not mean that he is not a promising prospect.
Jones arrived at Long Beach State and played a big role for the team in his freshman season. He slashed .312/.358/.408/.766 while striking out in just under 15% of his plate appearances in 2018. He was looking to build off this success in his sophomore year, but he made just one plate appearance before taking a pitch off his hand and missing the rest of the season. Jones returned in 2020 and slashed an improved .327/.377/.509/.886 but he only received 55 at-bats before the season was shut down. He had an unlucky college career that resulted in him taking a medical redshirt and dealing with the COVID-shortened season. However, the Cardinals clearly believe that he has the talent to play in professional baseball as a fifth-round pick.
Jones is very similar to the Alec Burleson, the Cardinals’ compensatory round draft pick because he is a corner player with a strong hit tool but not a lot of power. The Cardinals are likely banking on him developing power once he reaches pro ball, and with a sturdy 6’0”, 225-pound frame, he has the build to hit more balls out of the yard. It is concerning that he hit just three home runs in his college career, and also took just 11 walks. These are things that he will need to work on, but the Cardinals were clearly enamored with him ability to hit the ball consistently.
Jones has interesting hitting mechanics. He stands nearly upright before striding forward to get into a more athletic hitting position. He creates a good bat angle that looks geared towards fly balls, meaning that there could be more home run potential in his swing. The right-handed hitter also has very good bat control as he has shown a strong ability to hit outside pitches the other way instead of trying to pull them. However, he does have plenty of strength in his swing as he crushed an opposite field home run early in 2020.
Overall, Jones has very good ability to hit the ball and looks like he could have more power in his swing and his frame. On the defensive side, it is likely that the Cardinals will start his career in the corner outfield. However, with the Dirtbags he also played some first base and should be able to move there if he does not stick in the outfield.
The Cardinals were likely drawn to Jones because of his strong hitting, and that will likely be his carrying tool in the professional ranks.
The pool amount for this pick is $350,300.
Hear from freshman Leonard Jones, who had three hits tonight including the go-ahead RBI double in the 9th inning! #GoBeach @LJones_20 pic.twitter.com/BzSbpHhYWp
LJ!!! Jones drives a triple to right center to score Hughey & Malm and the Dirtbags take a 2-0 lead in the first inning! #GoBeachpic.twitter.com/W90kEhxIT5
The last time the #stlcards took high schoolers with their first three draft picks was in 2015 – Nick Plummer, Jake Woodford and Bryce Denton. Their next four selections were Harrison Bader, Jordan Hicks Paul DeJong and Ryan Helsley. In other words, these picks still matter.
“The hug was everything that we have been through all the time,” the 18-year old told the Houston Chronicle. “Through all those tournaments, losing a lot of vacations, and we really dedicated everything to baseball. This is what we did it for. Everything came true today.”
Winn is expected to sign.
Masyn Winn will go pro and plans to sign with Roc Nation @HoustonChronHS
Eduardo Perez also gave the #stlcards his top draft ranking, calling Jordan Walker a future impact MLB player. Also singled out Alec Burleson and Masyn Winn.
Scouting director Randy Flores and PBO John Mozeliak hosted a post-draft media conference call Thursday night, touching on all six newly-drafted players.
Mo on Winn’s two-way potential: “Because he is young, he gives you opportunities to allow him to be experimental. Clearly, ultimately players are going to be wanting to move as quickly as they can and they will probably find a comfort zone they will enjoy doing. Most people, like us, will probably gravitate to what we most like to do and are having success doing. So we are just going to have to strike that right balance with him. He is clearly a very special player and the more you watch him – and candidly, I can’t wait to see him in real life – he is going to be a fun player to watch.”
Flo on Hence: “When Tink is this young and has this kind of feel for his breaking ball, and you can see his body and physicality growing over the fall, the leaps he had made even from the summer circuit into that fall showcase in Jupiter and some of the looks we were able to get on video this spring, there was belief that his best days were ahead… When you combine that kind of jump in performance with the kind of jump in stuff, we really do think there is a ton more in there, as well.”
Flo on Burleson: “Our goal and our anticipated plan is for him to focus on hitting. One of the things we are excited about is a player like that who commits to hitting has a chance to have even more in the bat than our belief that he is already showing. We do believe that he commands the strike zone well and it is certainly nice that he is left-handed. As someone who had spent time two ways, we like the bat better. That also carried him to Team USA. To get power there with some versatility and upside from a college player at that spot in the draft is something that we were excited about.”
Flo on Prater’s (and all draftees’) signability: “Signability is of utmost importance on all of these picks. When we made the selection, we were pretty confident and are confident we are moving toward an agreement.”
Flo on Bedell: “Our belief and our scouts’ belief and our analytics belief and our process belief is that there are better days ahead for Ian Bedell. At least better days compared to his first few starts his junior year. We would have assumed, anticipated and believed his season would have turned around. That is a make-believe season and that is what is so fun about this job. You are projecting. Projecting the unknown and making a bet. And we wanted to make a bet on Ian Bedell.”
Flo on Jones having been out since 2018: “We have time on our hands. There isn’t baseball going right now so there is continued time for continued recovery. Our scouts who saw him, both live and on video really liked the passes he took at the baseball. There is a chance at power there. And with his age being what it is (he turns 21 later this month), with time on his side, I think we are in a good spot to make that bet in that fifth round and see how his continued progression on that time off the field continues to improve our belief in the power potential in that bat.”
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As noted above, TCN analyst Blake Newberry is writing the player capsules and Brian Walton is filling in the rest.
232 pages, 97,000 words, over 60 player capsules, history and much more – in both PDF and spiral-bound book versions. Foreword by Dan McLaughlin. Order your copy today!
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TCN 2021 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect #37 – Kramer Robertson
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Now in their third year, new and prior episodes alike can be always found at ScoopsWithDannyMac.com. Selected portions of the full weekly talk are also featured on Dan’s “Scoops With Danny Mac” show on 101 ESPN Radio in St. Louis, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Remembering Gibby premieres Monday, Oct. 19, at 8 p.m. CT. Remembering Lou debuts Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m. CT. Dan McLaughlin, the television voice of Cardinals baseball, hosts both shows. The shows include interviews with their teammates and other Cardinals greats, including Ozzie Smith, Tim McCarver, Tony La Russa, Whitey Herzog, Bill DeWitt Jr., and Bill DeWitt III.
Through their collective charity, players pool resources to support efforts that provide hope, sustainability and lasting change around the world. Players direct grants to the wide range of causes they support – from disaster relief to health and human services to promoting the growth of baseball in the United States and abroad.
The league-wide winner of the Roberto Clemente Award will be selected via a blue ribbon panel, including Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., representatives from MLB-affiliated networks (MLB Network, FOX Sports, ESPN and TBS) MLB.com, as well as Roberto’s children, Enrique, Luis and Roberto Clemente, Jr. Beginning today, fans can vote for the overall winner of the Roberto Clemente Award via mlb.com/clemente21. The site will feature bios of each of the nominees and will allow fans to vote until the end of the season on Sunday, September 27th. The winner of the fan vote will count as one vote among those cast by the blue ribbon panel.
In addition to televised game coverage, KMOX 1120 AM, the team’s flagship radio station, and most stations on the Cardinals Radio Network, will carry every regular season game. Broadcasters Mike Shannon (49th season) and John Rooney (15th season) will again share all the Cardinals calls on the radio at home. Ricky Horton will continue to join John Rooney to announce all Cardinals road games from St. Louis. Mike Claiborne returns to assist with broadcasts while Tom Ackerman, Chris Hrabe and Joe Pott will serve as pre- and postgame hosts on KMOX. This year marks KMOX’s tenth consecutive season as the flagship station and 63rd year overall. The Cardinals Radio Network consists of 145 radio stations in eight states and is the largest radio network in MLB.
The Cardinals will open the 2021 season on the road with a three-game series at Cincinnati beginning on Thursday, April 1, followed by a three-game series at Miami (April 5-7).
Now Available! – TCN’s New 2020 Prospect Guide
The Cardinals will open up the season at Busch Stadium on Friday, July 24, with a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates and finish their 60-game slate at Busch Stadium on Sunday, September 27, versus the Milwaukee Brewers. The Redbirds will also take part in the only game to be played outside a current Major League city when they take on the host Chicago White Sox in the “MLB at Field of Dreams presented by GEICO” game at the site of the beloved 1989 baseball-themed movie in Dyersville, Iowa on Thursday, August 13.
