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TCN 2022 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect #5 – Masyn Winn

photo: Masyn Winn (Palm Beach Cardinals)

Opening the top five in The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 countdown for 2022 is a dynamic shortstop who can also pitch in the upper 90’s. What is next for 2020 second-rounder Masyn Winn?  FREE report!

Masyn Winn

Position: Shortstop/pitcher
Age: 19 years old
Bats/Throws: R/R
Height/Weight – 5’11/180
Acquired: Selected in the second round of the 2020 First-Year Player Draft, 54th overall
Primary team in 2021: Palm Beach Cardinals (Low-A)
Finished 2021: Peoria Chiefs (High-A)

Prior Top 50 rankings – 2021 #8

Click on the above photo to be taken to Winn’s player page at The Cardinal Nation, with additional biography and history information.

Link to Winn’s career stats

Jake Tweedie’s scouting report

(current grade/future grade)

HIT POWER FIELD ARM RUN FV
25/40 30/50 55/55 60/60 55/50 45+
AVG OBP SLG OPS HR SB CS K% BB%
.242 .324 .356 .680 5 32 5 22.8% 10.5%
ISO wRC+ GB/FB GB% LD% FB% Pull% Cent% Oppo%
.095(A+) 48(A+) 1.46(A+) 50%(A+) 15.7%(A+) 34.3%(A+) 36.7%(A+) 28.4%(A+) 34.9%(A+)

Winn was highly regarded as a two-way player in high school. His ability at the plate and with the glove was matched by his ability to deliver mid-90s fastballs. However, the Cardinals have predominantly used him as a shortstop in 2021, restricting him to just one mound inning last season.

This may illustrate their plan for him in the future, but there is the potential to use him as a two-way player again once his bat is more developed.

At the plate, Winn has raw power that has yet to be untapped. He did blast five home runs last season, but his main ability seems to be hitting into gaps and using his speed to push singles into doubles and pick up stolen bases along the way. Winn stands tall at the plate and has a nice smooth swing, however with his size and frame he will need to bulk up in order to pick up more home runs. Refinement is needed with his stance and swing overall.

As a pitcher, Winn possesses some solid offerings. His fastball works into the mid-90s often, but he also a pair of secondaries, curve and changeup, that could be plus with more work.

His ability to throw well into the 90s makes his arm a valuable tool in the field. He can throw from shortstop to first with power, aiding him as a fielder alongside his agility and speed.

Future Value: 45+
Role: Platoon player/average everyday player
Risk: Moderate

Video

Brian Walton’s environmental impact report

Background

During his Texas high school years, Winn starred as a two-way player, hitting .410 and posting a 1.33 ERA with a strikeout rate of 12.7 batters per nine innings while throwing 98 mph from the mound.

Pre-draft, Baseball America wrote, “Pound for pound, Winn could be the most purely talented player in the 2020 draft.”

After the Cardinals selected him, Winn settled for a signing bonus of $2,100,000 – substantially above the slot amount for the 54th overall pick of $1,338,500. The difference was made up by four earlier under slot signings – Jordan Walker, Alec Burleson, Levi Prater and A.J. Jones IV.

In the summer of 2020, Winn was one a select few who could work out under organization supervision while the regular season was canceled. He was one of just two of the seven players who had taken by the organization in the 2020 First-Year Player Draft to be included in the 60-man player pool, joining first-rounder Walker.

While some scouts felt Winn’s pre-draft pitching was ahead of most 18-year-olds, the Cardinals primarily focused him on playing shortstop and acclimating to hitting fulltime with a wood bat. In Springfield, Winn predominantly played shortstop, as he reportedly preferred, although he threw off the mound the last two weeks of the alternate camp.

As a hitter, he has high bat speed, surprising raw power for his size and plus speed that plays out of the box and on the bases. Winn is an exceptional athlete, with documented arm strength, soft hands and impressive natural instincts at shortstop.

Others have noticed. In their 2021 Top Tools rankings, Baseball America rated Winn as both the Best Athlete and having the Best Infield Arm in the Cardinals system.

2021 recap – professional

The proximity of the Palm Beach club to the Jupiter complex, coupled with its reclassification to Low Class A for 2021 was perfect for players like Winn and Walker. High-potential teens drafted out of high school would normally have opened their professional careers in the Gulf Coast League.

But the alternate camp work in Springfield in the summer of 2020, against mostly higher-level players, served as a good substitute for a rookie ball stint. Winn apparently put in enough work in Springfield and in minor league spring training camp to progress to a Class A assignment with Palm Beach to open 2021.

As the two were drafted consecutively as prep players and fellow left side of the infield defenders, Walker and Winn are often paired together in reports. So it was to start 2021 as both joined the Beach Birds as teens for their first official professional action.

Masyn Winn (center) and teammates (Palm Beach Cardinals)

At the plate, Winn began his season and career very slowly, then turned it on.

From Opening Day on May 4, through the first three weeks of the regular season, the 19-year-old scuffled to a line of .141/.291/.203/.494.

To suggest he figured out Low-A pitching from then on would be an understatement.

From May 25 until his July 26 promotion to High-A Peoria, Winn placed in the top 11 in the Low-A Southeast League in these key offensive categories – all four slash stats (.303/.395/.449/.845) along with 54 hits, 80 total bases, 32 RBI and 32 runs scored.

In the midst of that hot stretch, Winn was named the Southeast League Player of the Week for the period of June 7-13. His highlight was a seven-RBI game on June 13.

His only real offensive weakness in Low-A was an extreme split. Winn pummeled left-handed pitching to the tune of a 1.120 OPS, but registered a pedestrian ,696 mark against righties.

Joining the Peoria Chiefs at the end of July, Winn was reunited with Walker, who had earned the same promotion a month earlier.

Masyn Winn (Ryan Dowd/Palm Beach Cardinals)

At his new higher level, Winn scuffled, with a .504 OPS in August and a .534 mark in September. His strikeout rate increased from 21.1% at Palm Beach to 26.0% at Peoria as he struggled at times with the elevated pitch. More concerning was his walk rate plummeting from a very good 14.1% with the Beach Birds to just 3.9% with the Chiefs.

At Palm Beach, Winn committed 24 errors in 86 games at short, but improved during the season, with just six errors in 30 games in the field with Peoria.

Another positive is that Winn became more aggressive on the bases in High-A while maintaining his high level of efficiency. He matched his Low-A total of 16 stolen bases in roughly half the number of games at the higher level. His success rate for the season was a very strong 86.5% and his season total of 32 swiped bags was 33% higher than any other player in the Cardinals system.

Stepping back, we must remember that Winn’s 2021 finish represented just the first 36 games at High-A by a 19-year-old.

2022 outlook

One scout cited a Shawon Dunston comp for Winn. Before taking exception to that, remember that the former Cub (and Cardinal for part of the 1999 season) played 18 years in the majors and was a two-time All-Star.

“He is still raw defensively,” the evaluator said. “And he has some holes in his swing, but his arm strength is a plus. Having said that, he won’t be a starting pitcher based on his size.”

For 2022, Baseball America upped their praise of Winn compared to his peers, rating him as both the Best Athlete and having the Best Infield Arm in the Cardinals system for the second consecutive year. BA also added Fastest Baserunner for 2022, as Winn displaced 2021 choice Lane Thomas, who was traded away.

Masyn Winn (Ryan Dowd/Palm Beach Cardinals)

Having said that, Winn remains in a second tier of top Cardinals prospects below the consensus national top 100 trio of Walker, Nolan Gorman and Matthew Liberatore.

While one can assert that Walker played well enough at High-A that he may be ready for Double-A out of the gate in 2022, I cannot project the same for Winn. Cardinals officials often talk about the need for a youngster to “play up to the level of his league and then go beyond.”

Winn accomplished that in Palm Beach, with a 112 wRC+, but his Peoria wRC+ results of 48 were nowhere near league average (100). Even so, it should not be considered a negative in any way if Winn returns to the Chiefs in April 2022. He received just 154 plate appearances to close the 2021 season, with plenty of time during the summer of 2022 ahead to earn that Double-A promotion.

Future outlook

These scenarios continue to assume that Winn will be allowed to advance to the next levels when his bat indicates he is ready. At some point as he moves up, his lack of competitive pitching as a professional could become a liability for him as a two-way player. After all, regardless of where he is assigned, he would have to hit and pitch against the same level of competition.

An alternative would be to slow his advancement down a bit and sprinkle in more regular mound work such that he would potentially fare better against Double-A hitters when he reaches that level, for example.

However, based on his usage in 2020 and 2021, Winn seems to be much more of a two-way player in name than in practice. Even if this continues in 2022 and beyond, and if later Winn doesn’t pan out offensively, he could drop back a few levels to build his arm back up and gain the mound experiences deferred earlier.

As a shortstop with more Palm Beach-like performances with the bat ahead, Winn could perhaps reach the big-leagues as soon as late 2023. More realistically, 2024 may be his season to first come up, which would still be prior to his Rule 5 eligibility that winter.

Could he use that extra bit of time to sharpen up his pitching and come out of the St. Louis bullpen semi-regularly, as well? That would seem to be Winn’s best case to deliver maximum value to the Cardinals.

Whether he is given the chance to pull it off and proves to be up to it remain open questions. Then again, a big-league career as a league-average shortstop only wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize. It would surely be better than limiting him in one or both roles by expecting more from him as a dual threat than he can deliver.

MLB debut: 2024
Rule 5 Eligible: 2024

Our 2022 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 breaking down the list..

50 Days, 50 Nights, 50 St. Louis Cardinals Prospects for 2022

For members of The Cardinal Nation

TCN 2022 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect #6 – Juan Yepez

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 2022 Top Cardinals Prospects series.

© 2022 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

TCN 2022 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect #10 – Lars Nootbaar

photo: Lars Nootbaar (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Opening the top 10 in The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 countdown for 2022 is a prospect who seized the fourth outfield spot with St. Louis in the second half of 2021. 2,000 words in our FREE report on Lars Nootbaar follows!

Lars Nootbaar

Position: Outfield
Age: 24 years old
Bats/Throws: L/R
Height/Weight – 6’3/210
Acquired: Selected in the eighth round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft, 243rd overall
Primary team in 2021: St. Louis Cardinals (MLB)
Finished 2021: Glendale Desert Dogs (Arizona Fall League)

Prior Top 50 rankings – unranked (2019, 2020, 2021)

Click on the above photo to be taken to Nootbaar’s player page at The Cardinal Nation, with additional biography and history information.

Link to Nootbaar’s  career stats

Jake Tweedie’s scouting report

(current grade/future grade)

HIT POWER FIELD ARM RUN FV
35/45 40/50 50/50 55/55 35/25 45+
AVG OBP SLG OPS HR SB CS K% BB%
.239 .317 .422 .739 5 2 1 22.6% 10.5%
ISO wRC+ GB/FB GB% LD% FB% Pull% Cent% Oppo%
.183 101 1.16 45.6% 15.2% 39.2% 43.4% 31.3% 25.3%

Nootbaar had a successful 2021 season. After averaging .308 in Triple-A, he got the call-up to the Majors for the first time. He performed well for the Cardinals, averaging .239 with five home runs. Although he may not have been the first name most expected to become the fourth outfielder, he looked positive and did well in many of his at-bats.

A confident hitter, Nootbaar stands tall at the plate with a big kick before he makes contact with the ball. Although this worked more in the Minor Leagues, he continued this in the Majors, and made some decent plays. He can be caught out with this action, but his 22.6% strikeout rate with St. Louis is pretty good considering.

When Nootbaar makes solid contact, the ball pops off the bat with conviction. However, too many ground shots from where the bat didn’t make solid contact caused him some problems.

Defensively he was impressive. Robbing Peter Alonso of a big home run was the highlight of his season in the field (see video below) but there were other instances in which he showed he can be more than just reliable in the outfield. Nootbaar has a good reach and jump to make plays from balls over his head and knows where the wall is when running back to make catches.

Future Value: 45+
Role: Platoon player/average everyday player
Risk: Low

Video

Brian Walton’s environmental impact report

Background

Just as he did in the 2018 draft, Nootbaar immediately follows our no. 11 prospect Brendan Donovan in this top prospect countdown. Back on draft day, St. Louis tabbed Nootbaar from the University of Southern California in the eighth round, their next pick after Donovan.

The two also have in common 40-man roster spots, though Nootbaar already seems established in the Majors (while South Alabama’s Donovan has yet to debut).

Assigned to short-season Class-A State College after signing, the left-handed Nootbaar took some time to adjust, batting .227 with a .309 on-base mark. Yet, he was productive, with 26 RBI in 56 games, including a memorable seven-RBI performance that included a grand slam in late August as the Spikes were fighting for a playoff spot.

Lars Nootbaar (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

After making Class-A Peoria to open 2019, Nootbaar quickly earned the confidence of manager Erick Almonte, and was elevated to the leadoff spot ahead of hot hitters Nolan Gorman and Brady Whalen. With a .344 on-base percentage that included 16 walks against 13 strikeouts, Nootbaar was promoted to High-A Palm Beach in mid-May.

His results were more pedestrian at both High-A (.673 OPS) and Double-A (.685 OPS), though a positive was his career-best .373 on-base mark through his 33 games with Springfield to close 2019. (That of course indicates his power was lacking.)

Still, let’s not lose sight of the fact that Nootbaar was just the second player from his draft class to reach Double-A after moving through both Class-A levels during that 2019 season.

Lars Nootbaar (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Across the three levels in 2019, Nootbaar slashed .264/.349/.364/.713. He drove in 38 and scored 39 runs in 387 plate appearances over 101 games, He drew 45 walks against 55 strikeouts.

As noted, power was the biggest gap in Nootbaar’s game, a very important requirement from a corner outfielder. Prior to 2021, his career slugging and on-base percentages were equal at .334. Further, the trend was not positive, as his Double-A SLG was only .312.

Known for his strong arm, Nootbaar can play all three outfield positions, but is best suited for right field. He should be considered an emergency option in center. In 2019, he tied for second among Cardinals minor league outfielders and tied for seventh in all of Minor League Baseball with 16 assists.

Nootbaar was not selected for St. Louis’ alternate camp in 2020 and sat out the season, with little suggestion of what would be just ahead.

2021 recap – professional

After drawing notice in his first big-league camp as a non-roster invitee, Nootbaar made the Memphis roster to open the 2021 regular season. However, he didn’t get through the first month before being placed on the Redbirds’ seven-day injured list with an injury to his right hand. That kept him out of action from May 28 until June 13.

Any hand injury is dicey for a hitter and this one was especially terrible timing-wise for Nootbaar as he had been the organization’s hottest hitter during May with a system-leading .333 average, .435 on-base mark and an OPS of 1.021.

Lars Nootbaar (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

It worked out ok in the end, as less than 10 days after his activation, he was with St. Louis. The Cardinals turned to Nootbaar after several other outfielders had been tried during Harrison Bader’s stint on the injured list. They included Justin Williams, Lane Thomas, Scott Hurst and injured Austin Dean.

At the time of his June 22 elevation to St. Louis, Nootbaar was added to both the 40-man and 26-man active rosters. He was the first from the Cardinals’ 2018 draft class to reach the majors and he remained with St. Louis for good starting on July 30 when Thomas was traded to the Washington Nationals for veteran starting pitcher Jon Lester.

Though he did not have enough plate appearances to qualify among the Triple-A East League leaders, Nootbaar would have ranked fourth in both batting average and on-base percentage at the time of his initial promotion.

With Memphis, Nootbaar had begun to tap into his power potential, falling just short of the highly desirable .300/.400/.500 slash line- at .308/.404/.496. He struck out just 25 times against 17 walks taken.

Whether it was the hand injury or adjusting to the majors for the first time or inconsistent playing time or some combination of the three, Nootbaar did not hit well initially with St. Louis.

In fits and spurts of action in June and July, Nootbaar opened his MLB career with a difficult 4-for-26 (.154) stretch at the plate. He was returned to Memphis twice in July, first when Bader came off the injured list. But when Thomas was dealt away at the trade deadline, Nootbaar was back with the Cardinals to stay.

Lars Nootbaar (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Over the final two months of the season, Nootbaar had one exceptional month (.979 OPS in August) before struggling again down the stretch. He finished his initial season in an 8-for-39 (.205) funk during September/October for a .638 OPS. He did not play in St. Louis’ Wild Card Game loss to the Dodgers.

Overall, Nootbaar’s rookie slash line with St. Louis was .239/.317/.422/.739 for an OPS+ of 105 and wRC+ of 101, just slightly above league average.

As a Cardinal, Nootbaar hit left-handed pitching better than right, with an OPS of .866 vs. .707. However, this may be a small sample anomaly, as his minor league results indicate he has traditionally hit righties much better than lefties.

Nootbaar demonstrated good plate discipline with a strikeout rate at 20% or less and a walk rate of 14% or better at Double-A and Triple-A. Following the season, Baseball America gave him their nod as the hitter with the Best Strike-Zone Discipline in the Cardinals system.

Nootbaar’s St. Louis marks slid slightly in each direction to 22.6% K rate and 10.5% BB rate, but for a first-year player, this is nothing to be concerned about.

Defensively, he remained strong in 2021, committing just two errors (both with St. Louis) and contributing five assists (including three in the bigs) from the corner outfield positions. This contributed to his solid 0.6 fWAR/0.7 bWAR delivered during his rookie season.

Between Memphis and St. Louis in 2021, Nootbaar received just 226 at-bats – about half a normal season. Part of that was due to the aforementioned hand injury but he also did not play every day with the Cardinals.

Lars Nootbaar (left) (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

This is almost certainly one reason he was sent to the Arizona Fall League prospect showcase after the Cardinals were eliminated from playoff contention.

In the AFL, Nootbaar was the regular right fielder and leadoff man for the Glendale Desert Dogs. He hit exceptionally well in his 70 at-bats over 18 games, finishing third in the league both with his .643 slugging and 1.080 OPS. Nootbaar was rewarded with a start in the nationally televised Fall Stars Game, was named to the All-AFL Team and received MVP notice from veteran scout Bernie Pleskoff.

2022 outlook

Barring any unexpected veteran free agent outfield signings ahead by the Cardinals, Nootbaar will be St. Louis’ fourth outfielder to open 2022 and presumably would be the first to step into the starting lineup if any of the three starters – Tyler O’Neill, Bader and Dylan Carlson – become unavailable. Nootbaar’s left-handed bat could also position him for some designated hitter duty – if his offense is above average.

Further, Nootbaar has become a fan favorite maybe initially due to his unique name, but also for his hustling play and positive approach.

Having said that, I am still unsure who Nootbaar is as a hitter. He has moved up so quickly and has never gotten into a long groove at any level – and that includes St. Louis.

His career OPS prior to 2021 was just .668 and he was not ranked in this Top 50 coming into the season. That changed after his exceptional May in Memphis, superb August with St. Louis and great October in the AFL, but in between, he was not exceptional.

There is perhaps no better indicator of Nootbaar’s rapid rise through the minor leagues and his relative inexperience than this. He has never played in as many as 60 games at any level of professional baseball. In fact, his 58 contests after reaching St. Louis in 2021 set his new career high.

Overall, moving ahead quickly is certainly a positive. Then again, most opponents may not have seen him in more than one series before he proceeded to the next level.

Also of some concern is that his BABIP at Springfield and Memphis was a career-high .348, raising the question of how much of his 2021 emergence was aided by good fortune. (On the other side of the coin, with St. Louis, his BABIP was low at .273.)

Future outlook

A professional scout familiar with Nootbaar made an admission following the 2021 season. “He might be a little better than we thought, but he is not an everyday player,” the evaluator said. “A platoon with (Juan) Yepez might be his best fit as the Cardinals need left-handed bats.”

At the other end of the spectrum, some (including one organization insider) have already drawn the conclusion that Nootbaar will one day be a National League All-Star. However, until he gets more major league at-bats, I am going to be from Missouri on him for a while longer.

Our Future Value for Lars is between a platoon player and an average everyday player. Either one would be an exceptional return from an eighth-rounder and warrants another tip of the cap to the organization’s scouting and player development functions.

MLB debut: 2021
Rule 5 Eligible: not applicable

Our 2022 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 planned daily into early 2022.

50 Days, 50 Nights, 50 St. Louis Cardinals Prospects for 2022

For members of The Cardinal Nation

TCN 2022 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect #11 – Brendan Donovan

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 2022 Top Cardinals Prospects series.

© 2022 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

TCN 2022 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect #15 – Malcom Nuñez

photo: Malcom Nuñez (Springfield Cardinals)

Holding down no. 15 in The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 prospect countdown for 2022 is a 20-year-old progressing toward St. Louis, but as with any third baseman, Malcom Nuñez has an uncertain future at the hot corner. FREE report!

Malcom Nuñez

Position: Third base
Age: 20 years old
Bats/Throws: R/R
Height/Weight – 5’11/205
Acquired: Signed as an international free agent on July 2, 2018 for a reported $300,000
Primary team in 2021: Springfield Cardinals (Double-A)
Finished 2021: Springfield Cardinals (Double-A)

Prior Top 50 rankings – 2021 #14, 2020 #13, 2019 #10

Click on the above photo to be taken to Nuñez’ player page at The Cardinal Nation, with additional biography and history information.

Link to Nuñez’ career stats

Jake Tweedie’s scouting report

(current grade/future grade)

HIT POWER FIELD ARM RUN FV
35/45 30/55 35/45 50/50 30/20 45
AVG OBP SLG OPS HR SB CS K% BB%
.268 .339 .404 .743 9 7 3 18.9% 8.5%
ISO wRC+ GB/FB GB% LD% FB% Pull% Cent% Oppo%
.114(AA) 91(AA) 1.62(AA) 49.4%(AA) 20.1%(AA) 30.5%(AA) 45.6%(AA) 22.8%(AA) 31.6%(AA)

Nuñez has worked hard to get to the position he reached in 2021. There were some flaws in his game, which resulted in an average of .183 in Low-A in 2019, as well as just one extra base hit in 21 games.

He adjusted his approach and was more focused at the plate in 2021, thus resulting in his promotion to Double-A. He performed well for Springfield, showing that he can handle the tough assignments given him by the Cardinals.

Nuñez’s main approach is power and he can hit balls with high exit velocities. Although this can sometimes lead to strikeouts due to his overreliance on power and aggression, he still managed to finish with an average of .257 in Double-A. Despite power being his main tool, he doesn’t hit enough home runs due to his inability to regularly hit the ball in the air.

His size and stature should increase in time, which could aid this, but a big part of his game is to go for power and aim for home runs, so it will need to be refined in 2022 for him to really maximize his potential.

For a 20-year-old, Nuñez is full of potential and talent. Although it will take time for him to adjust his approach and refine the way he approaches pitchers at the plate, he certainly has the potential to maximize his tools and log a successful 2022.

Future Value: 45
Role: Platoon player
Risk: Moderate

Video

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=944563149476040

Brian Walton’s environmental impact report

Background

Signed in July 2018, Nuñez excelled immediately, winning the Dominican Summer League Triple Crown that year. However, Nuñez took a significant step backward in 2019 after being challenged in his first full season as a professional and first shot at playing in the US. He started that year in extended spring training but stumbled in a big test when assigned to Class-A in mid-May.

The then-18-year-old hit just .183 in 21 games against Midwest League pitchers who were often two to four years older. Once the short-season leagues opened in June, Nuñez was backed down to face more age-appropriate competition in the Appalachian League with Johnson City.

In 37 games with JC, Nuñez slashed .254/.336/.385/.721. His wRC+ (Weighted Runs Created Plus) was 103, three percent above league average and ninth on his team. He helped the Cardinals win their fifth Appalachian League title of the decade in what became the team’s swan song.

As Nuñez only had about 2/3 of the plate appearances of other team leaders due to missing time because of injury, his counting stats did not stand out. He hit just two home runs and plated 14 in his 37 games with Johnson City. The trend was not positive, as his August numbers were substantially poorer than his July results.

To open 2020, Nuñez received his second invitation to the organization’s January instructional camp in Jupiter, Florida. He was back in July as one of the handful of non-MLB-ready prospects brought to the alternate camp in Springfield to get a valuable summer’s worth of work, an advantage not many prospects were given.

2021 recap – professional

By his Triple Crown DSL rookie debut, Nuñez set his initial expectation bar unreasonably high. As a result, he will likely never be able to duplicate his 238 wRC+ in 2018. That fell to a disappointing 80 wRC+ in 2019 (36 at Class-A and 103 in Rookie Advanced). The third baseman rebounded to a slightly above-average 103 wRC+ in 2021 – 120 in High-A and 91 at Double-A.

Malcom Nunez (Trevor Travis/Peoria Chiefs)

In 375 plate appearances across the two levels this past season, Nuñez slashed .268/.339/.404/.743. He improved between Peoria and Springfield in some areas including a lower strikeout rate and higher walk rate. On the flip side, his RBI rate fell as he moved up. At Double-A, Nuñez plated just 19 runs in 54 games. One would like to see more production from a budding power hitter.

One scout who saw him in 2021 said, “I liked Nuñez in the past, but he is nothing other than a first/third base platoon player at best.”

Here in our rankings, the Cuban native has slipped ever-so-slightly in each of the three years since his debut prior to the 2019 season. After touching the top 10 initially, Nuñez is now no. 15. That is still very good, but having been repeatedly challenged at higher levels, he has yet to recapture the significant career momentum he created in 2018.

2022 outlook

The pyramid narrows as 2020 top draft pick and fellow third base prospect Jordan Walker is coming up from the rear. Walker had an exceptional opening to his professional career, finishing 2021 with 55 games at High-A.

Walker may open 2022 at Springfield and if so, as a better prospect, he should have the priority between the two for playing time, if it comes to that. At some point, Nuñez may get more time at first base if the organization wants to give him a bigger MLB window through defensive diversification.

Malcom Nunez (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Then again, Walker’s future in the field does not include pushing Nolan Arenado out of a job, either. (Just ask Nolan Gorman about that.) So, the Cardinals could decide to start Walker’s move to other positions (first base and/or corner outfield) and keep Nuñez at the hot corner for now.

Regarding his initial 2022 team assignment, Nuñez appeared in 54 games with Springfield in 2021 and did not perform to league average, so most likely he will return to Double-A to open 2022. But with a good first half, he could reach Memphis in time to receive considerable at-bats. It wouldn’t be crazy to see Nuñez move up when either Gorman or Brendan Donovan reaches St. Louis.

Future outlook

While Nuñez seems to have a major league future ahead, how, when and where he achieves it is not clear at all.

The first important step is the one most under his control. He needs to achieve breakout success at Double-A (and even better at Triple-A) in 2022. Despite his relative youthfulness, Nuñez’ prospect clock is ticking. Specifically, a 40-man roster decision for him will be required this coming fall.

If the 40-man route is not chosen, there are several other possible paths ahead.

Risk of loss in the Rule 5 draft is an outcome the Cardinals would probably prefer to avoid, but the roster numbers can present a challenge, especially for a position at which the organization is will stocked.

Even with a good season ahead, Nuñez could be left unprotected in the 2022 Rule 5 Draft as were 2021 teammates and prospects Luken Baker and Delvin Perez the year prior. It may get down to the Cardinals assessing the odds of Nuñez sticking on another team’s big league roster for the entire 2023 season.

Like fellow third base prospect Elehuris Montero before him, Nuñez could be an appealing trade target to another organization if he does not carve out a reserve spot with St. Louis starting in 2023.

MLB debut: 2023
Rule 5 Eligible: 2022

Our 2022 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 planned daily into early 2022.

50 Days, 50 Nights, 50 St. Louis Cardinals Prospects for 2022

For members of The Cardinal Nation

TCN 2022 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect #16 – Luken Baker

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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 2022 Top Cardinals Prospects series.

© 2022 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

TCN 2022 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect #20 – Ryan Holgate

photo: Ryan Holgate (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Opening the Top 20 in The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 prospect countdown for 2022 is a major college-trained, left-handed hitting outfielder taken 70th overall in the 2021 draft.

Ryan Holgate

Position: Outfielder
Age: 21 years old
Bats/Throws: L/L
Height/Weight – 6’2/193
Acquired: Selected in the Competitive Round B of the 2021 First-Year Player Draft, 70th overall.
Primary team in 2021: Palm Beach Cardinals (Low-A)
Finished 2021: Palm Beach Cardinals (Low-A)

Prior Top 50 rankings – not applicable

Click on the above photo to be taken to Holgate’s player page at The Cardinal Nation, with additional biography and history information.

Link to Holgate’s career stats

Jake Tweedie’s scouting report

(current grade/future grade)

HIT POWER FIELD ARM RUN FV
30/45 35/55 45/45 45/45 45/40 40+
AVG OBP SLG OPS HR SB CS K% BB%
.193 .279 .289 .569 3 0 0 35.7% 10.1%
ISO wRC+ GB/FB GB% LD% FB% Pull% Cent% Oppo%
.096 60 1.33 41.8% 26.9% 31.3% 44.9% 26.1% 29.0%

Holgate is very different from most outfielders currently on this top prospect list. He is more of a hitter than a fielder and does so with plenty of pop from his bat. Although he did not initially showcase this after signing in 2021, his potential was evident in college as he hit 19 home runs and 101 RBI in his three seasons there.

Usually hitting for solid average (.314 in college), Holgate struggled in his first season in professional ball, with an average of just .193. There is certainly a high ceiling on his power potential, maybe more so than his contact potential, but Holgate should experience an improvement in his end product once he settles in for another full season of pro ball.

Holgate keeps his stance fairly low, with bent knees, but he generates a ton of power through his front foot lift and the way his arms swing the bat through the pitch. There may be some doubt in his approach due to his high strikeout rate last season (35.7%), but he was much more controlled at the plate in college, and his plate discipline should show more in 2022.

Defensively, Holgate is athletic and moves well in the outfield, but his arm is a little fringy for center field, so a corner outfield role may be more suited for him.

Future Value: 40+
Role: Reserve
Risk: High

Video

Brian Walton’s environmental impact report

Background

As a 21-year-old, Holgate had a highly productive 2021 spring for the University of Arizona after struggling to hit for average as a freshman. However, Holgate did show promise early, leading the Northwoods League with 13 home runs and walking 34 times in 222 at-bats in the summer of 2019.

Due to the shortened 2020 COVID season, Holgate played in just 15 games for the Wildcats but showed massive improvement. The progress continued in 2021 as he slashed .351/.421/.576/.997 with 11 home runs.

As a junior, Holgate had a high strikeout rate for a collegian, at nearly 19%. Even so, it did not hinder his ability to hit for average. Additionally, of his 86 hits, 32 went for extra bases.

Ryan Holgate (Mike Christy/Arizona Athletics)

In his final season at Arizona, Holgate played all 55 games in right field, but some scouts believe he profiles better as a left fielder in the professional ranks. When I asked him about his preferred position, he shared what he knows best, while also expressing his versatility.

“Right field is normally where I play – but I can play anywhere in the outfield and I can play first base,” he said.

A general lack of defensive standout tools and below-average foot speed will put more pressure on Holgate’s bat, which will need to be his carrying tool.

Hustle and 100% effort should never be a concern, however.

“I characterize my game as being as competitive as possible, be hard-nosed and do everything I can do win,” Holgate said.

2021 recap – professional

Considered a safer pick, Holgate was taken with the Cardinals’ next selection after high-risk, high-reward high school outfielder Joshua Baez 16 spots prior, at 54th overall. Cardinals director of scouting Randy Flores called Holgate “aggressive” with “zero fear” and lauds his ability to make contact.

With the pool amount for his pick at $906,800, Holgate settled with the Cardinals on July 20 for about $30,000 less, coming to terms at $875,000.

He immediately reported to the Cardinals complex in Jupiter and soon joined Low-A Palm Beach, making his professional debut on August 1. For the struggling Beach Birds club that had lost many of its top hitters to promotion, Holgate was most often placed into the number three spot in manager Jose Leon’s batting order.

As captured in the above video, Holgate blasted a solo home run and singled in his debut and scored twice. The left-handed hitter commented on the benefit in collecting his first important hit early on.

“It was big, especially after taking a little break after the season, and coming off the long season, it was good to come back and feel the barrel again,” he said.

Ryan Holgate (University of Arizona)

It wasn’t always smooth sailing from there, however. The five total bases in Holgate’s first game turned out to be the high-water mark in his 30-game initial season (tied on September 10).

Though the plate appearances were relatively small, Holgate especially struggled against left-handed pitching, with a slash line of .130/.231/.130/.361. Overall, he came in at .193/.279/.289/.568.

I spoke with Holgate early – about two weeks into his seven-week debut professional season – asking him to identify his 2021 focus.

“In this short time, I am pretty much trying to put the results aside and focus on taking the next steps with my game and do everything I can to improve my ability as a baseball player and do what I can to move up to the next level,” Holgate said.

2022 outlook

Speaking of that next level, Holgate did not earn the High-A promotion during his brief 2021 debut, but that is not a negative in any way. He received just 129 plate appearances to open his professional career, so if he returned to Palm Beach to start 2022, it would not be the end of the world.

Then again, it would not be out of the ordinary for the Cardinals to challenge Holgate out of the gates with a promotion to Peoria. Either way, I expect he will log the majority of his 2022 at-bats in the High-A Central League. It will be important to see if he can iron out some of the roughness from his debut.

Future outlook

Holgate stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 205 pounds. His size, left-handedness and general profile are similar to that of another collegiate outfielder, Alec Burleson, whom the Cardinals took one year earlier with the exact same 70th overall pick in the draft.

If he can manage his strikeouts, Holgate is another college-trained candidate to rise quickly through the Cardinals organization. But despite the inevitable comparisons, it is not reasonable to expect Holgate to reach Triple-A in his first full season as did Burleson – though late 2023 seems a reasonable stretch.

Holgate generates plenty of power, as evidenced by the monster home run he hit against Kumar Rocker in the College World Series. He can put his bat on most offerings but will need to cut down on his swing-and-miss against breaking pitches to become a big leaguer.

However, like other corner outfielders (including Burleson), the rate at which Holgate’s power emerges may be his biggest professional differentiator – whether starter or reserve at the big-league level.

Reaching St. Louis before his Rule 5 eligibility in December 2024 is a possibility, but mastering the three increasingly difficult levels between is the more pressing and immediate challenge.

MLB debut: 2024
Rule 5 Eligible: 2024

Our 2022 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 planned daily into early 2022.

50 Days, 50 Nights, 50 St. Louis Cardinals Prospects for 2022

For members of The Cardinal Nation

TCN 2022 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect #21 – Ian Bedell

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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 2022 Top Cardinals Prospects series.

© 2022 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

TCN 2022 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect #25 – Chandler Redmond

photo: Chandler Redmond (Peoria Chiefs)

At number 25 in The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 prospect countdown for 2022 is a versatile infielder who performed especially well following his August promotion to Double-A. FREE report!

Chandler Redmond

Position: Infielder
Age: 24 years old
Bats/Throws: L/R
Height/Weight – 6’1/231
Acquired: Selected in the 32nd round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft, 965th overall
Primary team in 2021: Peoria Chiefs (High-A)
Finished 2021: Springfield Cardinals (Double-A)

Prior Top 50 rankings – 2021 #44

Click on the above photo to be taken to Redmond’s player page at The Cardinal Nation, with additional biography and history information.

Link to Redmond’s career stats

Jake Tweedie’s scouting report

(current grade/future grade)

HIT POWER FIELD ARM RUN FV
35/45 35/45 50/50 60/60 40/35 40
AVG OBP SLG OPS HR SB CS K% BB%
.259 .354 .474 .827 18 3 2 34.8% 9.1%
ISO wRC+ GB/FB GB% LD% FB% Pull% Cent% Oppo%
.197(AA) 129(AA) 1.93(AA) 40.8%(AA) 38.0%(AA) 21.1%(AA) 41.1%(AA) 34.2%(AA) 24.7%(AA)

Redmond is a player that profiles to be a strong first baseman, but his athleticism and abilities allow him to be a better second/third baseman than perhaps at first. He is agile, reads the game well and positions himself in the right places. However, with his size and stature, first base will probably always be his go-to position regardless of his other abilities.

Defensively Redmond looks solid. He can make plays, is s decent thrower, and can be versatile when needed. The general infielder tag perhaps doesn’t give him the credit he deserves, but first base is certainly an area he needs to continue to work on.

At the plate Redmond is very hit and miss. His positives are that he can launch the ball, and does do regularly, but the negative is that his strike rate is far too high.

His body is solid and his head doesn’t have too much movement. He leaves a big chunk of the bat in the zone during his swing, which can make it difficult for him facing lefties, but generally he can create solid contact and target the opposite field a bit more than other hitters.

Redmond opens his body up, which could cause him issues against lefties, but it allows him to target all areas in the field rather than being restricted to a pull shot. Generally, he makes full use of this, but unfortunately there have been too many times he has been caught out by left-handed pitchers.

Because of this opening up he doesn’t allow himself much time to react to breaking balls, or adapt to their pitch path. This is something he needs to refine moving forward, because when he does time his swing, he can cause big problems for pitchers.

Redmond is an exciting prospect with plenty going for him. He is powerful, barrels the ball well, defends well and can even pick up a stolen base here and there. However, he will need to make first base his proper defensive home and work on his struggles when opening up to left handers.

Future Value: 40
Role: Reserve
Risk: Moderate

Video

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=355180119438855

Brian Walton’s environmental impact report

Background

The left-handed hitter was snagged by the Cardinals in the 32nd round of the 2019 draft from tiny Gardner-Webb College. Playing first, second and third base, Redmond was the offensive catalyst for the 2019 Appalachian League Cardinals. Then, he earned “Player of the Postseason” honors as Johnson City won the league title in the Rookie-Advanced level franchise’s swan song.

Across all first-year hitters in the system, Redmond was first in slugging (.552, 12 home runs, .265 ISO), OPS (.935) and wRC+ (151). He drew 25 walks (11.8 percent), but his 55 strikeouts in 212 plate appearances (28.8 percent) was not ideal. Redmond drove in 40 runs in 54 games.

Not surprisingly in his dominating debut, Redmond was our Johnson City Player of the Year and our system-wide Rookie Player of the Year. That winter, I tabbed Redmond as my deep sleeper pick for 2020 – the non-Top 50 prospect who most caught my eye as someone who could emerge the next season.

However, he was a tweener in 2020, not yet good enough or advanced enough to make the exclusive alternate camp in Springfield. As a result, Redmond sat out the season – hardly a negative reflection of him.

Still, his results and promise were high enough that he cracked our Top 50 one year ago at no. 44. A bit skeptical, nonetheless, I was anxious to see what Redmond could do against more age-appropriate pitching in 2021.

He did not disappoint.

2021 recap – professional

Redmond broke out in 2021, playing across two levels. He showed impressive power while playing six different positions in the field, including as an emergency pitcher. His 18 home runs tied for fifth in the entire organization and his .474 slugging percentage placed in the top 10.

Brendan Donovan and Chandler Redmond (Trevor Travis/Peoria Chiefs)

He opened the season at High-A Peoria, one of a group who leapt over Low-A despite having been unable to play in 2020. Redmond performed well from the start, picking up High-A Central League Player of the Week honors announced on May 30.

In 263 plate appearances with the Chiefs, the left-handed hitter slashed .234/.350/.459/.809. Redmond launched 13 home runs and plated 34. His wRC+ was 120, 20% above a league-average hitter.

One negative while with Peoria was his strikeout rate of 33.8%. Another was his mediocre results against left-handed pitching, indicated by his OPS of .619.

On August 10, Redmond moved up to Double-A Springfield, one of the many who benefitted from the openings created unexpectedly when a number of the Double-A Cardinals were sidelined by COVID.

To his credit, he showed he belonged – immediately. Unlike many others who need time to acclimate to a new, higher level of play, the infielder continued to produce offensively, with an .857 OPS in his first partial month with Springfield. Redmond’s overall slugging of .533 was third in the system as was his total of five home runs in August.

As the disappointing season for the Double-A Cardinals came to its close, Redmond kept hitting. He plated 14 runners in his 14 September games and logged a robust .864 OPS in the final month.

Again, the strikeouts continued to be a problem, with his overall rate at Springfield 37.6%.

2022 outlook

Redmond will likely return to Springfield to open 2022 but should reach Memphis at some point during the season. On one hand, his versatility benefits him. On the other, it is not as much of a differentiator as one might think. Many of those ahead of him (including Brendan Donovan, Kramer Robertson, Evan Mendoza and Anderson Tejada) can play multiple positions, too.

One scout who spoke about Redmond said, “He can definitely hit, but he is less athletic than Donovan. The big question is what to do with him defensively.”

Future outlook

That Redmond can play first, second, third, left and right fields is great, but can he perform at a major league level at any of them? And if first base is his eventual home, he may be able to carve out at-bats with Springfield now and Memphis later, but his outlook to secure a spot with St. Louis seems cloudy.

Will he be able to hit lefties enough to avoid becoming a platoon player or pinch-hitter? Then again, would that really be a disappointment coming from a 32nd rounder or another success story for Cardinals scouting and player development?

The pyramid narrows among infielders at the highest levels of the system, making the timing of his promotions ahead dependent as much on others as on his own success. Redmond needs to keep hitting and be ready to take advantage of opportunities created by others becoming unavailable – as he did in 2021.

Reaching the majors seems quite possible in 2023 or later, but it is unclear if it will be with St. Louis. Redmond will become Rule 5 eligible in the winter of 2022 and will need to emerge as Donovan did in 2021 to be protected.

MLB debut: 2023
Rule 5 Eligible: 2022

Our 2022 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 planned daily into early 2022.

50 Days, 50 Nights, 50 St. Louis Cardinals Prospects for 2022

For members of The Cardinal Nation

TCN 2022 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect #26 – Kramer Robertson

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 2022 Top Cardinals Prospects series.

© 2021 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

TCN 2022 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect #30 – Delvin Perez

photo: Delvin Perez (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)

At number 30 in The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 prospect countdown for 2022 is a former first-rounder who is running out of time to make his mark offensively. FREE report!

Delvin Perez

Position: Shortstop
Age: 23 years old
Bats/Throws: R/R
Height/Weight – 6’3/175
Acquired: Selected in the first round, 23rd overall, in the 2016 First-Year Player Draft
Primary team in 2021: Springfield Cardinals (Double-A)
Finished 2021: Springfield Cardinals (Double-A)

Prior Top 50 rankings – 2021 #42, 2020 #33, 2019 #35, 2018 #16, 2017 #3

Click on the above photo to be taken to Perez’ player page at The Cardinal Nation, with additional biography and history information.

Link to Perez’ career stats

Jake Tweedie’s scouting report

(current grade/future grade)

HIT POWER FIELD ARM RUN FV
25/40 20/35 45/50 60/60 60/60 40
AVG OBP SLG OPS HR SB CS K% BB%
.265 .322 .339 .661 4 24 8 23.2% 6.6%
ISO wRC+ GB/FB GB% LD% FB% Pull% Cent% Oppo%
.075 80 1.35 44% 23.4% 32.6% 41.9% 24.9% 33.2%

It had been all quiet on the Perez front until the 2021 season unfolded. Previously struggling to be consistent, the shortstop created a renewed level of energy around him this past summer.

The return of home runs (4) and stolen bases (24) added a bit more to his game than what he already had demonstrated.

Struggling at times at the plate with his short swing, Perez is prone to striking out far too often (321 times in 1528 career plate appearances), however the development of his base hits and finding the gaps with higher velocity hits has enabled him to step up his game. There is little chance of Perez becoming a power hitter, but a cleaner swing and action may allow him to make more genuine hits into the outfield. He again needs to focus on being consistent throughout. In the first half of 2021, he had the makings of a first round pick, but he started to show signs of fatigue and his season took a bit of a nosedive.

He has an interesting stance and swing. Perez looks good before the pitch, but he looks like he was over swinging far too often. He is already out in front of the lower breaking pitches, while he looks a bit more comfortable with faster thrown offerings. Perez’ aggression can get the best of him and have him swinging at air shots, but he has a nice swing path and quick hands to make plays happen occasionally.

Defensively, he is one of the best in the organization. The athleticism, his play-reading, his quick hands and quick reactions allow him to possess all the qualities needed to be a Major League fielder. However, his batting and inconsistencies let him down somewhat.

His quick reactions are due to his lightning speed. He is quick in the field but also quick between the bases. 24 stolen bases is no small feat, but again his inconsistencies with his running decisions should have resulted in him being thrown out more often than he was.

Perez has the potential to be a solid fielder, and a decent contact hitter in the big leagues, but he needs to improve his offense if he is to progress to the top of the organization and stay there.

Future Value: 40
Role: Reserve
Risk: Moderate

Video

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=340539037683111

Brian Walton’s environmental impact report

Background

By now, the story of Delvin Perez should be pretty well-known among the Cardinals fan community, fitting with his draft pedigree. His first-round selection in June 2016 was a long time ago, however, as 2022 is his sixth year on this top prospect list.

Today, the exceptional fielder is MLB-ready in that aspect of his game, but his offense has been far enough below average for so long that it has put any meaningful MLB projections in serious limbo.

Perez has yet to have a good of a year with the bat as in his first partial season of 2016 – in the rookie level Gulf Coast League. That is the case whether comparing all four slash stats or his rookie-year wRC+ in the GCL – 123 – his only season in which he hit above league-average.

In his age 20 season in 2019, Perez batted .269 in 118 games at Low-A and was recognized as a Midwest League mid-season All-Star. Even so, his wRC+ (Weighted Runs Created Plus) of 95 meant his results were five percent below average for MWL hitters. His .654 OPS ranked 10th – on his own Peoria team – while his walk rate declined and his rate of strikeouts increased year to year. Further, his 2019 BABIP of .359 was a career high, suggesting good fortune was at least partially in play.

In 2020, Perez was a repeater in the organization’s January instructional camp in Jupiter, but was given the summer off, not being one of the 60 in the active pool of players between St. Louis and its alternate camp in Springfield, MO. Newly signed draftee shortstop Masyn Winn was there, however.

In these annual rankings, Perez slid from his initial no. 3 heading into 2017 to no. 16 to three straight years languishing in the 30’s and 40’s – among other less heralded crapshoots.

2021 recap – professional

Perez kept alive his dubious career-long streak of never having earned an in-season promotion, spending all of 2021 at Double-A Springfield. To his credit, he had skipped over High-A, the level at which he would have competed during the lost season of 2020.

While some may suggest that Perez made progress offensively in 2021, I don’t see it. His overall wRC+ was 80, 20% below the average league hitter, despite a BABIP which remained very high (.344).

There were positives, albeit relatively brief ones. For a lone 30-day period, Perez seemed to have figured it out with the bat. In June, he launched three of his four home runs and slashed .347/.405/.525/.930.

Delvin Perez (Springfield Cardinals)

However, that was his best month – by almost 300 points of OPS compared to his next-best 30 days!

To open 2021, his May OPS was .609 and he followed his stellar June with monthly marks of .636 (July) and .442 (August) before finishing at .553 in September.

So which was the outlier – the four bad months or the one exceptional one?

A veteran scout said, “Perez made improvements (in 2021) – but not enough. He can play the field at an MLB level, but his bat gets sawed off.”

2022 outlook

Perez will be left exposed in the Major League phase of the 2021 Rule 5 Draft, if/when the delayed proceedings are held. It is the second consecutive year he was not protected. Same as before, I do not expect any of the other 29 organizations will be prepared to give Perez a spot on their 40- and 26-man rosters, in which case he will remain a Cardinal.

With Perez’ minor league free agency looming, the Cardinals may as well push him ahead to Memphis in 2022. However, even if he makes the Triple-A roster, daily playing time may not be assured. Other more experienced middle infielders who may open back with the Redbirds include Kramer Robertson, Evan Mendoza, Brendan Donovan and Nolan Gorman along with minor league free agent signee Anderson Tejeda.

In what is hardly a newsflash, the pyramid narrows as St. Louis approaches. Among the five names just mentioned, Perez is behind four of them and arguably, all five. The solution is to start hitting, of course.

While another former first-round pick who wasn’t panning out offensively (Nick Plummer) finally found his swing in 2021 between Double-A and Triple-A, there seems less reason to hope that Perez could accomplish the same.

Further, even Plummer’s breakout 2021 wasn’t enough for him to earn his way onto the 40-man roster after five prior lackluster seasons. He is now a New York Met.

Future outlook

2022 represents both Perez’ current and future opportunity as a Cardinal. If he can somehow make the 40-man roster and is called upon to join St. Louis, it will probably have to be in 2022. Otherwise, Perez will likely have to attempt to further his career elsewhere.

While reaching the big leagues is surely possible due to his glove, his bat just isn’t strong enough to keep him there for long. Unfortunately for Perez, the days of a great-fielding, weak-bat shortstop starring in the Majors are history.

Another former Cardinals first-round shortstop, Pete Kozma, was able to accrue parts of eight seasons in the bigs. His career minor league OPS is .645, just one point lower than Perez’ mark to date.

So, hope remains. It just must be moderated significantly after multiple seasons falling short of expectations.

MLB debut: 2022
Rule 5 Eligible: 2020

Our 2022 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 planned daily into early 2022.

50 Days, 50 Nights, 50 St. Louis Cardinals Prospects for 2022

For members of The Cardinal Nation

TCN 2022 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect #31 – Luis Mario Piño

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 2022 Top Cardinals Prospects series.

© 2021 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.