Cardinals Increase 2021 Draft Commitment to 11 of 21

photo: Gordon Graceffo (Villanova University)

St. Louis Cardinals announcement

On Monday, July 19, the St. Louis Cardinals formally announced six additional signings from their 2021 draft class (see lower tweet). However, three of them were previously reported a week ago on MLB’s draft tracker and already acknowledged here.

Monday’s new names are:

  • 5th rounder: RHP Gordon Graceffo
  • 15th rounder: LHP Alec Cornwell
  • 18th rounder: RHP Andrew Marrero

Gordon Graceffo

Alex Cornwell

Andrew Marrero

Individual signing bonuses for the above trio have not yet been disclosed.

You may notice the above tweets include just 10 players. The 11th, first-rounder Michael McGreevy, was announced last Friday. That leaves 10 draft picks yet to be signed prior to the August 1 deadline.

You can read much more about these – and all the Cardinals draft picks – in these articles.

Cardinals Conclude 2021 Draft with 10 Picks

St. Louis Cardinals Select 10 in Day 2 of 2021 Draft

Cardinals Select Michael McGreevy in 2021 MLB Draft’s First Round

Updates – Baez is done

Later Monday afternoon, the organization announced its second rounder has come to terms. As a prep star with considerable leverage, Baez was expected to be an over slot signing and all of the Cardinals’ picks to date with known bonuses created cost savings. Baez is a major beneficiary, receiving $911,500 over slot to sign.

Joshua Baez

Baez increases the Cardinals draft signing total to 12 of 21.

Two others go

As new players come into the organization, others reach the end of their time as Cardinals. So it is on Monday for one pick from the each of the 2018 and 2019 drafts.

  • Peoria RHP Cole Aker has been given his unconditional release.
  • Palm Beach RHP Will Guay has been given his unconditional release.

Aker, 24, was the Cardinals’ 18th-rounder in 2018. He was a starter until midway through the 2019 season at Low-A, where he logged a 6.17 ERA. Aker improved in the High-A pen that season with a 2.91 ERA in 19 games, but at the same level in 2021, he struggled to a 7.62 ERA in 20 appearances.

Cole Aker

Guay, 24, became a Cardinal after his selection in 2019’s 24th round. He began strongly in the 2019 Johnson City pen, with a 2.35 ERA and was named The Cardinal Nation’s top reliever on the rookie-Advanced club.

But he was plagued by the walk at Class-A this year. Guay issued 27 free passes to go with 33 hits in 27 1/3 innings. A 5.53 ERA resulted.

Will Guay

Lateral shift

  • RHP Marlyn Almonte has been transferred from the DSL Red roster to DSL Blue.

This is likely a balancing move as the former roster had three more players than the latter.

Almonte, 18, is a first-year professional from the Dominican Republic. In 1 1/3 innings for the Red, he allowed one run.

Marlyn Almonte

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.

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Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian on Twitter.

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