Cardinals with no compensation picks in 2011 draft

Major League Baseball has determined all of the compensation picks and their sequence in preparation for the June  First-Year Player Draft. Despite having had nine free agents, the St. Louis Cardinals have no extra selections in 2011, the second time in the last three years they will miss out. They lost no Type A or B free agents over the winter that were compensation-eligible.

As such, St. Louis will draft 22nd in the first round, then not again until the 79th pick, as their second-rounder is pushed back by all the compensation picks awarded other clubs. St. Louis’ third round selection will be 109th and fourth pick will be at 140.

The following outlines the most recent dozen Cardinals compensation picks since 2005 by year and for whose signing elsewhere they were awarded.

Nine of the 12 additions are right-handed pitchers. Eight are still active in professional ball, though two have been traded away.

One, Colby Rasmus, has reached the majors and in fact is in his third season with St. Louis. The other five Cardinals all remain top prospects, ranking among the top 23 in The Cardinal Nation top 40 prospect rankings.

The Cardinals most recent top three compensation selections are members of the current top ten, Lance Lynn, Tyrell Jenkins and Seth Blair, so it is clear these compensation picks have value. Getting Mark Hamilton for an Abraham Nunez and Lance Lynn for the loss of Troy Percival have been among the club’s better takes in recent years.

St. Louis Cardinals, compensation draft picks, 2005-2011

Draft Round Overall Pick Position TCN Top 40 Player Lost
2011 none
2010 1s 46 Seth Blair RHP #10 Mark DeRosa
1s 50 Tyrell Jenkins RHP #9 Joel Pineiro
2009 none
2008 1s 39 Lance Lynn RHP #3 Troy Percival
2007 1s 36 Clayton Mortensen RHP traded Jeff Suppan
2 71 David Kopp RHP #23 Jeff Suppan
2006 1s 42 Chris Perez RHP traded Matt Morris
2 54 Brad Furnish LHP released Matt Morris
2s 76 Mark Hamilton 1B #20 Abraham Nunez
2005 1 28 Colby Rasmus CF ex-#1 MLB Edgar Renteria
1s 43 Mark McCormick RHP released Edgar Renteria
1s 46 Tyler Herron RHP released Mike Matheny
2 70 Josh Wilson RHP retired Mike Matheny

The complete list of the 2011 draft order for all 30 clubs can be seen at MLB.com.

For full coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2011 draft, check out TheCardinalNation.com.

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