We are now into the part of the countdown where I have to do more than squint to see a big league future for these guys. It’s more like viewing on long exposure in the dark. That said, there are still some worthy candidates for votes that have something of a chance to play in St Louis some day.
29. Zach Levenson, OF. He’s not going to get enough votes here, but he’s got potential power and a good 2023 to look back on. He seemed to fade off in 2024, but that’s not unusual in Peoria. We will see if he can improve on his average-ish results next year.
30. Yairo Padilla, SS. He and Rodriguez have to be back to back pretty much. Young DSL guys, both play premium positions and both had good years at the plate. I’d probably place them a little lower on proximity and a little higher on pure talent. In this case, I give Padilla the edge because of the BBA reports and the fact that the Cards themselves gave Padilla a much higher bonus ($760k vs $300k). Not super power but a good hit tool and good glove at a very important position.