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#3 Raniel Rodriguez
In my opinion Mathews did not have a good year or at least did not meet expectations. He dropped several spots on my list.
It already looks like Matthews is our #3 prospect as much as mudville wants to argue the point. If Matthews doesn’t add that 3-5 mph back on his fastball that he had in 2024, he’s selling used cars in a couple of years, IMHO. But I get that undying hope and allegiance to a pitcher that looked so promising in 2024. I hope he turns out to be one of best pitchers in the years to come, fully deserving of the #3 ranking in this esteemed poll.
#3 Rainiel Rodriguez
The errors were a little elevated this year, but the passed balls were distinctly better than average and he gunned 30% of base stealers (32% in 2024). So right now there’s no reason to think he’ll be a Gold Glover — and also no real reason to think he can’t stick behind the plate long term. Upside equals Wetherholt, maybe even exceeds him. Less likelihood, of course, due to backstop attrition.
Over the past two years, 1,579 minor leaguers accrued at least 400 plate appearances. Rainiel has the highest OPS+ of them all, at 172. That’s a pretty special bat.
With a wRC+ of 172, coupled with Bobby Reed’s stamp of total approval, how does one not anoint Rainiel Rodriguez as Top Prospect #3 for the St. Louis Cardinals? He has my vote.
My vote for #3 is also for Rainiel Rodriguez. He’s young and inexperienced, but the bat looks legit and if he can stay behind the plate, there’s a potential star there. This is the crown jewel of the system, if he keeps hitting next year.
Mathews’ ghastly walk rate spooks me, to be honest. Either he’s been injured, or his stuff just won’t be able to hold up to get big league hitters out. Hopefully he’s just been working through how to adjust to his arm injury, but it’s not a good look to walk over 7 per nine.
Two hours and 15 mins to get your vote in…let’s go! Two prospects are in a tight battle for that covered #3 slot.
I think there is both a ton of potential upside and downside to each of our 2-6 selections. These are our most exciting prospects (after JJ – who is more of a sure thing to at least be average or better), but each could completely bomb. They could go in any order. I’m thinking Crooks (maybe a little bit unfairly) will be pushed out of this group and into the 7-15 group. It’s Doyle, who we voted at 2, Matthew/Rodriguez/Baez who are all rightfully receiving lots of votes already, and Bernal. I wouldn’t get too worked up about whatever order they get selected in.
After that though, things could get really interesting as there are lots of takes on our remaining prospect talent.
Bob Reed
#3 Rainiel Rodriguez
The errors were a little elevated this year, but the passed balls were distinctly better than average and he gunned 30% of base stealers (32% in 2024). So right now there’s no reason to think he’ll be a Gold Glover — and also no real reason to think he can’t stick behind the plate long term.
Other than just about every scouting report I’ve read, sure. With his height being 5’8, there’s no way he can play 1B so I hope he can improve his defense or grow some since he is still young. One thing is certain, he can hit.
My notes say Rodriguez spent most of the year at Palm Beach and hit .249. He should repeat low A. See how he matures physically and get his defensive position going forward figured out. A year from now we will know enough for a sober evaluation of his potential.
That is one way to look at it. Another would be that he OPS’d .954 overall in 2025 on top of an OPS of 1.145 in 2024. My guess is he will begin 2026 in Peoria.
It was a tight vote, but your #3 prospect in the 2026 TCN Community Top 50 voting is…Quinn Mathews, LHP.
1. JJ Wetherholt, IF
2. Liam Doyle, LHP
3. Quinn Mathews, LHPVoting is now open for the #4 prospect. Voting will end at 12 PM CT/1 PM ET on Thursday, October 16th.
Much also depends on where Crooks and Bernal are at along with how the team views Sammy Hernandez, Ryan Campos, and Josh Cross. My guess would also be that Raniel is in Peoria, but they may keep him at Palm Beach to maximize playing time for all those others.
I will go with the super young catcher at 4. But I could just as easily take Bernal or Baez here.
4. Raniel Rodriguez
#1 Wetherholt
#2 Rain Rod
#3 Doyle – I will be higher on him if he’s developes a good secondary pitch. And I don’t know any other way to say it except he learns to control his emotions.
#4 Leo Bernal
#4 Rainiel Rodriguez
As for scouting reports on his glovework, MLB.com currently says this:
“He threw out 32.4% in 2024, but evaluators question how his arm strength will play at higher levels.”I would describe that as a vaguely neutral overview.
Here’s Fangraphs from July:
“He does at least a little bit of everything well, and some stuff (like hitting for power and playing good defense) he does a lot of.”They then go on to praise his blocking of pitches in the dirt, but rate his throwing footwork below average — the latter of which is offset however by an above average exchange and accuracy. Fangraphs grades his fielding at 40/60, meaning below average right now relative to MLB, but distinctly above average in the long run.
I don’t have a Keith Law or ESPN scouting report for Rai-Rod, but the above assuages my (quite mild) concerns, at least for the time being.
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“My notes say Rodriguez spent most of the year at Palm Beach and hit .249.”
True enough. But after his 9-for-56 start there, he hit .278 with a .982 OPS. And more walks than whiffs. He’s ready for Peoria.
#4 Rainiel Rodriguez
I like his potential especially since he is so young and doing so well in the lower minors. Looking forward to seeing how he does at the upper levels this year!Yes, I haven’t seen any overtly negative scouting reports about Rainiel’s defense, but 32.4% CS seems at least in-line with expectations.
Does anybody know his pop times? I would think that would be more important than arm strength for an 18 year-old. And arm strength can improve as he hits the weights.
#4 Josh Baez. Right place, right time, right skill set.
As to Rodriguez, proximity risk is too high, defense and size/conditioning are questions, and his offense stats are propped by FCL results. I give him another year before I take the bait.
Well, a quick search on Rainiel Rodriguez found this:
How the Cardinals found Rainiel Rodriguez
Late or not, what Moises Rodriguez and the other Cardinals evaluators saw that day and in subsequent workouts was an impressive hit tool, especially for a catcher.
“It was obvious how hard he hit the ball, so we kept bringing him back, mainly to see if he could stick at catcher,” Moises Rodriguez said. “He was a little rough around the edges, and was a little heavier than he is now, but he just kept hitting.
“In general when you are scouting, physical projection, along with athleticism, plays into the decision making. Our main question was if he was going to have enough flexibility to stay behind the plate. If we determined he had enough for that, with the bat that he already possessed, we thought he could turn into a prospect. … Adding that bat to a catcher profile would be way more attractive and have way more value down the road.”
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