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Ivan Herrera nets 13 votes, beating Alec Burleson with 3 votes. Thus Ivan Herrera is your TCN #6 prospect for 2022!!
Voting for #7 is now OPEN. Voting will end at 8 PM EST/7 PM CST on November 20th.
I’m going with Baez at 7, upside is to high to pass up. He could be the difference maker the Cards have failed to develop since 2001.
Nootbaar at #7. He has shown increased power without striking out much. I like his patience, and fielding is good with a strong accurate arm. Nootbaar and Yepez will be very valuable because Bader and O’Neill probably won’t stay healthy for 162 games, and may be in the DH conversation, if there is one in MLB.
Some thoughts as we reach an exciting point of the voting:
Joshua Baez—2nd round pick in 2021. Unlimited potential. Rookie league results disappointing, but not enough to dampen spirits. (Though Tre Fletcher says hello.)
Zack Thompson—Redeemed himself somewhat in the AFL in relief, but still has monumental control problems with 15 walks in 17 innings.
Alec Burleson—Exciting player who made it all the way to AAA. What I like most is his ability to hit to all fields, almost a lost art today. He could be next year’s Nootbaar.
Brendan Donovan—Moved up the ladder just like Burleson, but probably not as high a celing. Plays multiple positions, protected in the Rule-5 draft, did well in the AFL.
Lars Nootbaar—Did it at the major league level. Plays very good defense, good baserunner, decent hitter with more to come, I believe. Really battles at the plate. I think, with opportunity, he could hit .250 with 12-18 HRs and 8-12 SBs. I hope he doesn’t get that opportunity next year.
I choose Nootbaar at #7. He’s already proved it in the big leagues.
My concerns with Thompson stem from was how he fared when going a second Time through a lineup. He would look like a world beater through 3 innings, only to give up 3 or 4 runs, usually via long ball in an opponents big inning. His AFL stint has not allayed my fears due to shortened outings.
I find myself thinking he will be a reliever, thus diminishing his value. I hope I am wrong.My selection here at #7 is for a player who’s ceiling is so high that if one fell from it’s lofty height, there would be absolutely no chance of survival. If I may, I wish to join CardsFanInChiTown in voting for Joshua Emanuel Baez.
Question, please 25. When we vote, are we voting for the highest potential ceilings, or the prospects we feel are most likely to make it to the major leagues and be solid contributors?
If we are going to begin dreaming on Baez this early, perhaps we should discuss McGreavey and Tink Hence. They seem to have Baez’s type of potential from the pitching side of things.
I will vote for Burleson at 7 because he has the same type of potential with the huge lead in development.I look at it as who I think will have the most success in the majors, vote not necessarily based on how they have produced thus far.
When we vote, are we voting for…
Not to speak for stlcard25, but my philosophy is based on a balance of a number of things. Early on, with the youngest of prospects, I consider draft position, bonus money, early scouting reports from a variety of sources (with an emphasis on Cardinal Nation info and lists), and finally, actual statistics and promotions/demotions. Potential goes a long way with the younger guys.
As the prospects mature, I emphasize stats and promotions more, all the while watching what the writers and posters here have to say. I watch videos where I can and continue to peruse the lists of other publications. Results count more for me with the older guys.
On deciding what to emphasize, it is different for each player. Kind of a balancing act. I value players higher as they advance. I value Nootbaar over Baez right now, but hopefully Baez ends up a much better player. Baez has a long way to go for me, but still would be in my Top 10. I voted Walker #2 because of potential, PLUS enough results in his first year to make me believe he can reach his potential.
I think everyone has their own criteria for their vote. That’s what makes this exercise so much fum..
Question, please 25. When we vote, are we voting for the highest potential ceilings, or the prospects we feel are most likely to make it to the major leagues and be solid contributors?
I don’t think we’ve ever set any kind of criteria for how folks vote, so I’m not about to do so now. I know that even in the overall site vote, Brian has his method (usually more tilted toward results and proximity) and the “other guy,” Derek or Matt, have typically tilted toward scouting and potential.
I am sure that everyone has their own way of looking at things and I encourage that, as it creates a nice diversity amongst views.
I’m going with Alec Burleson at #7. He’s got big lefty power and now that he’s committed to full time hitting, I think it’s possible he ends up as a lefty Yepez. In fact, I could see him splitting DH reps in a couple years with Juan, forming a pretty potent duo. But he also has some outfield chops (he has a very, very strong arm) and maybe could play 1B too. Advancing as he did this year is a good sign as he was never way overmatched. I think he sees St Louis by early 2023.
BURLY SHOWING OFF THE CANNON
This is such a great throw, as Alec Burleson guns out the runner trying to tag from 2nd pic.twitter.com/G7ZZWQtjgw
— Kyle Reis, 58% Neanderthal (@kyler416) August 28, 2021
Burleson @ #7
I don’t know what else a player could do to show that he’s a future MLB player. He was drafted in the same class as Walker and blew right past him in his first year of professional baseball while showing steady improvement at every level. I think Burleson is a ‘can’t miss’ prospect who will have a long career in MLB. I wonder what the Guardians would offer to pry him lose from the Cardinals?
I vote for Alec Burleson #7. I am really high on this guy, maybe even overly optimistically so. I like comps so my comp for Burlseon is somewhere between Brandon Moss and Kyle Schwarber.
#7 Baez – This is a tough one because on pure upside alone Baez is probably in the top 3. Burleson however is so close to a finished project that a call up to the bigs seems like a certainty. I’ll bet on upside here, but Burleson has really impressed. Hopefully he hits in AAA this year like he did in A+ and AA.
I cannot decide what endeavor that Mr. Bob Cobb would excel in more? A baseball writer, a baseball coach or a Cardinal Nation moderator? Bob and Beave are fantastic additions here.
Thanks for sharing that jaw-dropping Burleson throw from right, StlCard25. Jason Heyward has nothing over this guy from the looks of things.
I really like Nootbaar and Burleson. But I think Nootbaar has more OBP skills. In fact, they are my #7 and #8 choices.
Nootbaar probably does have better on base skills, but it’s not a certainty at this point with Burleson’s career only one year in. What does seem certain is that Burleson has better power than Nootbaar.
In Nootbaar’s initial full season, he went from A ball to A+ and then to AA, putting up 128-104-101 wRC+. His time in AAA this year netted a 140 wRC+. Burleson’s initial full season, he went from A+ ball to AA to AAA, putting up 153-116-81 wRC+. No doubt he will be back at Memphis next year.
Like I said before, I like Nootbaar as the 4th OF for a few years. Burleson could be a starter, a DH or just a powerful bench bat. We will get a better bead on him next year, I suspect.
Stl25, I am splitting hairs when I have to pick between Nootbaar and Burieson. They both have a lot of promise, IMO. But I think Nootbaar has improved his power from previous years, to the point that he could hit 20-25 homers. Burieson can hit 25-30 as soon as next year possibly with STL. Im really excited to have Gorman, Yepez, Nootbaar, Burieson and Donovan adding to our offense the next few years.
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