Home › The Cardinal Nation Forums › Open Forum › TCN’s 2023 Top 50 Prospect Countdown
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November 20, 2022 at 11:46 am #207268
It is that time again! For the 18th year, The Cardinal Nation ranks the top prospects in the #STLCards system. For 2023, @bt_newberry joins me with scouting reports on the new Top 50. The daily countdown starts Monday, Nov. 21 and runs into the New Year. https://t.co/lWuFBRX3iV pic.twitter.com/6fcdr0BPGL
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) November 20, 2022
November 20, 2022 at 1:05 pm #207273The new prospect ranking and articles is great baseball recreation in the dead of winter. One of the fun things is seeing how things turn out. Despite the best efforts of evaluators, you don’t know what will happen until it does.
I happened to pick Donovan for a look back at last year’s article on him. The thing that caught my eye was a nameless scout ‘who has repeatedly seen Donovan in action’ was quoted as saying “(Matt) Carpenter was a better defender”. Ha, a year later and after one season Donovan has more gold gloves in one year than Carp has in 12. Not bad for a 45 Field/ 50 arm guy.
The hitting evaluation was spot on though. The same nameless guy said “He gets deep on pitches and goes to all fields. Donovan might be the best pure hitter in the (Cardinals) system.”
Best pure hitters often end up hitting in the 2 or 3 slots, depending on the power component. And there he is, settling into regular duty in the #2 slot, sporting a .394 OBP and 126 OPS+ in his rookie year. A perfect call by the nameless one and a perfect fit for Donovan and the Cardinals.
I will be scanning this year’s articles to see if someone else is the new best pure hitter in the system.
November 20, 2022 at 2:07 pm #207277That’s precisely why I was so astounded to see Donovan placed into the 5 slot for both post-season games. Then, to add more insanity to the inane decision, Pujols trades places with him in the 2 slot. It continues to be difficult to come to terms with that mindless idea and to what I feel may well have contributed to a total inefficiency of the entire order. And that was just one of many bizarre events in those two games.
November 20, 2022 at 2:56 pm #207284I think it was a computer generated lineup TD. Fantasy players probably use a similar algo. I wish all that would go over the side chained to some wonks, but it is what it is. Marmol isn’t going to push back and get himself Shildted.
November 20, 2022 at 3:04 pm #207285“Schildted”…Haha! Yeah, no sane person wants that. Get ready though, tax season’s right around the corner…
November 20, 2022 at 4:19 pm #207291Donovan is not a good fielder. He is passable and versatile. These are good traits, but his gold glove was a farce.
He is a gritty hitter and takes quality at bats for sure. His glove will reveal its true nature over time I fear.November 20, 2022 at 4:22 pm #207293I am still reeling from a certain catcher left off last year’s list. Worse yet, Brian was vindicated in his omission.
November 20, 2022 at 4:24 pm #207294Not that I’m rooting against the author;I simply have unreasonable passion for certain prospects who rake on my winter’s ps4 seasons.
November 21, 2022 at 7:36 am #207313Passion is good, Nigel. It can be a lot more fun than my boring logic!
November 21, 2022 at 9:39 am #207328Opening The Cardinal Nation’s #STLCards Top 50 prospect countdown for 2023 at no. 50 is high-performing 17-year-old Nelfy Ynfante. Will the RHP return to the Dominican Summer League for a second season? What does he throw? What is his future? FREE report! https://t.co/4HDkPZiPtn pic.twitter.com/8XZ70JjDo9
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) November 21, 2022
November 21, 2022 at 10:49 am #207332Glad to see Ynfante make the list! He had a really impressive season. I was amazed at his consistency all year for a kid who is 17. Plus, I love the fact that he has a tall body to grow into.
November 22, 2022 at 7:47 am #207387Any preferences about me posting member-only countdown players here? Or should I just put them on the members forum?
Prospect no. 49 in The Cardinal Nation’s #stlcards Top 50 prospect countdown for 2023 is Jack Ralston, a RHP who has both started and relieved, with very good results achieved in the latter role, but in a interrupted career to date. ($) https://t.co/RJKiA0fLgW pic.twitter.com/iykr0LjZgn
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) November 22, 2022
November 22, 2022 at 8:36 am #207391Any preferences about me posting member-only countdown players here? Or should I just put them on the members forum?
The articles that come with each selection, together with the periodic in-season reshuffle of the rankings and the associated article about risers and fallers, is the best way I have of keeping up with prospects in the system beyond the top handful which get some more or less spotty coverage now and then. Besides the info, it makes for enjoyable baseball related recreation all year for what it would cost me to go to one game.
Regular open forum participants are probably already aware of the resource, but infrequent visitors and lurkers might be less aware of it. So for that reason I think its good to post the selections here.
November 22, 2022 at 9:41 am #207397Agreed. I think it’s good to post them here.
Glad to see Ralston make the list. I’ve commented on him before. He’s really one of my favorite well under the radar prospects. I still see he and Granillo at the back end of the Stl bullpen in 2024. That’s assuming Ralston can stay healthy which may be a big if. But I definitely think he deserves to be on the list. That curveball of his is so spectacular.
November 22, 2022 at 4:43 pm #207425Very interesting info on Ynfante. Nice season for his age. If he continues success, I would think he would be in the states sometime next year.
Ralston has long been one of my favorite prospects. Much like Walsh, I believe he will be an effective major leaguer, if he can stay healthy.
November 22, 2022 at 5:01 pm #207428I did see Ralston pitch a couple innings a while ago. Peoria I think, a few day apart when we stopped going someplace and again coming back. Both games vs the KCR team. The first time he stunk it up and the second time lights out, struck out the side. I did not notice the curve ball, probably because I was so taken by his smooth as a box of rocks delivery, which was max effort as well. Strangely, it reminded me of Tim Lincecum.
November 23, 2022 at 9:44 am #207466At no. 48 in The Cardinal Nation’s 2023 #stlcards prospect countdown is OF Chase Pinder, who accomplished the unusual feat of returning to our Top 50 after four years away, following a breakout Double-A campaign. ($) https://t.co/aOFXG50gGb pic.twitter.com/VXkMfPzVr9
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) November 23, 2022
November 23, 2022 at 6:56 pm #207506If Pinder added about 15 pounds of muscle he’d be physically similar to O’Neill. Some added power would have to come of that and there is no reason to think his K rate would suffer, or his BB rate. That could be interesting, but since it hasn’t happened by now it isn’t likely.
November 24, 2022 at 8:18 am #207534The Cardinal Nation’s #STLCards 2023 prospect countdown reaches no. 47 with a still developing left-handed pitcher who put up solid numbers in his US rookie ball debut in 2022. Learn all about Diorys Guerrero. ($) https://t.co/Ti3uLdkMvm pic.twitter.com/QqURoRa2lx
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) November 24, 2022
November 25, 2022 at 10:11 am #207577At no. 46 in The Cardinal Nation’s #STLCards 2023 prospect countdown is a power-hitting infielder whose 2022 feats at Double-A included a home run cycle. Reaching St. Louis in a crowded field is going to be a challenge for Chandler Redmond, however. ($) https://t.co/T0vL4a8gig pic.twitter.com/oQ9xHI0DoT
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) November 25, 2022
November 26, 2022 at 7:18 am #207617The Cardinal Nation’s #STLCards Top 50 prospect countdown for 2023 hits no. 45 with an infielder who led his rookie level Florida Complex League team in most offensive categories with intriguing power. FREE scouting report on 19 year-old Samil De La Rosa. https://t.co/Rm4mBZ3V0O pic.twitter.com/TJgKWhb4C9
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) November 26, 2022
November 26, 2022 at 8:16 am #207619This DelaRosa sounds like another one who could really benefit from the no longer existing short season levels. He’s 19 and will be doing his 3rd year in the system. He did well in the complex league but it sounds like he’s got a lot of rough edges that will make the big jump to full season A level problematic. A swing that looks good on video but the results say a pull heavy swing that tops the ball way too much. His defense and baserunning sound pretty rough as well. He’s 19 so he has time, but he needs a roster slot during that time. He may not handle A ball and plenty of newer guys need the complex league spot. His stature and build seem to limit his ceiling, unless he’s the next Altuve (who spent 2 seasons in short season ball before full season A level).
November 26, 2022 at 6:40 pm #207640I considered writing about the Altuve comp, but decided it wasn’t fair – at least yet.
November 26, 2022 at 6:54 pm #207641Hopefully he can make it fair.
November 27, 2022 at 7:09 am #207652At no. 44 in The Cardinal Nation’s #STLCards 2023 prospect countdown is a phenomenal turnaround story during 2022. RH @andrewmarrero42 went from reassignment to extended spring training to the system-wide Pitcher of the Month less than 90 days later. ($) https://t.co/Pi7EWkmPcz pic.twitter.com/p2yeTDO5of
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) November 27, 2022
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