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So normally I’d blow this off and say no big deal #’s don’t matter quality matters…except for one draft decision in the 2022 MLB draft that should haunt this franchise.
Cardinals with the 59 pick in 2022 MLB draft took Brycen Mautz
Brewers with the 63 pick in 2022 MLB draft took Jacob Misioroski
Misioroski pitched at Crowder College in Neosho, Mo… about 290 miles from St. Louis.
Now you could say well that’s just a small JUCO school in SW Missouri, and you could miss a player there, except the same school produced Aaron Ashby in 2018 who was a 4th round pick.
Thankfully it’s a different regime now and hopefully they are actually spending dollars on scouting and development, but I think it shows shortcuts they were making to save money in the past, b/c around this time they had a former women’s softball coach as an assistant hitting instructor.
There is no way they non-tender pallante off a 12-9 3.83 ERA 2026 season in which the team was 8 games under .500 …at some point Dewitt is going to have to pay players unless he is taking payroll down to $30 million a year.
Liberatore definitely has value b/c of his versatility…it’s not like he is going to be making a ton of money.
Assuming they play in 2027 my guess on Rotation would be this:
To start the season….McGreevy/Pallante/Leahy/Mathews then Liberatore and Fitts battle for the last spot (if all Healthy)
Memphis Rotation….Doyle/Cijntje/Roby/Henderson/Molina/Mautz (If all Healthy)
Franklin I would assume he starts at AA unless he is lights out in the Spring…
I am assuming Dobbins is out a substantial or all 2027.
I would see Liberatore and Fitts as possible bullpen moves if any of the Memphis starters force there way to a call up b/c of performance.
Leahy will be interesting, as I think he has some real upside, but he threw more innings than he ever has last season, so will be interesting to see how he handles that.
I’d go with Ozarks Redbirds…maybe they are fighting the Northwest Arkansas Naturals for the Branson crowd.
I guess the locals won’t turn on them to much though with Spring still in the name.
I don’t know about 2027 …but I would say Doyle is someone they need to develop into a top of the rotation starter by 2028
If they need a veteran presence in the Rotation and actually want to spend some money I’d rather go after Gausman, he would probably cost more than Scherzer at this point but he can eat up some innings and pitch pretty effectively; though he was a little shaky in his stint with the Cubs after the trade…..which was kind of good to see.
But I don’t see DeWitt shaking lose a dime this off season so it probably is not happening.
They way Peete developed this year I see him as a strong possibility in 2028 for CF as long as he keeps progressing….so I don’t see them really going after a CF …thinking Church can handle it for another year.
3rd Base I assume they will do the same with Blaze Jordan and then hoping Baez will be ready by 2028 to takeover if not sooner….
That saves them a ton of money they could put into the bullpen and maybe a starter in Free Agency for 2028 and might even strengthen the Bench with Church as the 4th OF and Jordan as a 3B/1B off the bench.
Assuming that will all work out though is easier said than done.
There is only a couple free agent starting pitchers I could see being a good fit and those have some question marks, but I have real doubts DeWitt is going to spend any money on the team especially for next year with a lockout looming.
So it may come down to Matthews/Cijntje/Doyle developing into a #1 or a #2 type starter by the 2028 season.
Surely DeWitt can cough up a few $’s for a couple decent bullpen arms….whats the projected payroll next year like $45 million tops.
If they want to get better they need at a minimum, a top of the line Starting Pitcher and 2-3 relievers.
There Offense I am not quite sure….they have some good young building blocks for the first time in a while with Bernal at Catcher, Weatherholt at 2nd, Walker in OF, Josh Baez in the OF. I can see Raniel Rodriguez at 1B in the future or Bernal at first and Rodriguez at catcher. Winn I see as mainly the #9 hitter with his defense unless his offense picks up. Then you would have Burlesson, Herrera and Church and I guess Blaze Jordan to round out the line up.
I would think Pete’s development at AA or AAA will be interesting to follow next year as I see him as pretty key for 2028 in CF.
But at some point they need top of the rotation Starteing pitchers either thru development or sign at least 1 in free agency and they have to improve their Bullpen, especially the right hand side.
Hopefully the more prospects you have then some will break through…they are definitely gonna need arms both bullpen and rotation if there is a next season as I think it’s pretty apparent DeWitt is not going to be adding much to payroll anytime soon …I would expect the Cardinals payroll to be similar or a mirror to what the Brewers is going forward.
While prospects in trades don’t always workout there are some that do…I seem to remember the Cardinals picking up Marcel Ozuna from the Marlins for 3 prospects….Magnus Sierra, Zac Gallen and Sandy Alcantra….The Cardinals still have not recovered from the starting pitching prospects they gave up in this trade, and have been short on top of the rotation Starting pitchers ever since the trade
While I would not have drafted a DH where they did…you might be able to make a case that Ferraro might be one of the best bats in their entire Farm system right now.
This also could be b/c I hate the DH…and don’t value it as much as I probably should.
The McDaniel guy on ESPN.com had the Cardinals as his favorite draft class as well
One big thought: If it wasn’t clear yet, this is probably my favorite draft class out of all 30, even acknowledging that it’s easy to look good with extra picks. I’ve written a number of times about how much I like CF Trevor Condon (first round). He’s just the kind of player I want to bet on, even if he won’t light up a workout.
Let’s run through the other guys I liked for where they were drafted. RHP Tegan Kuhns (comp round) needs a tweak to his breaking ball but could be a midrotation starter in short order. RHP Dawson Montesa (second round) has solid-average stuff headlined by a heater up to 98 mph and will be a starter if he can improve his fastball command one notch. RF Caden Ferraro didn’t play in the field a ton this spring, but wowed teams with his athletic testing in predraft workouts after raking all season. SS Dee Kennedy (fourth round) has tons of secondary skills (patience, pull/lift to get to power, speed) and fits up the middle, so I can live with some swing-and-miss. RHP Jacob Haley (11th round) showed above-average stuff in limited innings this spring.
9th round….Jayden Lobliner C from Univ Of San Diego….was at Kansas State before transferring to SD…hit.297 was WCC defensive player of the year in 2025
Last 3 picks will just have to see…think they save some $ with them for their higher picks but that is just a guess
Luke Harrison was the #3and sometimes #2 starter at Texas this year…16 starts 6-4 4.10 ERA…this may be a save some money pick since they have so many to sign as he is a grad student.
Derek Schaefer pitched at Tennessee on their national championship team before transferring to ASU.
Think he is a relief pitcher
https://athletics.setonhill.edu/sports/baseball/roster/owen-henne/7693
Hit 401….competition would be questionable
Like Kennedy quite a bit a lot of upside with him
MLB recap sums him up pretty good
Kennedy may be the most improved player in NCAA Division I this season. After batting .209 as a freshman at Texas in 2024 and topping the Big 12 Conference with 79 strikeouts in 2025 at Kansas State, he had LASIK surgery. Better vision has led to increased frequency and quality of contact, allowing him to earn Cape Cod League all-star honors last summer and eclipse the Wildcats’ single-season home run record with 20 this spring. Now that he’s seeing the ball so much better, Kennedy is chasing fewer pitches and controlling the strike zone. While the right-handed hitter still will fish for some curveballs out of the zone, he has gone from being helpless against curves and sliders to crushing them. He’s pulling balls in the air much more frequently than in the past, hitting them harder and generating plus raw power seemingly with just a flick of his wrist. Kennedy offers plenty of athleticism to go with his improved offensive profile. He shows solid speed out of the batter’s box and even more quickness once he accelerates. A second baseman as a freshman and third baseman as a sophomore, he has upgraded his actions and lateral range at shortstop, where he displays solid arm strength.
