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ramfandan wrote: ↑16 Dec 2025 15:50 pm According to MLB Sam Dykstra , it's Rainiel Rodriguez ! ( I thought maybe Liam Doyle but he picks Rodgirguez)

Cardinals
Now: JJ Wetherholt, SS/2B/3B
Next Year: Rainiel Rodriguez, C

After moving stateside in 2025, Rodriguez could be a 30-homer threat before he reaches his 20s, and that’s incredibly valuable for someone who makes a living behind the plate.


Here is link for article to check out all the teams .

https://www.mlb.com/news/predicting-eac ... e-coverage

Skeptical.
There were so many catching prospects that fans talked about being a hitter in minors.
Carson Kelly
Andrew Knizner
Ivan Herrera
Jimmy Crooks
Leonardo Bernal

I agree he has good potential but fans overhype prospects and several catching prospects.

CardsBest wrote: ↑16 Dec 2025 20:38 pmSkeptical.
There were so many catching prospects that fans talked about being a hitter in minors.
Carson Kelly
Andrew Knizner
Ivan Herrera
Jimmy Crooks
Leonardo Bernal

I agree he has good potential but fans overhype prospects and several catching prospects.

No, none of them were talked about hitting like Rodriguez.

Liam Doyle.

Ronnie Dobbs wrote: ↑16 Dec 2025 20:51 pm

CardsBest wrote: ↑16 Dec 2025 20:38 pmSkeptical.
There were so many catching prospects that fans talked about being a hitter in minors.
Carson Kelly
Andrew Knizner
Ivan Herrera
Jimmy Crooks
Leonardo Bernal

I agree he has good potential but fans overhype prospects and several catching prospects.

No, none of them were talked about hitting like Rodriguez.

Correct, when Moises Rodrguez (no relation ) Cardinals international director, first saw Raniel someone asked him for his observations on him.
Moises started his reply with .. ' you mean other than hitting the outfield fences down .. the guy hit liners off the wall, over the wall, and one hoppers to the wall... Haven't seen a kid that age hit the ball with that much velocity /power. after signing, and playing there a long time manager was quite impressed also and he had Manny Machado come thru his teams, so he knows talent and elite bat to ball skills. Now not saying he is Manny Machado hitter but he hits the ball hard like Machado and has natural hard hit too like Machado.

CardsBest wrote: ↑16 Dec 2025 20:38 pm

ramfandan wrote: ↑16 Dec 2025 15:50 pm According to MLB Sam Dykstra , it's Rainiel Rodriguez ! ( I thought maybe Liam Doyle but he picks Rodgirguez)

Cardinals
Now: JJ Wetherholt, SS/2B/3B
Next Year: Rainiel Rodriguez, C

After moving stateside in 2025, Rodriguez could be a 30-homer threat before he reaches his 20s, and that’s incredibly valuable for someone who makes a living behind the plate.


Here is link for article to check out all the teams .

https://www.mlb.com/news/predicting-eac ... e-coverage

Skeptical.
There were so many catching prospects that fans talked about being a hitter in minors.
Carson Kelly
Andrew Knizner
Ivan Herrera
Jimmy Crooks
Leonardo Bernal

I agree he has good potential but fans overhype prospects and several catching prospects.

Not when any of those listed were 17...... At 18 Herrera had 1 HR in the GCL. There has been no one in the Cardinal organization ever at 17 that brought this kind of praise....

CardsBest wrote: ↑16 Dec 2025 20:38 pm

ramfandan wrote: ↑16 Dec 2025 15:50 pm According to MLB Sam Dykstra , it's Rainiel Rodriguez ! ( I thought maybe Liam Doyle but he picks Rodgirguez)

Cardinals
Now: JJ Wetherholt, SS/2B/3B
Next Year: Rainiel Rodriguez, C

After moving stateside in 2025, Rodriguez could be a 30-homer threat before he reaches his 20s, and that’s incredibly valuable for someone who makes a living behind the plate.


Here is link for article to check out all the teams .

https://www.mlb.com/news/predicting-eac ... e-coverage

Skeptical.
There were so many catching prospects that fans talked about being a hitter in minors.
Carson Kelly
Andrew Knizner
Ivan Herrera
Jimmy Crooks
Leonardo Bernal

I agree he has good potential but fans overhype prospects and several catching prospects.

Herrera may not be able to catch. But his hitting has lived up to the hype.

I hope it’s RR. But I’m going to take a long shot and say Clarke. He has the skill set to really explode this season. If he does, he’s going to skyrocket up the charts.

Carp4Cy wrote: ↑16 Dec 2025 19:22 pm

ICCFIM2 wrote: ↑16 Dec 2025 18:01 pm I am hoping for Josh Baez...Hope springs eternal.

If Baez goes on a tear that would get him to #1 prospect level, wouldn’t that also land him in STL by August and strip him of prospect status? He’s in his 6th year of minors. Time to promote or he’s not good enough to be a #1.

If that is the technical reason I am wrong, I would be ecstatic about that outcome. I think Baseball America does a mid season update after the draft. So, I am thinking if he goes on a tear, he could land there just as he is being promoted. I don't think the Cards need to rush anyone this year. If they want to give Walker a full season in the OF, irrespective of the outcome, so be it. I would only push Baez up to the MLs if he has a sustained run of say 300ABs of 950+ OPS output at Memphis. That is a pretty high bar. If he accomplishes that, lets go.

His development, is really normal for a player drafted out of high school. The Cards rushed a lot of guys and it has resulted in utter failure. He turns 23 in June. Making the MLs at age 23 is a reasonable time line. Wetherholdt will be 24 in September. Perhaps a late bloomer for a top prospect, but is that also true of Wetherholdt then as well? He just did his development in college v. the professional level.

ICCFIM2 wrote: ↑16 Dec 2025 18:01 pm I am hoping for Josh Baez...Hope springs eternal.

I agree. All told, he's the most important position player to become a star, given the sorry state of the OF - esp. if he can play a good CF.