Kiley McDaniel's top 10 prospects for Cardinals

[craviduce]

Will likely take best available, but I agree with your overall sentiment. Feels like the offensive side of the rebuild is nearing completion; but on the pitching side, the organization is full of SP 3's. Hopefully, Doyle, Franklin and others can break thru. A few strong college pitchers added this summer would be nice.

I believe Offense is our greatest need. Pitching is clogged in every level right now. They're having to piggy back starters at every level. Even the Injured List is crowded (Henderson, Roby, Hjerpe)

We have a Middle Infield, OF, and Corner infield need...at the majors and in the minors....maybe not Middle infield in the majors, but Middle Infield is the easiest position to move, and the best athletes.

I prefer we draft HS pitchers this draft....But if a Flukey is there at 13 ...sure I wouldn't mind. I hope we go young with Boleman, Borthwick, Grindlinger, or Rojas. Best HS pitching depth in over a decade.

Overall...give me OF depth, lot's of OF depth. Hanging our hopes on 1 or 2 prospects several years off got us into trouble. I want Condon/Bowen and Shelar. 2 of those should be available the time we're done picking the Donovan Picks (68/72). Robbins, Brunson, Gracia, Burress, Curiel, Sorrell, Hughes for fast risers...1 or 2 of those should be available by 32nd pick.

[craviduce]

Who do you want from this list?...

let's say select 1 from 8-20 for our #13 pick

then select 1 from 25-40 for our # 32 pick.


--------------

....there's a lot of good combos you can do. What say you????

https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/draft/

[craviduce]

If Gracia isn't available at #13, then I'd reach to Robbins or Condon.

then at #32, I'd take what ever HS Pitcher fell to us....and Honestly, I ranked Borthwick and especially Grindlinger much higher than this MLB.com's Top 200 does...I have these 2 in my personal Top 15, so I'd have ZERO problem taking them #32. And I'd check in to see if Sorrell and Bowen were available, too...if they are, I'd have a really tough choice on HS Pitcher or CF for the future (immediate or project)

[ScotchMIrish]

How many of those were acquired this past off season?

[craviduce]

How many of those were acquired this past off season?

Peete and Cijntje ....and a lot of pundits have Fajardo in the Top 10.

and we might add to our Top 10 in July with the #68 and #72 picks in the draft....acquired from Seattle/Tampa in the Donovan trade.

it all depends on whom we select...what type of prospect they are.

[ScotchMIrish]

How many of those were acquired this past off season?

Peete and Cijntje ....and a lot of pundits have Fajardo in the Top 10.

and we might add to our Top 10 in July with the #68 and #72 picks in the draft....acquired from Seattle/Tampa in the Donovan trade.

it all depends on whom we select...what type of prospect they are.

Thank you.

[Cardinals1964]

Thanks. Looking a lot better than a couple years ago. IF the Cards don't compete for WC this year, and JJ wins ROY, they could add to this list:

Three top 50 picks this summer
Two top 35 picks next summer
Some return this July from trading May/Romero/etc.
A couple Int'l adds

That would be some real depth by July 2027. Hope everyone stays healthy and keeps developing.

And what if the Cardinals are competing for the playoffs? You want to trade away your pitchers

[kyace]

I look for Fajardo to move into top 10 by season end. Big kid just 19 but has good control of all his pitches and gaining arm strength. In high a ball , 19 innings pitched with 27 strikeouts and only 3 walks.

[Talkin' Baseball]

I look for Fajardo to move into top 10 by season end. Big kid just 19 but has good control of all his pitches and gaining arm strength

I think we will also like what we see when Brandon Clarke takes the mound in the second half of the season. Right now he is a forgotten man.

[cardstatman]

Wetherholt will drop off the prospect lists tonight, I assume, due to exceeding 130 at bats in MLB. He currently has 130 at bats.

He will also exceed 45 days on the MLB roster by this weekend.

[craviduce]

Will likely take best available, but I agree with your overall sentiment. Feels like the offensive side of the rebuild is nearing completion; but on the pitching side, the organization is full of SP 3's. Hopefully, Doyle, Franklin and others can break thru. A few strong college pitchers added this summer would be nice.

there's a good crop 2nd tier college pitchers moving up the ranks in this draft. Here's a few, that I ranked just under Flukey and Flora.

~ Jack Radel ~ Notre Dame, tall 6'5", RHP ...having a great season against ACC competition. 11.6 K/9, 2.1 BB/9, moved his HR/9 below 1. 3.50 ERA (there about)

~ Mason Edwards ~ USC, 6'2", LHP...big mix of change up and sweeper, a lot of movement on his all of his pitches. Fastball is okay, low to mid 90's...16 K/9, 4 BB/9 (higher than you want, but comes with the territory), 1.74 ERA

~ Logan Reddemann ~ UCLA, 6'2", RHP.... 12 K/9, 1 BB/9, 2.87 ERA...if you like control and pounding the zone, he's your man....Upped his fastball to 95-96mph, and backs it up with a legit Plus change up...maybe a 60 grade change up. Will go with a 90-91 cutter off of his fastball, which is pretty good, not great...50 grade, imo. His curve and slider are meh...work in progress.

Cade Townsend ~ Ole Miss, 6'1" RHP...12.6 K/9, 2.3 BB/9, 2.42 ERA...he's hands down the best arsenal pitcher out there...he's tailor-made ready for the big leagues, imo... Fastball is his most lack luster pitch....if you can call it lackluster..... his Cutter, Slider, Curve all rated Plus Pitches...you draft him, and he's immediately the best pitcher in the Farm with the 3 best pitches in the Org. His fastball is 93-94mph, and compliments the better pitches.

~ Cole Carlon ~ ASU, 6'5", LHP....14 K/9, 3 BB/9....top reliever prior to this year turned Starter for 2026....2 pitches, that's what you'll see: power fastball, power slider. Getting a lot of Helium right now...talk of the town. Risk of being a reliever in the Pro's, imo. But there's "hope" he can find more pitches.


------------

Maybe that list will help, you, JT.

Most of that is my opinion...so you can go to PG, FG, MLB.com, Justbaseball to see what they and their scouts think.

I like Reddeman and Townsend the most. Starting to like Radel from ND a lot. And Wes Mendes, who I didn't list from FSU, he's almost there with these guys in 2nd Tier....I think they'll all go before 50 in the draft....so that leaves 1st round and Comp A picks...maybe we can snag 1 of these guys at 32nd?

PS...I think Dietz from Arkansas will find him self in the 1st tier...challenging Flukey for 2nd pitcher taken in the draft. ...so I didn't list him with the 2nd tier.

[JohnTudor1985]

Thank you. Very helpful as usual.

I hope the Cards are in the hunt this year (I have the over 71.5 wins on a Vegas ticket). Winning breeds winning throughout the organization. But, Bloom is committed to his long-term vision of sustained success.

[craviduce]

Thank you. Very helpful as usual.

I hope the Cards are in the hunt this year (I have the over 71.5 wins on a Vegas ticket). Winning breeds winning throughout the organization. But, Bloom is committed to his long-term vision of sustained success.

I wouldn't put it past the Angels, who pick just ahead of us, to snag the likes of Townsend at #12. They like to go underslot in a big way in the 1st round of the draft....Schanuel, Moore, Bremner the last 3 years.

[An Old Friend]

new one dropped on Friday from Kiley.

If it was posted, then my apologies.

1. Wetherholt ~ Previous 1
2. Rodriguez ~ 2
3. Doyle ~ 3
4. Franklin ~ 10
5. Baez ~ 4
6. Cijntje ~ 5
7. Crooks ~ Not Ranked
8. Peete ~ Not Ranked
9. Bernal ~ 6
10. Mathews ~ 7

No surprise to see Cijntje, Bernal, and Mathews fall.
Expect that to continue - with Bernal the strongest bet to remain in the top 10 a year from now.

Cjintje didn’t fall. Tanner Franklin rose.

Or do you think Baez “fell”, as well?

[StL Star]

Got to go with Gio Rojas at #13 and hope Aiden Robbins is still available at #32.

[Cardinals1964]

IMO: Cardinals need to go pitching with their first 2 picks in this year's draft. We need more high end pitching prospects.

Need to take the best players available. This ain’t the NFL.