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I haven’t really commented much about the draft but got to watch all three lefties this past weekend. After seeing all three I came away pretty underwhelmed by each. Maybe I was expecting/hoping for more. If I were to rate the three, for me, it would be
1-Arnold
2-Anderson
3-Doyle
Was looking for one of them to throw a dominant game and it just didn’t happen. I don’t care about how long the development time is, so I don’t understand why the Cardinals wouldn’t consider the high school pitcher Hernandez. I guess before one of the college lefties, my preference would be to take the high school SS Willits. Seems like he has a higher ceiling.

I’ll be honest, haven’t seen the C/OF Irish but this team could sure use a bat for the MOTO. We have needed more production from our OF for quite a while now.

So for me, if he’s there I would take Willits and hope we see him in 3-4 years.

Whatashame wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 20:24 pm I haven’t really commented much about the draft but got to watch all three lefties this past weekend. After seeing all three I came away pretty underwhelmed by each. Maybe I was expecting/hoping for more. If I were to rate the three, for me, it would be
1-Arnold
2-Anderson
3-Doyle
Was looking for one of them to throw a dominant game and it just didn’t happen. I don’t care about how long the development time is, so I don’t understand why the Cardinals wouldn’t consider the high school pitcher Hernandez. I guess before one of the college lefties, my preference would be to take the high school SS Willits. Seems like he has a higher ceiling.

I’ll be honest, haven’t seen the C/OF Irish but this team could sure use a bat for the MOTO. We have needed more production from our OF for quite a while now.

So for me, if he’s there I would take Willits and hope we see him in 3-4 years.

I was underwhelmed also.
Willits plz (as of today)

https://www.baseballprospectjournal.com ... draft-2-0/

Eli Willits, SS, Ft. Cobb/Broxton HS (Okla)

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https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/m ... 117688007/

Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU

Duce- you still prefer Willits to Arquette? Arquette is a physical specimen. Willits seems much smaller.

TraveledLessRoad wrote: ↑10 Jun 2025 10:10 am Duce- you still prefer Willits to Arquette? Arquette is a physical specimen. Willits seems much smaller.

they're both going to hit.

Arquette has grown into his power already, so his likely ceiling is realized. He had a good season, but not great, not compared to last years top tier College Bats...And probably the 2nd tier did better : Moore, Tibbs, Smith, Waldschmit. Arquette had a consistent college career, so the Pundits loved him coming into the draft....he didn't do anything wrong per se, with the exception of hitting worse on weekends, than on Tuesday and Wednesday...but not glaringly worse.

Willits will take more time to get to the Pros, he'll start Low A next season. Arquette will start High A/AA next season....depending on the organization, and how well the player adapts.

Willits...long term with the highest ceiling

Arquette...safe pick that GMs gravitate to as the draft draws nearer

Very interesting. Appreciate the analysis, as always!

Arquette would be such an underwhelming pick at 5. Probably doesn't land in the top 20 last year and his ceiling isn't all that high imo. I really hope the cards pass or he's gone before then.

Aday96 wrote: ↑10 Jun 2025 11:29 am Arquette would be such an underwhelming pick at 5. Probably doesn't land in the top 20 last year and his ceiling isn't all that high imo. I really hope the cards pass or he's gone before then.

I think all the picks are underwhelming...there's no 65/80 picks, no 60/80....and arguably only 1 or 2 55/80s....Arquette wouldn't be a mistake, but he's not a knee knocker we'd typically want with #5 pick. Willits comes with risks, too....he could be Pete Kozma all over again...highly touted SS, but the bat never made it....the signs now indicate his bat will make it....it's a risk.

craviduce wrote: ↑10 Jun 2025 11:34 am

Aday96 wrote: ↑10 Jun 2025 11:29 am Arquette would be such an underwhelming pick at 5. Probably doesn't land in the top 20 last year and his ceiling isn't all that high imo. I really hope the cards pass or he's gone before then.

I think all the picks are underwhelming...there's no 65/80 picks, no 60/80....and arguably only 1 or 2 55/80s....Arquette wouldn't be a mistake, but he's not a knee knocker we'd typically want with #5 pick. Willits comes with risks, too....he could be Pete Kozma all over again...highly touted SS, but the bat never made it....the signs now indicate his bat will make it....it's a risk.

Simply put, the only pick at #5 that could be elite is Seth Hernandez. Honorable mention, Willits and Holliday. IMO

Predicting who the Cardinals will select is a real crapshoot .

Starting more than 50 years ago , I began following the NFL draft . I always remembered a quote from Packers GM Ron Wolf (Hall of Famer ) when asked who the Packers may take at No. 8 that year in the draft . Wolf replied , 'Tell me who the first 7 players off the board will be and I can give you a pretty good idea who we would take 8th .
In later years, when asked if Wolf would have taken Player X (that was taken ahead of them ) , Wolf replied 'You cannot take players that have already been picked. So I don't get concerned with that.

With the Cardinals picking 5th , there will be just 4 guys off the board. Sure the Cards will have many many 'mock drafts' themselves leading up to the draft . Various scenarios of OK , if these 4 are gone, then who is our pick ? What above these 4 , then who ?
Once the Cardinals have them ranked 1 thru 5 on as best players they want, then on draft day they cross them off as selected . The highest guy remaining when it is No. 5 is their guy.
They most likely won't have any surprise except if someone in the Top 4 teams pick a guy that Cardinals had down their list a bit . In that case, that may give them a player they originally felt would not make it to No. 5 Of course last year , JJ was a guy (due to his injured hamstring) that a couple teams in top 6 picks must have downgraded . The Cardinals were pleased that Wetherholt was still there at No. 7 Probably gone in most of their predraft mocks .

I enjoy the discussion here. I don’t watch enough college baseball and don’t dive very far to research the high school guys. So really appreciate you guys that do that and provide that info here.

Goold used the Corbin Burnes injury as a reminder of why the Cardinals don’t gamble on FOTR pitchers in free agency. Use free agency to $ to spend on bats. I think their approach makes sense.

With that in mind, shouldn’t the Cardinals consistently go top heavy in the draft on high upside pitchers? This Seth Hernandez guy that you all discuss here comes to mind. Moreover, invest heavy in high upside arms in first ten rounds. Without this approach, is there any hope getting FOTR arms? Maybe international free agents but we haven’t exactly had great success developing international pitchers.

craviduce wrote: ↑10 Jun 2025 10:00 am https://www.baseballprospectjournal.com ... draft-2-0/

Eli Willits, SS, Ft. Cobb/Broxton HS (Okla)

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

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/m ... 117688007/

Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU

thx for the links.
Seth Hernandez to the BlueJays is very interesting.
I believe it was Jim Callis who said the two least likely teams to draft him are the Cards and Blue Jays

82birds wrote: ↑10 Jun 2025 12:20 pm

craviduce wrote: ↑10 Jun 2025 10:00 am https://www.baseballprospectjournal.com ... draft-2-0/

Eli Willits, SS, Ft. Cobb/Broxton HS (Okla)

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

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/m ... 117688007/

Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU

thx for the links.
Seth Hernandez to the BlueJays is very interesting.
I believe it was Jim Callis who said the two least likely teams to draft him are the Cards and Blue Jays

yeah, these seemed like lazy mocks...I'm used to much better from BPJ. These mocks seemed like they belong back 2 months ago.

Adam2 wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 16:15 pm

renostl wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 15:47 pm

Adam2 wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 15:13 pm

renostl wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 15:07 pm

Futuregm2 wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 14:57 pm

Adam2 wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 14:56 pm

Aday96 wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 12:02 pm I kind of feel like Arnold seems like the most likely pick at 5. High floor guy who has had a nice college career, but I'm not sure I'd be all that excited for him. His arm slot worries me and I would love a higher potential guy with how rare we pick in the top 5.

I agree, Arnold is fine but i want to gamble in the top 5 for a potential super star. We aren't here often. I want Hernandez if he is there. High risk (very high), very high reward?

Is that the pick to be gambling on more so than any other draft?

And what's wrong with a solid #3 for 6-8 seasons?

I never said there was anything wrong with that

No you didn't.

I'm coming from a spot that says that the players at that point in the draft have a nearly equal upside.
It's more about who teams and like better and good old biased opinions. Some teams won't pick HS pitchers
this high. Biases' based in past experiences. Not perceived upside.

Apologies in the perceived argumentative approach. Wasn't meant.

No worries, I generally agree with you. Idk, I guess I just like Hernandez. But without question Arnold is the safer and probably smarter pick

With this draft that's reasonable.

peterman'srealitytour wrote: ↑10 Jun 2025 12:09 pm I enjoy the discussion here. I don’t watch enough college baseball and don’t dive very far to research the high school guys. So really appreciate you guys that do that and provide that info here.

Goold used the Corbin Burnes injury as a reminder of why the Cardinals don’t gamble on FOTR pitchers in free agency. Use free agency to $ to spend on bats. I think their approach makes sense.

With that in mind, shouldn’t the Cardinals consistently go top heavy in the draft on high upside pitchers? This Seth Hernandez guy that you all discuss here comes to mind. Moreover, invest heavy in high upside arms in first ten rounds. Without this approach, is there any hope getting FOTR arms? Maybe international free agents but we haven’t exactly had great success developing international pitchers.

I think Seth Hernandez is the best player in the draft and have been a big proponent of his for several months. The RISKS, and the fact that we're likely not targeting a HS pitcher @ #5.

Seth could be a FOTR for a long time....HS success stories take 4-7 years to develop, what do we have patience for as a fan base?....the other options in this draft will likely take less time.

We did draft Shelby Miller in the 1st round....and Gorman....Miller worked out, maybe not the HOF career every wanted, but he worked out...made the Show.

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to your point about focusing on Pitching early on....I like it, I don't mind it with the old philosophy. Bats FA, Arms Draft....but we've set our budget back 15 years to 100-125 million....I think we're in BPA territory now. We can't be choosers....so to speak, because we're likely to never win a FA race for a Pitcher, nor a Batter with that Budget.

Plus...who are we going to keep going forward? 2 years ago, I wouldn't think we'd let Noot or Donovan walk....but now? I'm not so sure.