craviduce wrote: ↑23 Jun 2025 10:55 am
https://www.prospectslive.com/cincinnat ... es-to-know
Cards Draft preview. Last 3 drafts synopsis.... I think Prospectslive wanted to call the Cards "Boring"...no HS players, no risks, just the same old boring contact hitters, who the Cards hope stick long enough to make the majors. They were complimentary of the 2022 and 2023 picks outside of the 1st round (Hjerpe and Davis)....they liked Mathews, Rajcic, Honeyman, Crooks III, Henderson, and few others. They weren't too excited about the 2024 draft, we all know they came up short outside of Wetherholt.
Since we don't like "Exciting", they list 3 picks we're probably targeting : Anderson, Arnold, Arquette.
good read, and YES, it accurately describes the Cards....our Philosophy/Comfort level needs to change to try anything new....like a Willits, Hernandez, Carlson
I think this is the first draft, since the CoVid shortened draft of 2020, where I'm comfortable going outside of the box...And I see several paths where that's possible. I think it helps having a bigger bonus pool than we've had in recent memory. It also helps that the HS depth is better up top than in recent memory.
I really like Seth Hernandez, and he stays at the top of my board for best players...I know he's likely not targeted by the Cards, I accept that reality. But he's still the best prospect, imo. Then I have Willits and Holliday...that's 3 HS players at the top....that helps one's own comfort level...you think?
Lack of outstanding college performers this season is profound. We have no Cags, JJ, Bazzana, Condon, Kurtz in this draft...no Skenes, or even a smidge lower with no Burns or Smith....College has failed us this season. I do like Anderson, Witherspoon, Arnold...and they've shown good-great performances sometimes (Anderson more than the others ~ regular season and post).
I can't get overly excited about a college hitter in this draft. Arquette is bland, and he did better vs. lesser talented pitchers...not his fault that Oregon State couldn't get into a conference post PAC-12. I find myself getting excited by Summerhill and Irish, mainly b/c I want to be excited by something in college, and Houston and Kilen have let me down. Summerhill is a classic Cardinal pick: "Contact and EV....might turn it into power, but that's not a concern, checks the Glove and Speed boxes well", what's not to get excited about with those clearly established parameters? Irish got me excited, b/c I may have been dumpster diving for Power

And Irish can hit as well...but I know I wasn't alone in this, Irish's stock has risen to 15ish in the draft...so the pundits liked him too. Aloy has risen in the draft with Irish, and Bodine showed extremely well in the Postseason and stands a chance to be drafted higher than Stevenson in the draft ...being the first catcher.
So....
1) Take one of the Top 3 HS talents at #5...best ceilings in the entire draft....
2) Take a 75% Underslot Deal with a Witherspoon, Irish, Bodine, Aloy, Wood, Doyle. Take the savings and go BIG in the 2-10th rounds on HS players....2 Notes ~ We've NEVER done that before. The Brewers, Mariners, Marlins, Royals love to do this. Also ~ 75% is the floor for underslot deals if you turn in Medicals/Physicals at the Combine... "The Kumar Rocker Rule".
3) Go the Cardinal Way which is "safe, yawn, boring"....Arquette, Anderson, Arnold....College, Slot picks with High Floors and fast risers if their elbows hold up.
that's our choices in strategy . It's very "murky" (you see that word thrown around a bit this year) draft....you have to leave yourselves multiple game plans. We MUST broaden our horizons