The Cardinal Nation June update TOP 20
Posted: 25 Jun 2025 14:25 pm
TCN, I have subscribed to for years which does as good a job as any to keep track of prospects. I especially like their monthly updates which tend to move the prospects around quickly based on both futuristic outlook as well as recent contribution. The top 20 looks like this:
Prospect Tm Position June May Change
JJ Wetherholt Spr SS 1 1
Quinn Mathews Mem LHS 2 2
Michael McGreevy Mem RHS 3 4 plus 1
Jimmy Crooks Mem C 4 5 plus 1
Leonardo Bernal Spr C 5 8 plus 3
Tink Hence Spr RHS 6 3 minus 3
Tekoah Roby Mem RHS 7 6 minus 1
Thomas Saggese StL 2B 8 7 minus 1
Rainiel Rodriguez PB C 9 15 plus 6
Andre Granillo StL RHR 10 21 plus 11
Ixan Henderson Spr LHS 11 13 plus 2
Cooper Hjerpe Spr IL LHS 12 10 minus 2
Joshua Baez Spr OF 13 35 plus 22
Chase Davis Spr OF 14 12 minus 2
Chen Wei-Lin Peo RHS 15 11 minus 4
Gordon Graceffo Mem RHR 16 9 minus 7
Travis Honeyman Peo OF 17 14 minus 3
Yairo Padilla FCL SS 18 33 plus 15
Josh Kross Peo 1B/C 19 27 plus 8
Max Rajcic Spr RHS 20 20
Of note, Tink Hence has dropped from #3 to #6. Acknowledging that Tink has time to redeem himself, the inability to get anything done the first half of 2025 season warrants a backward step.
The big positive story in the new Top 10 is the 2025 emergence of Leonardo Bernal. There is a lot to like about what the 21-year-old switch hitting catcher is accomplishing at Springfield. Bernal jumps three spots, from eighth to fifth this month.
Closing the Top 10 are 18-year-old catcher Rainiel Rodriguez, now with Palm Beach, and new St. Louis reliever Andre Granillo. The latter may be on the list for the last time.
Joshua Baez, who showed both power and speed before and after his June promotion to Springfield. His 22-spot jump to no. 13 is the largest this month, but it hardly new territory for him. For example, upon Baez joining the organization in the second round in 2021, he debuted at no. 9. It was mostly downward since, however, to the point the 21-year-old left the list entirely late last season.
Two other major movers upward in the second 10 are 18-year-old shortstop Yairo Padilla in the Florida Complex League, and slugger Josh Kross, who was recently promoted to High-A Peoria.
I find TCN a really good investment to follow the insight of "scouts" Brian Walton and Blake Newberry. They give a great breakdown of the top 50 players tools.
Prospect Tm Position June May Change
JJ Wetherholt Spr SS 1 1
Quinn Mathews Mem LHS 2 2
Michael McGreevy Mem RHS 3 4 plus 1
Jimmy Crooks Mem C 4 5 plus 1
Leonardo Bernal Spr C 5 8 plus 3
Tink Hence Spr RHS 6 3 minus 3
Tekoah Roby Mem RHS 7 6 minus 1
Thomas Saggese StL 2B 8 7 minus 1
Rainiel Rodriguez PB C 9 15 plus 6
Andre Granillo StL RHR 10 21 plus 11
Ixan Henderson Spr LHS 11 13 plus 2
Cooper Hjerpe Spr IL LHS 12 10 minus 2
Joshua Baez Spr OF 13 35 plus 22
Chase Davis Spr OF 14 12 minus 2
Chen Wei-Lin Peo RHS 15 11 minus 4
Gordon Graceffo Mem RHR 16 9 minus 7
Travis Honeyman Peo OF 17 14 minus 3
Yairo Padilla FCL SS 18 33 plus 15
Josh Kross Peo 1B/C 19 27 plus 8
Max Rajcic Spr RHS 20 20
Of note, Tink Hence has dropped from #3 to #6. Acknowledging that Tink has time to redeem himself, the inability to get anything done the first half of 2025 season warrants a backward step.
The big positive story in the new Top 10 is the 2025 emergence of Leonardo Bernal. There is a lot to like about what the 21-year-old switch hitting catcher is accomplishing at Springfield. Bernal jumps three spots, from eighth to fifth this month.
Closing the Top 10 are 18-year-old catcher Rainiel Rodriguez, now with Palm Beach, and new St. Louis reliever Andre Granillo. The latter may be on the list for the last time.
Joshua Baez, who showed both power and speed before and after his June promotion to Springfield. His 22-spot jump to no. 13 is the largest this month, but it hardly new territory for him. For example, upon Baez joining the organization in the second round in 2021, he debuted at no. 9. It was mostly downward since, however, to the point the 21-year-old left the list entirely late last season.
Two other major movers upward in the second 10 are 18-year-old shortstop Yairo Padilla in the Florida Complex League, and slugger Josh Kross, who was recently promoted to High-A Peoria.
I find TCN a really good investment to follow the insight of "scouts" Brian Walton and Blake Newberry. They give a great breakdown of the top 50 players tools.
