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I haven't seen him play. The scouting reports I have seen suggest he has a lot of work to do if he is to stick at catcher. My question is, do the Cardinals even want him to stick as a catcher? It seems like if you try to do that you get to the big leagues in 2-4 years and you're having the same conversations as are being had about Ivan Herrera now. His bat has so much promise, it seems like you want it in the lineup everyday. If not catcher, then where does he play? I've heard 2B mentioned. Is he athletic enough for that?

Talkin' Baseball wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 09:40 am I haven't seen him play. The scouting reports I have seen suggest he has a lot of work to do if he is to stick at catcher. My question is, do the Cardinals even want him to stick as a catcher? It seems like if you try to do that you get to the big leagues in 2-4 years and you're having the same conversations as are being had about Ivan Herrera now. His bat has so much promise, it seems like you want it in the lineup everyday. If not catcher, then where does he play? I've heard 2B mentioned. Is he athletic enough for that?

I envision JJ Wetherholt as Cardinals 2nd baseman long term.

ramfandan wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 09:47 am

Talkin' Baseball wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 09:40 am I haven't seen him play. The scouting reports I have seen suggest he has a lot of work to do if he is to stick at catcher. My question is, do the Cardinals even want him to stick as a catcher? It seems like if you try to do that you get to the big leagues in 2-4 years and you're having the same conversations as are being had about Ivan Herrera now. His bat has so much promise, it seems like you want it in the lineup everyday. If not catcher, then where does he play? I've heard 2B mentioned. Is he athletic enough for that?

I envision JJ Wetherholt as Cardinals 2nd baseman long term.

agree to both.. the kid would be better off to grab an OFer's glove sooner than later if he's not a good catcher

JJW is ticketed for 2nd base, if anything give RR an OF'ers glove since that's where we've needed help for a decade.

C. Bloom is going to have a plethora of catcher trade chips once he takes over.

Bernal looks like the best bet as future FT catcher.

Talkin' Baseball wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 09:40 am I haven't seen him play. The scouting reports I have seen suggest he has a lot of work to do if he is to stick at catcher. My question is, do the Cardinals even want him to stick as a catcher? It seems like if you try to do that you get to the big leagues in 2-4 years and you're having the same conversations as are being had about Ivan Herrera now. His bat has so much promise, it seems like you want it in the lineup everyday. If not catcher, then where does he play? I've heard 2B mentioned. Is he athletic enough for that?

You don’t move a kid like him off catcher, especially at 18. He’s good at it.

rockondlouie wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 10:08 am JJW is ticketed for 2nd base, if anything give RR an OF'ers glove since that's where we've needed help for a decade.

C. Bloom is going to have a plethora of catcher trade chips once he takes over.

Bernal looks like the best bet as future FT catcher.

agree

moose-and-squirrel wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 10:03 am

ramfandan wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 09:47 am

Talkin' Baseball wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 09:40 am I haven't seen him play. The scouting reports I have seen suggest he has a lot of work to do if he is to stick at catcher. My question is, do the Cardinals even want him to stick as a catcher? It seems like if you try to do that you get to the big leagues in 2-4 years and you're having the same conversations as are being had about Ivan Herrera now. His bat has so much promise, it seems like you want it in the lineup everyday. If not catcher, then where does he play? I've heard 2B mentioned. Is he athletic enough for that?

I envision JJ Wetherholt as Cardinals 2nd baseman long term.

agree to both.. the kid would be better off to grab an OFer's glove sooner than later if he's not a good catcher

He is a good catcher. This whole premise is silly.

An Old Friend wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 11:20 am

moose-and-squirrel wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 10:03 am

ramfandan wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 09:47 am

Talkin' Baseball wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 09:40 am I haven't seen him play. The scouting reports I have seen suggest he has a lot of work to do if he is to stick at catcher. My question is, do the Cardinals even want him to stick as a catcher? It seems like if you try to do that you get to the big leagues in 2-4 years and you're having the same conversations as are being had about Ivan Herrera now. His bat has so much promise, it seems like you want it in the lineup everyday. If not catcher, then where does he play? I've heard 2B mentioned. Is he athletic enough for that?

I envision JJ Wetherholt as Cardinals 2nd baseman long term.

agree to both.. the kid would be better off to grab an OFer's glove sooner than later if he's not a good catcher

He is a good catcher. This whole premise is silly.

if you've seen him play how would you grade him?

An Old Friend wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 10:38 am

Talkin' Baseball wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 09:40 am I haven't seen him play. The scouting reports I have seen suggest he has a lot of work to do if he is to stick at catcher. My question is, do the Cardinals even want him to stick as a catcher? It seems like if you try to do that you get to the big leagues in 2-4 years and you're having the same conversations as are being had about Ivan Herrera now. His bat has so much promise, it seems like you want it in the lineup everyday. If not catcher, then where does he play? I've heard 2B mentioned. Is he athletic enough for that?

You don’t move a kid like him off catcher, especially at 18. He’s good at it.

I am not disagreeing, because admittedly, I don't know, but you are the first person I have heard say that.

I said it the other day....that I thought BA's assessment of his catching skills last season with the DSL were a bit off. He's throwing out a lot of baserunners in the Low A. He's starting a majority of the games, too. You have to be adequate, at least, bump Sammy Hernandez off a majority of the starts each week.

I want Rodriguez in LF/RF, or 1B when the time comes. If his bat is a real as folks think, then I want him in the least physically demanding position as possible.

I want Bernal at catcher, as I've read rave reviews about his work there. He's also got a good bat, but I think it plays up because he's a catcher. Rodriguez seems to have a good bat regardless of position.

An Old Friend wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 11:20 am He is a good catcher. This whole premise is silly.

Yea, I wrote him off catcher a few months back, but I keep reading and hearing that he's actually not a bad catcher. Not enough to write him off at age 18 when he's got a lot of development time left.

Ronnie Dobbs wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 16:18 pm

An Old Friend wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 11:20 am He is a good catcher. This whole premise is silly.

Yea, I wrote him off catcher a few months back, but I keep reading and hearing that he's actually not a bad catcher. Not enough to write him off at age 18 when he's got a lot of development time left.

He’s the age of a lot of high school seniors. He’d likely be a 1st round pick as a catcher if he was coming out of high school right now.

And Rodriguez has a better body type for a long run as a catcher than Bernal does. Bernal is thicc and could easily grow out of the position.

An Old Friend wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 21:00 pm

Ronnie Dobbs wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 16:18 pm

An Old Friend wrote: ↑06 Jul 2025 11:20 am He is a good catcher. This whole premise is silly.

Yea, I wrote him off catcher a few months back, but I keep reading and hearing that he's actually not a bad catcher. Not enough to write him off at age 18 when he's got a lot of development time left.

He’s the age of a lot of high school seniors. He’d likely be a 1st round pick as a catcher if he was coming out of high school right now.

And Rodriguez has a better body type for a long run as a catcher than Bernal does. Bernal is thicc and could easily grow out of the position.

I don't put a lot of faith in the listed weights and heights of a lot of players, esp. since ABS has shown the heights to be 1-3" off.
That said, it's what we have other than eye-ball review.
Bernal = 6'0 245 lbs per Baseball Reference. 21 1/2 yrs.
Crooks = 6'0 230 lbs " " - 24 in 2 weeks
Pozo - 5'11", 201 lbs (he's 201 if he cuts off a leg) - 28 yrs.
Pages - 5'11" 245 lbs - 26 yrs.
Rodriguez - 5'10, 197 lbs. In great shape, but a kid at 18 1/2 yrs.

I've seen Crooks and Bernal up close at Spring Training and then a lot on MiLB TV, and I think Bernal is in better shape than 2 years ago and Crooks has gained weight.

When it comes to "body type," Crooks, IMO, is not as muscular or agile as Bernal. And Pozo is the worst body with Pages right behind him.
They are all big boys but this screenshot is from today's game and I think it confirms my analysis. I also think he is going to control his weight as he has the past few years and be the best of the bunch - with Pages fourth on that list.
The jury is out on Rainiel.

I thought I read that Rainiel was more like 5’8”, which is part of the reason that if he does move off catcher eventually, his build is going to make it difficult to figure out where he should play.