Why no love for CF Nathan Church

[Janssen]

AB. R. H. HR. RBI. SB. Avg

2025 MiLB Stats 309 60 103 12 46 15 .333 .392 .920
MiLB Career Stats 1341 218 377 24 160 63 .281 .353 .747

Not 100% how good he is defensively but have to give him a shot based on VS lack of offense?

[scoutyjones2]

It comes next year? Cards had their pile of prospects/suspects to run thru

Also, when did Church play in MLB?

[Melville]

Church should be scheduled in STL immediately after the final Sunday in August and become part of the outfield choir.

[Talkin' Baseball]

I don't know if he will succeed, or not, but he's ready to try. By the way, he plays all 3 OF spots and is very good defensively.

[Absolut]

Need to see what Noot can do first.

[Futuregm2]

I don't know if he will succeed, or not, but he's ready to try. By the way, he plays all 3 OF spots and is very good defensively.

Agreed, he should be called up and play CF. At this point it can’t hurt to try.

[sdaltons]

It comes next year? Cards had their pile of prospects/suspects to run thru

Also, when did Church play in MLB?

What does him not yet playing in MLB have to do with anything?

[Hoosier59]

I agree, he should be given an opportunity, but you know that it won’t be Noot, that sits, or Burleson. It will be Walker, Scott, and Gorman.

[Basil Shabazz]

Need to see what Noot can do first.

I think we know.

[StlMike1969]

I do not believe we see Church at all this year. He will get a 2026 ST invite. They are going to ride out what they have the rest of the way and not start anyone's service time until they have to. It is obvious 2026 will be a new looking team but not any big splashes contract wise due to the impending lockout. No one knows how much time that may cost players and teams. At the end of the year when Bloom takes over they will decide what happens to guys that got their shot this year, Walker, Gorman, Nootbar, Scott etc. We can analyze all we want and propose but this is a team ran by a banker they do things by the books.

[rockondlouie]

Need to see what Noot can do first.

Get hurt?

[ClassicO]

AB. R. H. HR. RBI. SB. Avg

2025 MiLB Stats 309 60 103 12 46 15 .333 .392 .920
MiLB Career Stats 1341 218 377 24 160 63 .281 .353 .747

Not 100% how good he is defensively but have to give him a shot based on VS lack of offense?

Up until this year, his great defense (a good arm) was his calling card. Good speed too. Another Smurf, though at listed 5'10" (Memphis has a bunch.)
MLB - Hit: 45 | Power: 40 | Run: 70 | Arm: 60 | Field: 60 | Overall: 40

The Cards have liked him for a while, as he got a lot of Spring Training time years ago when I wondered - why - the guy can't hit. But he's figured out something.

[Basil Shabazz]

Good discussion in this thread.

viewtopic.php?t=1514886&hilit=Church

He should definitely be getting a look over the last 1/4 of the season.

[Basil Shabazz]

I said this tongue-in-cheek in the linked thread...

His minor league progression isn’t that dissimilar from a guy named Jim Edmonds

One can dream!!

Edmonds made it up a year ahead of Church and showed more gap power. But the HR power was similar in their early 20s. Edmond's power at 25 years old really came out of nowhere. He hit 33 HRs for the Halos in 1995, where his previous high was 14 between AA/AAA in 1992.

[Cranny]

It’s criminal that Hampson is on the Cardinals and Church is not.

[ecleme22]

It’s criminal that Hampson is on the Cardinals and Church is not.

Hampson has 22 pa in 21 games.

I don’t like GH, but he’s just filling a small role.