2) Carson Kelly
3) Jack Flaherty
4) Magneuris Sierra
5) Sandy Alcantara
6) Jose Adolis Garcia
7) Tyler O'Neill
8) Andrew Knizner
9) Harrison Bader
10) Ryan Helsey
11) Jordan Hicks
12) Edmundo Sosa
13) Dakota Hudson
14) Junior Fernandez
15) Austin Gomber
16) Oscar Mercado
17) Randy Arozarena
18) Zac Gallen
19) Dylan Carlson
20) Wadye Infante
21) Delvin Perez
22) Derian Gonzalez
23) Connor Jones
When discussing the Cardinals’ system, it’s mandatory to point out the number of players who’ve outperformed their scouting reports and grown into quality big leaguers. This past season saw Paul DeJong, Tommy Pham, and Luke Voit continue that tradition while the system remain packed with on-paper performers who otherwise elicit lukewarm shrugs from scouts. After losing their first two 2017 draft picks (and much of their bonus pool) in the Astros hacking scandal, St. Louis’s draft class consisted mostly of players like this, and it’s fair to wonder if the struggles of recent first-round high-schoolers Nick Plummer and Delvin Perez will drive the top of the amateur department to a more risk-averse path in the near future.
St. Louis spent heavily on the international market during the 2016 July 2 period. That group, which consists largely of Cuban talent, doesn’t look as strong as most other pool-busting international classes. Beyond the names mentioned above (Oviedo, Machado, Arozarena, Herrera) the Cardinals were also in pursuit of Luis Robert, who would have ranked second on this list.
This system’s depth, particularly the glut of upper-level outfielders, could help them land a big fish on the trade market this offseason. St. Louis is mentioned frequently in Giancarlo Stanton rumors and, while finances will undoubtedly play a significant role in those negotiations, this system clearly has more depth than any other club thought to be in pursuit, except for Philadelphia. It’s a good system, one that should help reinsert the Cardinals into NL Central contention, either via promotion or trade, in the next year.
It's a great write-up. Especially at the end where he gets into several Latin players that we haven't see much of yet.
Oviedo having his stuff back-up makes sense, and the Delvin Perez bat speed stuff is just weird. It makes me believe he got out of shape or isn't working hard, but that's just simply me guessing.
I amazes me that Harrison Bader, who really should be a pretty good MLB player, and Dakota Hudson, who could be a very good MLB pitcher, are barely in the top 10 and 15 respectively. We have so much depth of talent. And we graduated Luke Weaver and DeJong.
Perez doesn’t appear to have added any weight since being drafted which I find to be stunning. How does a guy access to these types of facilities and noutrishionists not put on a single pound in 14 months?