John Sickels' Cardinals rankings

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Felix The Cat
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John Sickels' Cardinals rankings

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John Sickels' top 175 prospects

26) Alex Reyes, RHP, Cardinals, Grade A-/B+
50) Jack Flaherty, RHP, Cardinals, Grade B+
71) Carson Kelly, C, Cardinals, Grade B+/B
85) Andrew Knizner, C, Cardinals, Grade B/B+
92) Harrison Bader, OF, Cardinals, Grade B/B+
97) Tyler O’Neill, OF, Cardinals, Grade B/B+
99) Adolis Garcia, OF, Cardinals, Grade B/B+

102) Yairo Munoz, INF, Cardinals, Grade B/B+
104) Dakota Hudson, RHP, Cardinals, Grade B/B+
132) Randy Arozarena, OF, Cardinals, Grade B
148) Ryan Helsley, RHP, Cardinals, Grade B
161) Jordan Hicks, RHP, Cardinals, Grade

The rest of Sickels' Cardinals-specific top 20 is found here.
Austin Gomber
Max Schrock
Oscar Mercado
Dylan Carlson
Connor Greene
Junior Fernandez
Edmundo Sosa
Evan Mendoza
A lot more Cardinals prospects in the top 100 than I expected to see. Reyes was downgraded due to the TJ injury but he seems to really believe in Knizner. Thoughts?

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salukifan2
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Re: John Sickels' Cardinals rankings

Post by salukifan2 »

Wow he has Hicks all the way down at #163?

Hicks is like the 4/5 best prospect imo

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Re: John Sickels' Cardinals rankings

Post by phins »

salukifan2 wrote:Wow he has Hicks all the way down at #163?

Hicks is like the 4/5 best prospect imo
Lots of risk with Hicks, and maybe a 50/50 or greater chance of being a reliever. He's mostly all talent at this point. There is a lot to like, but I can see how you'd have him lower rated if you see him as a reliever who needs to miss more bats. If you like the fastball to play up when he learns to control it better and the secondary pitches to improve, the control/command to improve, the stamina to improve as he matures, you can see hope of a #3 starter.

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Re: John Sickels' Cardinals rankings

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For instance, would you be shocked if someone said they'd rather have Conner Greene? Better fastball, outstanding changeup, reached a higher level, similar issues missing bats, age profile is good, similar bullpen worries, similar results at the same levels.

I'm not necessarily saying I would, I'm just talking about the process that these sites go through and some of the reasoning that gets employed.

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Re: John Sickels' Cardinals rankings

Post by st.lewis11 »

Man, is Delvin Perez already a bust? Is there no hope for him at all anymore?

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Re: John Sickels' Cardinals rankings

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st.lewis11 wrote:Man, is Delvin Perez already a bust? Is there no hope for him at all anymore?
I wouldn't say that, but the work ethic concerns led to him getting heavy and losing the explosive bat speed that I pegged as having future plus potential. Instead his swing got slow and loopy so even when he did make contact it was weak.

Were the PED's the reason he looked so great previously? At this point it is very disappointing for both the team and for my scouting report and endorsement of him.

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Re: John Sickels' Cardinals rankings

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phins wrote:
st.lewis11 wrote:Man, is Delvin Perez already a bust? Is there no hope for him at all anymore?
I wouldn't say that, but the work ethic concerns led to him getting heavy and losing the explosive bat speed that I pegged as having future plus potential. Instead his swing got slow and loopy so even when he did make contact it was weak.

Were the PED's the reason he looked so great previously? At this point it is very disappointing for both the team and for my scouting report and endorsement of him.
Not disputing any of this. Just pointing out that's still just 19 years old and does only have 320 professional PA's. His future -- good or bad -- is very TBD. Tommy Pham is a good example of the need for patience both in a system and in the way we (as fans) judge players in a system. He definitely needs to take a step forward this season.

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Re: John Sickels' Cardinals rankings

Post by Swirls »

Fat Strat wrote:
phins wrote:
st.lewis11 wrote:Man, is Delvin Perez already a bust? Is there no hope for him at all anymore?
I wouldn't say that, but the work ethic concerns led to him getting heavy and losing the explosive bat speed that I pegged as having future plus potential. Instead his swing got slow and loopy so even when he did make contact it was weak.

Were the PED's the reason he looked so great previously? At this point it is very disappointing for both the team and for my scouting report and endorsement of him.
Not disputing any of this. Just pointing out that's still just 19 years old and does only have 320 professional PA's. His future -- good or bad -- is very TBD. Tommy Pham is a good example of the need for patience both in a system and in the way we (as fans) judge players in a system. He definitely needs to take a step forward this season.
There was actually a good write-up about Perez that I read a day or two ago. He spent the winter playing with the Puerto Rico team, which was managed by Yadi and had Oquendo as a coach. It seems to have helped.

I'll see if I can find it.

EDIT: Found it.

https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/card ... -269021474
Delvin Perez righting the ship

Delvin Perez got off on the wrong foot before his pro career even started. A positive drug test for a performance-enhancing drug knocked him from a potential top 10 selection in 2016 and the Cardinals rolled the dice by taking him No. 23 overall. His pro debut in the Gulf Coast League went well enough, but he struggled in his first full season and then broke his hand in early August. But when LaRocque talks about prospects -- Perez is still No. 25 on the Top 30 -- who had successful offseasons, Perez might be near the top of that list.

The shortstop played for Puerto Rico in the World Games in Panama, not only making up for competitive at-bats lost, but getting a head start on what the Cardinals hope will be a resurgent 2018 campaign.

"He had Yadier Molina as a manager, Jose Oquendo as a coach, it doesn't get better than that, right?" LaRocque said. "They were here working out for a period of time, which was great as well. His offseason got started well and that's important for a young player to get. Now he comes to spring that much more readied to compete and do what he has to do.

"He's right in the middle of that process. I was watching him on the back fields working with our field coordinator Mark DeJohn, working on some infield work, and it was excellent. I think he's seeing the idea of how to grind it out every day. His tools are solid all the way around. Like most young players, it's going to take time and at-bats. We're going to be patient. All things are pointing in a good direction and we'll see where it goes as we get through the next couple of weeks. So far, so good after the winter he's had."

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Re: John Sickels' Cardinals rankings

Post by phins »

Fat Strat wrote:
phins wrote:
st.lewis11 wrote:Man, is Delvin Perez already a bust? Is there no hope for him at all anymore?
I wouldn't say that, but the work ethic concerns led to him getting heavy and losing the explosive bat speed that I pegged as having future plus potential. Instead his swing got slow and loopy so even when he did make contact it was weak.

Were the PED's the reason he looked so great previously? At this point it is very disappointing for both the team and for my scouting report and endorsement of him.
Not disputing any of this. Just pointing out that's still just 19 years old and does only have 320 professional PA's. His future -- good or bad -- is very TBD. Tommy Pham is a good example of the need for patience both in a system and in the way we (as fans) judge players in a system. He definitely needs to take a step forward this season.
You're absolutely correct. He has all kinds of time to mature (which is necessary).

That's why I said "at this point..."

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Re: John Sickels' Cardinals rankings

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8) St. Louis Cardinals: I said last year that the Cardinals system was often under-rated and has a good balance of hitting and pitching. I think I say that every year. It is still true. Click here for overview. 2015 rank: 15th; 2016 Rank: 15th; 2017 Rank: 8th.
https://www.minorleagueball.com/2018/3/ ... m-rankings

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