First 5 rounds: Scott Hurst (3-94), Kramer Robertson (4-124), Zach Kirtley (5-154)
Also notable: Zach Jackson (6-184), Chase Pinder (7-214), Evan Mendoza (11-334), Terry Fuller (15-454)
One of my favorite parts of draft day is watching who the Cardinals take because they're such good evaluators of talent, but unfortunately they lost their first round pick after signing Dexter Fowler and lost their second round pick due to the hacking scandal with the Astros. On top of not picking until #94, they also went underslot with their first two picks, but if anybody is going to pick up late-round finds, it's the Cardinals. Not a single player got a bonus of more than $450,000.
3-94: OF Scott Hurst (unranked)
Hurst went unranked on MLB.com's top 200 and ranked #152 on the BA 500, so I hadn't heard of him heading into draft day. He played three years at Cal State Fullerton, breaking out as a junior this year by slashing .328/.419/.575 with 12 home runs and a solid 36/35 strikeout to walk ratio (12.3% to 11.9%). He has an interesting track record, having been a star as a high schooler but struggling for two years at CSF, then breaking out for the big junior year. He doesn't have any standout tools, but he's a solid defender with a good feel for hitting, giving him a classic fourth outfielder profile, but also making him the type of player the Cardinals tend to have success with. Hurst signed for $450,000, which is $120,900 below slot.
4-124: SS Kramer Robertson (unranked)
A fan favorite at LSU, Robertson broke out in the power department as a senior this year by slashing .307/.403/.472 with eight home runs, walking more (10.6%) than he struck out (9.4%). He has excellent range in the infield, though he may not be able to stick at shortstop due to his mediocre arm. If he moves to second base, he could be a plus or plus-plus defender there. He is not a power hitter, but he gets on base frequently and can swipe a few bags (25 in the past two seasons), and his leadership skills have been praised as well. Robertson, the son of Baylor women's basketball head coach Kim Mulkey, signed for $150,000, which is $274,800 below slot.
6-184: C Zach Jackson (my rank: 136)
The lone Cardinals draftee to crack my top 150, Jackson is a power hitting high school catcher from Florida. He has a long swing that leads to contact concerns, and his defensive mediocrity leads me to label him a left handed hitting Mike Napoli. The power is real and he has a cannon arm, so the Cardinals could get Napoli-type value out of him. Jackson signed for $400,000, which is $156,500 over slot.
15-454: OF Terry Fuller (unranked)
Fuller had the ability to go in the top five rounds, but dropped due to signability, though he ultimately signed for $200,000. Fuller may be the most interesting player in this whole draft class for the Cardinals, showing massive raw power from a quick, powerful swing, though the bat path is awkward and will need to be cleaned up considerably. A left handed hitter, he once knocked a 527 foot home run at Marlins Park with a metal bat, but he has trouble getting to his power and contact will be a major issue. A ridiculous athlete, Fuller was originally committed to Auburn to play football and also had a scholarship offer from Alabama, but he chose baseball due to the decreased injury risk. He's a big time project, but one who has the highest ceiling in this Cardinals class. Fuller's $200,000 signing bonus was $75,000 above slot.
Others: 5th rounder Zach Kirtley is a three year performer at St. Mary's College (.320/.430/.455), making up for a lack of power with excellent strike zone judgement (17.7% walk rate) that makes his offensive profile similar to that of Kramer Robertson. He lacks the defensive ability of Robertson, but he does have a better arm and could be a serviceable utility guy moving forward. 7th rounder Chase Pinder is the younger brother of Athletics infielder and former Virginia Tech Hokie Chad Pinder, coming off a junior year where he slashed .305/.419/.464 with seven home runs for Clemson. He's a classic Cardinals pick, a college performer who can draw a walk (12.8% rate) without big tools. He has just enough range and arm for center field, making him a future fourth outfielder most likely. 11th rounder Evan Mendoza had a huge sophomore year at NC State (.362/.417/.449, 4 HR), but slumped as a junior (.262/.342/.397, 5 HR) as pitchers figured him out. Another capable hitter, he's another utility projection without big tools.
No comments:
Post a Comment