Cardinals Minor League Report – Left Field Prospects

We have completed the infield and make our way to the outfield. We’ll start with a position that doesn’t really carry a ton of importance given the fact that Matt Holliday is still locked up for a few years. Some of these names could still get some seasoning in the system or be brought up to use as trade chips. Either way, it is important to carry a lot of depth in the system and left field is an area where the Cardinals have exactly that. There are a few players to look at that offer the Cardinals depth and security, but not any slam dunks.

Anthony Garcia – Much like first base, left field is an area where offense carries the most significant weight. There aren’t a lot of left fielders that get recognized for their defense, so carrying a stick is vital. Garcia hasn’t played out of short season yet, but has shown good contact numbers and a slowly developing power bat. It will be interesting to see what kind of numbers he can put up with a full season of work under his belt.

Chris Edmondson – Edmondson is another young player with a developing bat. He was promoted from low A to single A last season and responded with a decrease in his batting average to a still respectable .260 and an increase in his power production. Like Garcia, he will need to continue to develop his hitting. If he can continue to show more power or bring his average up to become a more complete hitter, Edmondson could end the year at high A.

David Medina – Medina continues the trend set by Garcia and Edmondson. He hits for a high average (.290) and is slowly starting to show some power. His peripheral numbers decreased with a promotion to full season baseball, but Medina could show some improvement this season as he presumably returns to low A.

Daryl Jones – A former top prospect, Jones has really fallen hard lately. He was named as the Cardinals fifth best prospect heading into 2009 but suffered an injury during the season and has had troubles rebounding. As a third round pick and former top prospect, the onus is still on Jones to either bounce back or fade away.

The length of this post is an indication of the Cardinals strength at this position. There usually aren’t a ton of top flight left field exclusive prospects. Normally, a good prospect is thrown into left field if he is blocked at another position. With the exception of Jones, the players mentioned in this post are still 3-5 years away from being MLB relevant so time will tell the total story with this crop of young talent.

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