MLB Draft: Day 2 for the St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals were very busy during the second day of the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft. The club focused more on getting some hands in the bullpen but also some infield depth as well, mainly at short stop. All in all, the organization did a brilliant job in drafting yesterday.

“Great young guys,” Arizona Wildcats baseball coach Andy Lopez told me on the phone about Alex Mejia and Kurt Heyer. “They’ve been with me for three years. They’ve been extremely important parts of the program for the last three years.”

Round 2, Pick 86 3B Carson Kelly, Westview High School (OR)
“Being a longtime Cardinal fan myself, I am very happy that Carson was drafted by St. Louis,” Westview Baseball coach Steve Antich said. “He works hard, loves baseball, and is a very thoughtful young man. If the Cards can get him signed away from the Ducks, they are getting themselves one heck of a baseball player.”

Round 3, Pick 117 LHP Tim Cooney, Wake Forest
“I couldn’t be happier for Tim,” Wake Forest Baseball Coach Tom Walter said. “He has worked incredibly hard to get himself to this point and to see rthat work rewarded is very gratifying for us all. There is no doubt in my mind that he has what it takes to pitch in the big leagues.”

Round 4, Pick 150 SS Alejandro “Alex” Mejia, University of Arizona
Mejia was named this year’s PAC-12 Player of the Year.
“Alex is a neat story,” Arizona Wildcats baseball coach Andy Lopez told me on the phone. “Alex was not a highly recruited guy. He wasn’t a high profile guy. He’s come in here, been a short stop the entire three years. A starter as well. He was voted PAC-12 Player of the Year, which is quite an accomplishment, when you consider the PAC -12 as one of the bigger conferences in the nation.”

Round 5, Pick 180 RHP Cory Jones, College of the Canyons
“He is excited to be taken by the Cardinals,” said Chris Cota, head baseball coach at College of the Canyons. “Cory is an outstanding young man who possesses a great arm and works hard. He will be a good one for the Cardinals.”

Round 6, Pick 210 RHP Kurt Heyer, University of Arizona
“Kurt has been our Friday night starter for three years,” Coach Lopez said on the phone. “He’ll probably be a three-time All-American in the next week or two.”

Round 7, Pick 240 RHP Kyle Barraclough, Saint Mary’s College
“Kyle was a work horse for us the past four years,” said head coach Jedd Soto. “He pitched a lot of big innings during his time at Saint Mary’s College. He is extremely competitive, which should carry him a long way in professional baseball.

Round 8, Pick 270 OF Yoenny Gonzalez, College of Central Florida
Press release from Central Florida

Round 9, Pick 300 C Rowan Wick, Cypress College
Statement from Cypress College

Round 10, Pick 330 2B Jacob Wilson, Memphis
2012 Conference USA Player of the Year

“I am very excited,” Memphis head coach Daron Schoenrock said on the phone. “I know Jacob is. Anytime, one of my players gets the option to play at the next level, it’s a dream come true. The goal amount is for Jacob to get to the big leagues as fast as he can. That’s the way of the game with Minor League Baseball.

“I think the Cardinals made a great choice. He’s one of the best college players I coached in my 27 years of coaching college baseball. As far as the abilities he has on both sides of the ball, he’s just a pure baseball player is what he is.”

Round 11, Pick 360 SS Trey Williams, Valencia High School (CA)
“Trey is one of the few players in the country that has the raw power to all fields, with tremendous bat speed,” said Jared Snyder, coach of the Valencia Vikings. “Defensively, he has a plus arm with great range at 3rd. Physically, he is by far the best player to play in our valley and the Redbirds got a steal in the round they got him. If he keeps working, Trey has a legitimate shot to start in the big leagues.”

Round 12, Pick 390 LHP Max Foody, The Pendleton School (FL)
“We are very proud of Max’s accomplishments,” said Steve Frey, IMG Academy pitching coach. “For Max, it has been a journey that he started two years ago when he arrived on the IMG campus to rehab an injury. He has now come full circle in achieving his dream to play professional baseball. I know personally all the hard work he has put into reaching his goal. Max has the ability to be very successful at the next level and we look forward to following his progress in the coming years.”

Round 13, Pick 420 SS Brett Wiley, Jefferson College (MO)
“Very good player and character guy,” Jefferson College coach Sam Carel said. “Field rat. This guy has a shot to stay in pro ball for a long time.”

Round 14, Pick 450 SS Anthony Melchionda, Boston College
“I think the Cardinals did a great job getting Anthony in the 14th round,” said Boston College coach Mike Gambino. “They are getting a really good baseball player who plays above his tools, plays hard, works hard, is a leader and will help develop all the younger infielders he plays with. He’s like having another coach on the field. They will love the way he plays and like him even better in the clubhouse. His managers will love him.”

Round 15, Pick 480 SS Bruce Caldwell, Spartanburg Methodist College
“SMC is thrilled to see Bruce Caldwell drafted,” said Spartanburg Methodist College coach Tim Wallace. “He’s a gifted player and we never would have made it to the NJCAA World Series without him. It is always gratifying to see good kids rewarded for hard work.”