An Interview With St. Louis Cardinals Prospect James Ramsey

I recently had a chance to speak to James Ramsey, former Florida State University standout and current St. Louis Cardinal prospect.  After his solid performance in this year’s College World Series run for FSU, he was a first rounder.  From what I could tell, he is a great guy, and will be molded into a Cardinal’s great before long.  Here’s what he had to say.

James Benoit:  Dan Kantrovitz, the Cardinals scouting director, had high praise for you.  He called you the most dominant college bat of 2012. How does it feel to hear that from someone who obviously knows talent when he sees it?

James Ramsey: The Cardinals organization from top to bottom has been great to me from the
minute I began meeting with Rob Fidler, my area scout.  They have a great eye for talent, getting it into the system, and developing players for the biggest stage (MLB).

With all of the great college players, it means a lot to be considered the most dominant bat.  And knowing the Cardinals, that’s probably based on objective information, not one person’s opinion.

Benoit:  Is there a story at all behind your choice of uniform number at FSU? Will you be keeping the same throughout the minors and bigs?

Ramsey:  I have always liked 23, and am wearing it right now in Palm Beach, but have
never been one to get too attached to a specific number to be honest.  I’m not superstitious at
all, so I’ll continue wearing whatever number they give me on the way up.

Benoit:  Your time so far with Palm Beach has shown pretty solid performance.  What’s the team chemistry like down there?

Ramsey:  The group of guys have been unbelievably accepting of me since arriving down
here.  It starts with the top, as the coaching staff here is tremendous.  Knowing I was coming straight to High A, everyone knew there would be some adjustments.  I’m just trying to get better each day.

Benoit:  Your faith seems to play a vital role in your life, as you’ve been called the Tim Tebow of FSU. How does your faith life translate to your work both on and off the diamond?

Ramsey:  My faith is my number 1 priority – absolutely ZERO exceptions.  It allows me to stay humble in success, confident in failure, and realize that I can go to bed easy each night knowing my Savior has already done it all for me, all I have to do is follow His will.  On the diamond, I’m trying to start with actions first, then bring the Gospel to our clubhouse more each day.  Being compared to Tim Tebow has been a daily occurrence for me over the last 2 years, and I take as an extreme compliment.

Benoit:  What were some of your most memorable moments from your time at Florida State University?

Ramsey:  There are too many to name, but just as many happened off the field than did on it.  Being able to have the platform with my faith was undeserved, but I accepted that with humility.  Being able to play in the College World Series twice was unbelievable!  Overall, the relationships with my teammates is what I will remember and cherish most.

Benoit:  Besides signing your contract, have you had any “pinch me, is this real” moments yet?

Ramsey:  Not really, to be completely honest.  Sure, there are plenty of moments in which I’m thankful to be here living out my childhood dream.   All in all though, I feel comfortable where I’m at, and my blue collar mentality is not circumstantial.  I’m always going to be the same guy, trying to give God the glory in the best and worst times in my life.

James Ramsey was truly class-act, and I can’t wait to see him make The Show!  It’s truly remarkable having such talent coupled with a man who has his head on straight.  That’s what creates a leader in the clubhouse, as well as off the field.  Look for Ramsey, and keep up with his rise to the big leagues.  Chances are, he will struggle some, but look the kinks to be quickly ironed out.  If you’re looking for a little inspiration in your life, you can follow Ramsey on Twitter too (@jamesramsey23).  For more in depth minor league coverage, be sure to visit FanSided’s MiLB page (http://www.seedlingstostars.com)