St. Louis Cardinals: Where are the top prospects of 2014?

What happened to the St. Louis Cardinals top prospects from 2014?

5. RHP Jack Flaherty

The 34th overall pick in 2014 was Jack Flaherty, and he’s lived up to that hype. In his inaugural season, he struck out 28 batters in 22 innings. That is quite the introduction to professional baseball.

There are some who would consider Flaherty to be the most impressive St. Louis Cardinals rookie this season. He’s thrown for a 3.08 ERA in 26 starts. His strikeout totals are still impressive, throwing 174 in 143 innings.

4. RHP Alex Reyes

What more is there so say about the great enigma that is Alex Reyes? In 2014, he struck out 137 batters in 109 innings during his year with Peoria. That is part of what got him on the fast track to being the top prospect in the Cardinals organization.

Since then, injuries have derailed the once bright career of Reyes. He was out all of 2017 following Tommy John surgery, then made a comeback in 2018. He was looking extremely strong until he fell to injury again, this time in his shoulder.

3. LHP Marco Gonzales

Another first round pick, just a year earlier in 2013, Marco Gonzales was able to jump as high as Double A. The jump in level resulted in a climb from five to three in the 2014 prospect rankings for the southpaw.

In a brilliant trade, Gonzales was turned into Tyler O’Neill last season. It worked out well for both sides. The upside of O’Neill is amazing, and Gonzales is finally getting regular starts in Seattle. He recently ended a stint on the DL.

2. LHP Rob Kaminsky

There was a lot of hype about around Rob Kaminsky, especially following his 2014 season with Peoria where he went 8-2 with a 1.88 ERA. He continued to find success in the St. Louis Cardinals organization in 2015 before he was traded.

In another deal with the Indians, the Cardinals send Kaminsky off in order to get Brandon Moss. Since then Kaminsky’s career has kind of stalled out. He is still in the Cleveland farm system, but has yet to pitch higher than Double A.

1. OF Stephen Piscotty

The St. Louis Cardinals supplemental round pick in 2012 rose to the top of the prospect list for the organization, and with his crown Stephen Piscotty hit .288 in a full year with Memphis. He broke into the majors the next year, hitting .305 in 63 games.

The story behind his trade is one of the best ones in sports. He was dealt to Oakland to be near his mother in her time of need. In return, the Cardinals got Max Schrock who is ranked 11th among prospects, and Yairo Munoz who has been very helpful in the majors this season.

There they are, the top prospects of 2014. Some have built careers with the St. Louis Cardinals and been dealt, and some careers are still building. The road to the majors is not a straight line, and this group is just one small example of that.