St. Louis Cardinals: Baseball America’s top 10 prospects are released

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 18: Alex Reyes #61 of the St. Louis Cardinals delivers the pitch during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on September 18, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Stephen Lam/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 18: Alex Reyes #61 of the St. Louis Cardinals delivers the pitch during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on September 18, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Stephen Lam/Getty Images)

As they do every year around this time, Baseball America has released their top 10 prospects lists and their list for the St. Louis Cardinals featured a few new names fans should learn about.

Baseball America has gotten to the point in their year where they release the top ten prospects lists for the NL Central. The St. Louis Cardinals‘ portion of that list features a few new names that haven’t been on the list in years past but who are rising fast. Some of these players could still be moved this offseason, but with the Cardinals already making their big trade for Goldschmidt, another trade involving top ten prospects is not too likely.

Fans will want to get to know these names as often times, they will be the future of this team. A lot of publications do their own versions of lists but often times Baseball America is among the ones I agree with most. All of them differ but it’s just one opinion. One of the things that I do disagree with with these lists is who they choose to not leave off, but we will get to that in due time.

With all that being said, let’s take a look at how Baseball America has chosen to rank the top ten players in the St. Louis Cardinals’ farm system.

#10: OF Dylan Carlson

Breakdown- Age: 19, Bats: Switch, Throws: Left, Highest level: A+ Palm Beach, ETA: 2020

Relevant Stats: .246/.348/.390 in 2018.

#9: 3B Malcom Nunez

Breakdown- Age: 17, Bats: Right, Throws: Right, Highest level: Dominican Summer League, ETA 2024

Relevant Stats: .415/.497/.774 in 2018, a 1.272 OPS over 199 at bats.

#8: C Andrew Knizner

Breakdown- Age: 23, Bats: Right, Throws: Right, Highest level: AAA Memphis, ETA: 2019

Relevant Stats: .313/.368/.430 combined at AA and AAA in 2018.

#7: OF Lane Thomas

Breakdown- Age: 23, Bats: Right, Throws: Right, Highest level: AAA Memphis, ETA: 2019

Relevant Stats: .264/.333/.489 with 27 homers combined in 2018.

#6: LHP Genesis Cabrera

Breakdown- Age: 22, Bats: Left, Throws: Left, Highest level: AAA Memphis, ETA: 2019

Relevant Stats: 1.26 ERA, 13.2 K/9, .628 WHIP in the Dominican Winter League.

#5: 3B Elehuris Montero

Breakdown- Age: 20, Bats: Right, Throws: Right, Highest level: A+ Palm Beach, ETA: 2021

Relevant Stats: .315/.371/.504 with 16 homers combined in 2018. Midwest league MVP.

#4: 3B Nolan Gorman

Breakdown- Age: 18, Bats: Left, Throws: Right, Highest level: A Peoria, ETA: 2021

Relevant Stats: .291/.380/.570 with 17 homers combined in 2018. 

#3: RHP Dakota Hudson

Breakdown- Age: 24, Bats: Right, Throws: Right, Highest level: MLB

Relevant Stats: 2.63 ERA, 3.86  FIP in 26 relief appearances in the Cardinals bullpen in 2018.

#2: OF Tyler O’Neill

Breakdown- Age: 23, Bats: Right, Throws: Right, Highest level: MLB

Relevant Stats: .254/.303/.500 in 130 at bats with the Cardinals, 35 homers combined in 2018.

#1: RHP Alex Reyes

Breakdown- Age: 24, Bats: Right, Throws: Right, Highest level: MLB

Relevant Stats: One four inning start in 2018 before being injured with a lat strain.

Looking at the list as a whole, I think there are a couple of places that people will disagree. Number one, Malcom Nunez has not played a single inning on US soil. He hit for a 1.272 OPS in the Dominican Summer League but that was in a league of people his own age on different soil. I am not saying he won’t end up being a good player but I think ranking him this high this quickly is not the right place for him.

Dylan Carlson, even with mediocre numbers, has continued to be the humble and steady player we want him to be. That being said, this year is very important for the 19-year-old though because it’s getting to the point where he needs to start showing up on the stat sheet more than what he is currently.

Andrew Knizner know moves up into the coveted “catching prospect blocked by Yadier Molina” role after the Carson Kelly trade. The St. Louis Cardinals are giving him the responsibility to be the starting catcher at AAA Memphis for the year which will be an important test for him.

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Both Lane Thomas and Genesis Cabrera will probably have an effect on the major league squad this year as they both have electric potential. Thomas cracked 27 homers last year and Cabrera has dominated the Dominican Winter League. Both are on the short list of call up candidates the first time there’s an injury.

Nolan Gorman and Elehuris Montero both had amazing, breakout years. Montero looks to be the more polished hitter at this point, but both of them have the potential to make the 2021 Cardinals a very fun team to watch. Don’t worry about having them both at third base, positional projection is not the issue with prospects.

The last spot that I disagree with is even including the final three players on the list. I don’t think that either of these players deserve to still be on here and only are because they still have some rookie eligibility left.

Dakota Hudson seems to have a shot to crack the starting rotation this year for the team after being a force in the bullpen in 2018. Tyler O’Neill has the fourth outfielder spot on lock and has the potential to step into an expanded role if Dexter Fowler begins the season like he ended 2018. Alex Reyes should be good to go just after Spring Training starts, and will be an important x-factor for the Cardinals in 2019 as he has a chance to start or close, he is not a lost prospect yet.

Next. Starting pitching will be the Cardinals’ crutch in 2019. dark

Overall, this list pretty much hits the spot on where the players should be ranked. I think it would be very easy to see five of these names in St. Louis during the 2019 season as the St. Louis Cardinals continue to graduate major league talent from their farm. Some of these players will be traded, some will fall off the map and some will outperform their projections; that’s the excitement in prospects.