St. Louis Cardinals: MLB player comparisons for top prospects

Most fans know the names of the top prospects in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, but their playstyle is harder to decipher. Comparing them to current players can be incredibly helpful.

Yesterday, the St. Louis Cardinals added a new top prospect to their ranks in Matthew Liberatore with a trade with the Rays. It added a much needed top arm to the system, an asset the franchise usually has a plethora of in the minors.

Most fans have heard the names, heard about the potential of the team’s top prospects, but don’t fully understand the very particular set of skills that a prospect has. Yes, that was a “Taken” reference. This is not uncommon. Due to the low viewership of minor league baseball, not many fans have the opportunity to see these prospects live like they do the Major League club.

The most relatable way to put these players into perspective is not by using a 20-80 scouting scale, but by comparing them to current Major League players. By doing this, fans can get a mental image of the profile of a player they’ve never seen play before.

Better yet, a “floor and ceiling” comparison is even more helpful. Having a skillset is one thing but results are different. A “floor” comparison would describe the worst case one can expect from a player’s skillset. A “ceiling” would signify if all goes as planned with their development, they could reach this level at the peak of their career.

Note: These three comparisons 100% my opinion and shouldn’t be taken as law. I’m also not saying these players will reach these levels. Some of these prospects could flame out before they reach the majors or add a new skill(s) to their toolbox, but this is solely judging their current skillset.