5 Cardinals prospects who could force their way onto top 100 lists soon

It is top 100 prospect list season across Major League Baseball, as each major publication is releasing its lists of top prospects in the game, and the St. Louis Cardinals have had a few of their own mentioned on those lists.

JJ Wetherholt, Tink Hence, and Quinn Mathews highlight every top 100 list thus far, with names like Jimmy Crooks III and Thomas Saggese sneaking their way onto a few lists as well. This is a fun time of year as the first lists of the year come out, but as we all know, these lists are a reflection of a moment in time, and soon enough, names will graduate from the list, fall off the list, rise up the ranking, or plummet in the rankings.

Most prospect outlets are ranking the Cardinals' farm system in the middle of the pack in baseball, but there are multiple names in their system who, with good years on the field, have the tools necessary to make their way onto these lists in the near future.

Today, I am going to look at 5 Cardinals prospects you should know who may make their way onto the top 100 lists before we know it

C Rainiel Rodriguez

The first name on this list gives me the opportunity to preface a few things. No, I do not expect all five of these names to make a top 100 list soon, or maybe ever at all. These are just players on my radar for various reasons because of the leap they could make.

Rainiel Rodriguez may have the most variance of any name on this list. On one hand, the recently turned 18-year-old catcher has already stolen the show thus far in the DSL with his high-end production. At just 17 years old, Rodriguez slashed .345/.462/.683 (1.145 OPS) with 10 home runs and 38 RBI in just 142 at-bats. He boasts immense power already for his age and his plate skills are clearly head and shoulders above what his contemporaries at the moment

Even though he was a DSL All-Star this past year, Rodriguez still has a long way to go to prove he's not just able to produce at a high level against teenagers, but that he's able to progress both offensively and defensively as he rises in competition level. Being that physically mature at age 17 means Rodgiruez may not have the same success against better-developed talent, but if he mashes at higher levels, people will take him seriously quickly. He projects to have plus power and an above-average hit tool.

There are real questions about whether or not he can stick behind the plate or end up a first baseman. That will also play a major role in how he is viewed as a prospect moving forward.