5 prospects MLB mock drafts have the Cardinals selecting with the 5th overall pick

SS Billy Carlson, Corona High School (USA Today)

With the Cardinals selecting as high as they are in this year's draft, there remains the potential that they could go after a high-upside high school player, swinging for the fences as they hope to draft and develop a really impactful player for their team.

Billy Carlson, a high school shortstop out of California, has found himself mocked to the Cardinals by various outlets over the last few months, and most recently by USA Today. Carlson, whom both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America have ranked in their top eight prospects for this draft, is an extremely toolsy player whom many scouts are extremely high on. Carlson has gotten a ton of attention from talent evaluators this spring because of that potential and the fact that he's teammates with fellow projected top-five pick Seth Hernandez.

Carlson's swing is more of a line-drive approach, and while there are mixed opinions on his hit tool, many scouts do believe he can become an above-average hitter and power threat alongside potential elite speed and defense. If he can make good on the projections and add more bat speed and strength, he could be a really intriguing hitter at the next level.

While scouts do not view him as a two-way prospect anymore, he was at one time due to his 97 miles per hour fastball, which should tell you what kind of arm Carlson would have in the field. His glove and arm are the tools scouts are more enamored with, and as Cardinals fans have seen with Masyn Winn so far, a player with elite arm talent, glove skills, and an above-average bat can be very impactful at a very young age.

This is a good time to remind those who do not follow the MLB draft all that closely year to year that teams do not draft based on what their current MLB roster needs, at least teams not named the Los Angeles Angels. Outside of injury concerns or the potential of getting a player to sign a below-slot deal, most teams are looking for the best player available, regardless of position. Most players, especially high school prospects like Carlson, are 3-5 years away from their Major League debuts. So many variables can change by then, and the club will find a way to make it work or use Carlson as surplus value down the line.

If Carlson is the top player on the Cardinals' board when they are selecting, do not be surprised if they go in that direction. I can already hear the Dylan Carlson jokes coming now, though.