Breaking down early prospect reports of 7 modern Cardinals greats

The St. Louis Cardinals of the 2000s and early 2010s were a team to be feared. A developmental juggernaut, the team seemingly churned out integral pieces like clockwork and found diamonds in the rough in the late rounds of drafts. In other instances, they traded for pieces that appeared to be damaged goods and helped them revitalize their careers.

But before these players were stars, they were wide-eyed young prospects looking to forge a path to the major leagues, and as they rose through the system, they were the subjects of numerous scouting reports that analyzed their skill sets and attempted to project the long-term future of the players.

Baseball America, a hub of prospect information, has scouting archives from the career infancy of many players, and in many cases, the information and observations from scouts differ greatly from what these players become as their major league careers unfold. It's a fascinating look at how players grow, mature and change over the course of several years.

Let's dust off the cobwebs and analyze these old reports on some modern Cardinals legends.

Scott Rolen

Prior to a trade to the Cardinals in 2002, Scott Rolen was an outstanding third baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies. He was considered to be tough to pry away from attending the University of Georgia on a basketball scholarship, but the Phillies managed to lure him in with a $250,000 signing bonus after picking him in the second round of the 1993 draft.

Scouting report: The Phillies' top prospect in 1995, 1996 and 1997 according to Baseball America, Rolen often received comparisons to all-time great Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt. Rolen was noted as a defender with strong hand-eye coordination but occasional issues with consistency and rushed throws. Offensively, reports mentioned that he was a bit too contact-oriented and hadn't yet focused on pulling the ball, which was capping his power, but he was lauded for his advanced eye at the plate for his age. A report projected Rolen as someone who could hit .290 to .300 with 20-25 home runs per season. Several reports praised his maturity and makeup, mentioning him as an extremely likable young player.

Career results: Rolen became a rock-solid defender at the hot corner, winning eight Gold Glove Awards. The power materialized as well: In his first full season in 1997, Rolen hit 21 home runs en route to the National League Rookie of the Year Award. His batting average projections were on point, as Rolen hit over .300 twice and at least .290 five times. Regarding his power, he exceeded expectations, averaging 25 home runs a year and eclipsing 30 bombs three times.

Character-wise, Rolen's clean reputation took a hit in the major leagues after he squabbled with management in Philadelphia and St. Louis. With the Phillies, Rolen criticized manager Larry Bowa, believing the skipper was "tearing down" Rolen's confidence. Later, team adviser Dallas Green said Rolen was "satisfied with being a so-so player." Rolen then rejected the Phillies' offer of a contract extension.

Rolen also had a contentious relationship with Cardinals manager Tony La Russa. In 2005, Rolen and the team disagreed on the severity of a shoulder injury and how to treat it, leading to a rift between Rolen and La Russa and causing La Russa to send a poorly received letter to Rolen. The feud eventually led St. Louis to deal Rolen to the Toronto Blue Jays for Troy Glaus.

Chris Carpenter

Chris Carpenter was a ho-hum starting pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays for six seasons. Drafted 15th overall in 1993, Carpenter arrived in Toronto in 1997 and pitched to a mediocre 4.83 ERA during his time there. Upon signing with the Cardinals after the 2003 season, Carpenter transformed into a beast on the mound.

Scouting report: Carpenter dealt with arm and back injuries during the instructional league in his first two professional seasons, but once he overcame those setbacks, he rose quickly through Toronto's system. As with many highly touted young pitchers, Carpenter dominated the lower levels with his fastball, a mid-90s offering with sinking action, and he developed a power curveball to complement it. Reports indicated that Carpenter needed to rein in his emotions on the mound and that he needed to improve his game preparation. He was recognized for his resolve and grit, with reports saying that he got tougher as starts wore on. Despite being 6 feet, 6 inches tall, Carpenter fielded his position well.

Career results: Injuries were a continual battle for Carpenter throughout his time with the Blue Jays and Cardinals. Elbow and shoulder woes hindered his performance and hastened his exit from Toronto, and in St. Louis, he battled maladies in his elbow, biceps, shoulder and back. His curveball morphed from a power offering into a slow pitch that came in around 74-77 mph. Carpenter credited Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan for helping him rethink his approach to pitching; according to Carpenter, Duncan introduced him to the philosophy of throwing the ball low in the zone and landing his curveball for called strikes. Defensively, Carpenter retained his adept fielding, and he avoided committing a single error in 2001, 2006 and 2009.

Always a fiery competitor, Carpenter generally managed to harness his emotions while pitching, although there was the occasional flare-up behind the scenes, including his stern lecture toward Brendan Ryan when the infielder was late to take his position because he had grabbed the wrong glove. Carpenter's will and toughness remained a hallmark throughout his career, and he also became a studious pitcher prior to games, analyzing opponents' previous plate appearances in an attempt to deduce their tendencies.

Matt Carpenter

Less touted as a prospect than others on this list, Matt Carpenter exceeded all expectations to become a linchpin in the Cardinals lineup for nearly a decade. The Cardinals grabbed Carpenter as a fifth-year senior out of Texas Christian in the 13th round in 2009, and he had a short window to make his mark with David Freese at third base and Zack Cox waiting in the wings. Make his mark he did.

Scouting report: Carpenter was seen as a hitter with a propensity to get on base through his contact skills, and scouts mentioned his strong feel for the strike zone and smooth swing from the left side of the batter's box. He swung from a still position with no weight transfer, which limited his power production, and scouts weren't sure whether he had the strength to develop the pop needed to remain at third base. In 2012, he rectified that and increased his hitting thump, with some believing he could reach 15 home runs in a season. Carpenter was seen as an adequate defender at the hot corner with solid instincts, but given the logjam at the position, there was thought that he could move to the outfield. His speed was below average, but he could steal a base off of a napping pitcher.

Career results: Carpenter owned a .366 OBP during his Cardinals tenure, and his career 13.4% walk rate indicated his keen batting eye. His power developed beyond the expectations of even the most optimistic scouts, as he hit over 20 home runs four times and mashed 36 in 2018. After he spent 2012 bouncing around the infield and serving a few stints in the outfield corners, the Cardinals made a surprising decision when they moved Carpenter to second base full time in 2013. He held his own at the keystone and served as the Cardinals' leadoff hitter despite his unspectacular speed, and he had a masterful season, hitting .318 and finishing fourth in MVP voting. Carpenter excelled in the role for several seasons while spending time at third base, second base and first base for the remainder of his time in St. Louis.

Matt Holliday

A seventh-round pick by the Colorado Rockies in 1998, Matt Holliday was also highly ranked on the gridiron, turning down a scholarship to play quarterback at Oklahoma State and later declining offers from the University of Miami and University of Tennessee. He received a signing bonus of $842,500, then the highest ever given to a seventh-round pick. The Cardinals acquired him in 2009 in a trade with the Oakland Athletics.

Scouting report: Holliday had enticing power potential with his athletic build and exquisite swing and bat speed. He boasted solid strike zone awareness and plate coverage, but throughout much of his minor league career, he struggled to translate his power from batting practice to real plate appearances, with a report from 2003 mentioning that he had only hit 49 in 478 professional games to that point. Scouts still believed Holliday possessed the strength to club 30 home runs in a season at some point in his career, but they indicated that he needed to get his hands in a cocked position while hitting so he could get to pitches more quickly. Holliday began his career at third base but was a below-average defender. Colorado moved him to left field in 2002, where he displayed an above-average arm. Holliday was praised for his leadership qualities, typical of a quarterback.

Career results: Holliday finally began to actualize his power potential in the second half of 2003 and kept it alive after his promotion to the Rockies the next season, socking 14 home runs in his rookie season and 19 the next year before truly breaking out with 34 in 2006. He never eclipsed 30 while with the Cardinals after longer playing in Coors Field, but he still hit at least 20 big flies in those eight seasons aside from his injury-shortened 2015. He evolved into an adequate albeit unspectacular defender in left field and proved to be a strong clubhouse leader who mentored young players in his later seasons.

Adam Wainwright

Adam Wainwright was selected by his hometown Atlanta Braves 29th overall in 2000 and ranked among the Braves' top prospects for the next three seasons. Atlanta flipped him to the Cardinals after the 2003 season in a deal for J.D. Drew and Eli Marrero, where he carved out one of the best Cardinals pitching careers this side of Bob Gibson.

Scouting report: Scouts praised Wainwright's low-90s fastball with exceptional movement as well as his outstanding changeup, and they appreciated his transformation from a thrower into a pitcher even as Atlanta tinkered with his mechanics in 2001. He also had an improving curveball, although many believed he needed to tighten it up and improve its consistency because it wouldn't fool major league hitters the way it did those in Double-A. Wainwright's command of his pitches was advanced for his age, although many were split on whether he could become a true ace. Multiple reports mentioned that he needed to improve his conditioning, strength and stamina, as he faltered down the stretch in consecutive seasons.

Career results: The changeup didn't end up being a huge part of Wainwright's arsenal throughout his career, but the curveball became his signature pitch, sending him to three All-Star Games and earning him an eventual spot in the Cardinals Hall of Fame. Near the end of his career, he was labeled as one of the few true pitchers rather than throwers remaining in the game, as he learned how to succeed with wits and guile even after his arsenal had diminished. His strong command never wavered in his career, and he was a bona fide ace for several seasons.

Following his retirement, Wainwright penned an article in The Players' Tribune that laid bare how he recognized that he needed to take his preparation and conditioning more seriously. He mentioned that after management for the 2003 Olympic qualifiers sent him home because they didn't believe he was ready and Tony La Russa left him off of the 2005 playoff roster for the same reason, he realized that he needed to commit 100% to every pitch and put in as much work as possible to turn into the best pitcher he could be. The work paid off, as he was dominant in the next spring training and for much of his career following it.

Yadier Molina

The Cardinals chose perhaps the greatest catcher in team history in the fourth round of the 2000 draft. Yadier Molina was never at the top of the Cardinals' prospect classes, but he did peak at No. 4 on Baseball America's top prospect list for the Cardinals in 2004, the year of his debut.

Scouting report: Molina was seen as a strong defensive catcher from the moment he entered the professional ranks. He blocked balls well and had a cannon of an arm, nabbing 43% of basestealers in 2001, tops in the Appalachian League, although one report mentioned that he occasionally had lapses in concentration while catching. At the plate, he sometimes had a long bat path and needed to work on laying off of pitches. His long swing hurt his power, but scouts believed that he would develop some pop eventually if he fixed it, with potential for 15-20 home runs annually. He was a bottom-of-the-scale runner. Defensive intangibles were harder to quantify, but former pitcher Rick Ankiel lavished praise on Molina's work behind the dish.

Career results: It didn't take long for baserunners to recognize that Molina rivaled Ivan Rodriguez for the best catcher's arm in the sport. In 2005, he caught an eye-popping 64.1% of attempted base thieves, eventually leading to the well-known stat among Cardinals fans that indicated how the Cardinals had far and away the fewest stolen base attempts against them of any team throughout Molina's career. His concentration issues completely evaporated, and although it took a few seasons, Molina became one of the top offensive catchers in the league to complement his already elite defense. He hit 22 home runs in 2012, his career high. Unsurprisingly, he never improved his speed and was consistently among the slowest runners in the sport.

Molina's ability to work with pitchers and get the most out of them was unparalleled. He developed an especially strong rapport with Adam Wainwright, and the battery eventually set the record for most starts between a pitcher and a catcher. Molina's tireless work behind the plate was perhaps never appreciated more by the team than after his retirement, when the Cardinals front office was taken aback by the fact that his replacement, Willson Contreras, did not possess Molina's otherworldly talent at calling and preparing for games.

Albert Pujols

Unearthed in the 13th round of the 1999 draft, Albert Pujols vaulted to the top of the Cardinals' prospect lists after winning the Single-A Midwest League MVP award in his first professional season, when he hit .324 with 17 home runs. He rocketed to the highest level just two years later and was a key cog in the Cardinals' run of dominance throughout the 2000s.

Scouting report: While in college, Pujols was on the heavier side and didn't move gracefully at the hot corner, which dampened his prospect luster and led the Cardinals to offer him only $10,000 to sign. Pujols subsequently laid waste to the amateur Jayhawk League and received around a $50,000 increase in his signing bonus. Scouts mentioned his ability to hit the ball to all fields and his strong judgment of the strike zone, with him exhibiting poise far beyond his age in that regard. Those watching him expected more power to arrive with further reps. Originally a third baseman, he was rated as the best defender at the position and having the best infield arm in Baseball America's 2000 "Best Tools" midseason survey. Despite Pujols' rating as the top defensive third baseman, the Cardinals were less optimistic about his future there and moved him to the outfield.

Career results: After getting in better shape for his professional debut, Pujols was slated to begin 2001 in Double-A, but he broke camp with the major league club at the urging of incumbent first baseman Mark McGwire. He never looked back, winning the Rookie of the Year Award after hitting .329 with 37 home runs. His strong eye at the plate never waned, as he put together a career 10.5% walk rate, and he continued to pepper balls all over the diamond, with more than half of his career balls in play going to center field. The power surfaced in a historic way, as he finished his career with 703 home runs, currently ranking fourth all-time. After spending three years in the outfield, Pujols moved to first base in 2004, where he would spend the remainder of his Cardinals career, and developed into an elite defender, earning two Gold Glove Awards.