5 prospects the Cardinals will consider drafting in the MLB draft tonight

#4 - Braden Montgomery (Texas A&M)

Here is where I am going to differ from a lot of mock drafts. The more digging I've done and the people I've talked to, the more I remain skeptical that the Cardinals will go with a high school prospect in the first round. It is certainly possible, but I have a hard time believing there won't be a college player on the board they value higher tonight.

Braden Montgomery is someone to watch if the Wetherholt and Burns are off the board when the Cardinals pick tonight. I could actually see the Cardinals pitching Montgomery over Smith if both are on the board, believe it or not. I lean toward Smith, but you'll see why the Cardinals may not be able to pass on Montgomery.

Montgomery boasts the tools that you dream on typically with high school players this high in the draft while also already putting up elite production at the collegiate level. Standing at 6'2, Montgomery is a switch-hitting outfielder with a cannon for an arm and plus power from his bat. His speed and fielding tools are both above-average as well, meaning that although he's likely to be a corner outfielder, he has the chance to become a center fielder as well.

His strikeout rate isn't the best which will be a concern for teams, but the quality of his contact is off the charts. Whenever he hits the ball, he hits it hard and far. Considering the Cardinals have targeted bats like Jordan Walker and Chase Davis in recent drafts, they may take another swing here with Montgomery.

Montgomery does have an injury concern of his own like Wetherholt, and it remains to be seen how teams will view that. Montgomery broke his ankle sliding into home toward the very end of the season, and while it was a clean break, it is still something that may end up hurting his draft stock.

As I've said with all of these guys, this all depends on how the board falls, but if the three names I listed above are gone and Montgomery is there, we could see the Cardinals select him.