5 risers (and 5 fallers) among the St. Louis Cardinals' top 30 prospects

MLB Pipeline updates its prospect lists, both overall and organizational, a few times each year. The most recent update, which came on August 10th, showed dramatic changes within the Cardinals system.
Victor Scott II steals second at the 2023 All-Star Futures Game
Victor Scott II steals second at the 2023 All-Star Futures Game / Alika Jenner/GettyImages
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Gordon Graceffo - Down 3 Spots

Graceffo dropping three spots isn't a huge deal. He's only on this list because of his status as a top prospect. Graceffo was selected in the fifth round of the 2021 draft out of Villanova. He broke out in a huge way in 2022. His fastball is one of the best in the Cardinals' system, and it's a big reason why some believe he has front-of-the-rotation potential.

This season has been a letdown by comparison. Graceffo has been considerably less effective in Memphis. He's walking more batters than previously and his strikeout rate has fallen. He is, however, doing a better job preventing home runs.

The real problem with 2023 has been health. Graceffo has been limited to 13 starts this year, though he's healthy now. After missing all of May and half of June, Graceffo looked better in June and July. This season will not dramatically affect how the Cardinals view Graceffo. His promotion to AAA was aggressive, and many anticipated that he would struggle as he adjusted to the level. Injuries have lengthened that adjustment period. Graceffo has plenty of time on his side.

Dropping three spots on this list is irrelevant to his (or really anyone's) development. It is possible that Graceffo appears for the Cardinals in September, but a 2024 call-up is more likely. He's going to be fun to watch!