The next crop of St. Louis Cardinals prospects

OF Won-Bin Cho

Prospect analysts for MLB.com recently ranked Won-Bin Cho as the Cardinals' prospect who is "primed" to break out this year. He is still only 20, so he has quite a ways to go, but the outfielder from South Korea is itching to crack the major league roster in the next three years. He left his homeland at just 18 years old due to his strong desire to play baseball in America. The Cardinals signed him via International Free Agency in January 2022.

In his sophomore season, Cho slashed .270/.376/.389 in 452 plate appearances for Low-A Palm Beach. He was also able to log time at all three outfield spots. While his most comfortable position is probably right field, his ability to play all three spots in the grass increases his prospect pedigree. Cho has been busy in the cages this offseason, and his power stroke is a marvel to take in.

LHP Brycen Mautz

Brycen Mautz, 22, was drafted in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft from the University of San Diego. He comes from a baseball family, and his mom played softball throughout her life. The Noot News Podcast hosts caught up with Mautz recently to discuss his progress through the minor league system and his future goals in the organization.

The southpaw spent all of last year in Low-A Palm Beach despite being a polished college prospect. He favors his changeup, but its velocity (86-92 MPH) has the look of a two-seam fastball. His plus slider allows him to generate ground balls often. Mautz finished 2023 with a 3.98 ERA and a .234 batting average against in 104 innings (23 starts).

Mautz's goals for 2024 include cleaning things up mechanically. He wants to keep his shoulder high to maintain velocity and power. Brycen has spent the last few weeks at big league camp this spring, and he is hoping to show improvement in his second professional season.