St. Louis Cardinals Top 20 Prospects

by John Sickels on Feb 25, 2006 5:21 PM EST in News Comment 16 comments

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS TOP 20 PROSPECTS

Anthony Reyes, RHP, Grade B+
Colby Rasmus, OF, B+
Cody Haerther, OF, B+
Tyler Greene, SS, B-
Adam Wainwright, RHP, B-
Mark McCormick, RHP, B-
Nick Stavinoha, OF, B-
Bryan Anderson, C, B-
Travis Hanson, 3B, C+
Chris Lambert, RHP, C+
Juan Mateo, RHP, C+
Stuart Pomeranz, RHP, C+
Eric Haberer, LHP, C+
Tyler Herron, RHP, C+
Nick Webber, RHP, C+
Mark Worrell, RHP, C+
A.J. Van Slyke, OF, C+
Mike Parisi, RHP, C+
Tyler Johnson, LHP, C
Rick Ankiel, OF, C

An improving system, with growing depth in interesting pitchers.

I'm very intrigued with the bat of catching prospect Bryan Anderson. He may have to switch positions, but his hitting should carry forward.

A lot of these C+ guys are interchangeable, so don't get too worked up because one guy is at 12 and another at 18.

I saw A.J. Van Slyke play a lot of college ball, and I think he will hit.

Rick Ankiel. . .should we regard him as a prospect? I put him in the book due to popular demand, and I do think he can contribute as a bat off the bench.

Blake Hawksworth is at 21. He's a Grade C until he can prove he can stay healthy.

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Comments

Any thoughts on Rasmus

I know it's still very early but Rasmus had a decent debut in the minors. Supposedly, his tools are very good. His only weakness is the ability to hit breaking pitches resulting in a high numebr of strikeouts. Will Rasmus be the real deal or will he fizzle out like other Cardinal postional prospects?

by slugggo on Feb 25, 2006 7:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Ankiel could be....

a gut that extends your active roster to 26 for all extensive purposes if he would pitch again. I remember that he came back sorta in a relief role and then just gave up pitching the following spring. Was it injury related? I cannot seem to remember. Unlike the Dave McCarty's of the world Ankiel could seemingly pitch under circumstances where the game is not already laughably out of reach for either side and is not a bad guy to leave in the OF either.

Being a lefty wouldn't it be cool if he were used as a LOOGY and then rotated back to LF. The pitcher and he could shift (I think that this tactic was actually used by the Orioles in the 70's on a couple of occasions)from LF and Pitcher.

Just a thought I guess.

by Terry Ryan Jr on Feb 25, 2006 7:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Forget it

He's said he won't do it, and that were the Cardinals to cut him and some other team pick him up as a pitcher, he wouldn't do it then either. It seems to be something mental, not that I'm slamming him, just a legitimate phobia or something that leads to his loss of control. He might change his mind down the road, but that seems doubtful, unless maybe he bombs out as a hitter.

If only these guys were baseball cards that could be plugged into the roles we think are most appropriate for them. Unfortunately, they're human beings with strengths, weaknesses and foibles, and I'm pretty sure he'd rather retire at this point than set foot on a mound again.

by Flynn Blake on Feb 25, 2006 8:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Juan Mateo

Would Mateo had made the top 20 list had he been with the Cards longer? His FSL stats were better than either Pomeranz' or Lambert's and they are of similar age.

by acr on Feb 25, 2006 9:10 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

didn't see him the first time through

sorry

by acr on Feb 25, 2006 9:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Stavinoha

Seems like the real deal. I saw him this August, and he stung the ball the whole game. He went 3 for 5 with a walk, 3 runs and a homerun. Everything he hit was hit hard. I like to see you ranked him so high, I thought maybe I was getting over excited about him.

He is pretty old at 24, but I think he can hit well enough to make the jump to AAA this season.

by erik on Feb 25, 2006 9:16 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

oops

he's 23, but turns 24 in May

by erik on Feb 25, 2006 9:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

John

Would Reyes get an A- if there were no injury concerns?

"I wish I knew how to quit you James Loney."

by jamesloney4life on Feb 25, 2006 10:40 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

i wouldn't think so..

reyes has the ceiling of a two, while guys like cain and billingsley got A- grades. that have #1 ceilings and are very close to reaching those.

when your ERA has letters and not numbers, it's a bad thing- kevin goldstein

by WakeboardJock on Feb 26, 2006 9:57 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Ankiel

It's hard to call anyone 26 years old in AA a prospect, even given that he has some power. I just don't think he'll develop much more as a hitter.

Pitching wise, it's just a shame.

by steve johnson on Feb 25, 2006 11:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

age

most of the reason age is such a big deal prospect-wise is because it is a stand-in for total baseball experience. most of these guys don't develop physically after they are about 18 or 19 (though some hit the weight room and fill out), but they continue to improve their baseball skills until they are 27 or so. but ankiel has only been a hitter for about one healthy year, and he seems to have some aptitude for it. so his ceiling is certainly higher than your average 26-year old hitter in AA, because there's still a great deal he can learn about hitting.

by jpahk on Feb 25, 2006 11:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Options

He ain't got 'em.. Cards have to keep him in the majors or let him pass through waivers to send him back down. LaRussa's been talking like he has a shot to break with the club, but I think it's unlikely. The question is whether a change of scenery out of the Cards organization would do him any good at this stage.

I am reminded of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "I drank what?"

by kings33 on Feb 26, 2006 7:38 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

No Trey Hearne?

I'm shocked. And a little hurt.

by StickRat on Feb 26, 2006 1:40 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Will Van Slyke get over his maturity problems?

He was suspended multiple times before he got hurt in a fight. He seems like he has a huge chip on his shoulder, like why should he have to bother with playing low minors. The comments that were made by some of his teammates after that fight were pretty damning.

Sometimes being the kid of a major leaguer is a good thing. Sometimes not.

by cdamon on Feb 27, 2006 9:22 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Latin American Cardinals Prospects

John,

Did Jose Martinez come close to making your list? He is a 19-yr old SS/2B (primarily plays SS, but may be moved because of a glut of young SS prospects Solano, Greene, Ryan) from Venezuela who made his debut last year and did very well in the Appy league. He is said to be a very good athlete as well. Was it just his inexperience that kept him off the list, or the fact that he just hasn't been recognized much yet? I was also wondering the same thing about Donovan Solano, our SS from the DR who made his debut at 17 last year in the Appy and NY-Penn leagues. Have you heard any reports on him? Thanks.

What is nice is that they are making a strong push into Latin America currently (finally) and this will bear quite a few prospects that bear watching over the next couple of years -

Edgar Lara - 16 yo OF with great power, good swing, and an above-average arm from the DR

Jairo Martinez - 18 yo potential "five-tool" OF from the DR

Wilmer Alvarado - an 18 yo 3B/C who is said to project as an everyday 3B and middle-of-the-lineup guy from Venezuela

Simon Brito - a "potential" 5-tool CF from the DR

by KCardinal on Mar 3, 2006 5:41 AM EST reply actions 0 recs