I’ve been critical of the Cardinals organization for several years. I question many of their decisions, including those of Adolis Garcia, Randy Arozarena, Dylan Carlson, and Jordan Walker. I liked taking JJ Wetherholt with their first pick last July. Granted, he was the best player on the board when it was their turn, but they still made the pick. He should move quickly, even with an outside chance of seeing him in 2025 in St. Louis. The Cardinals have several nice arms, including Tink Hence and Quinn Matthews, who could both see the Major Leagues in 2025.
After those three, there are a lot of question marks. I’m not sure it’s enough for a team with some aging veterans to compete for a title. For me, they are a second-tier team. In other words, they might compete for a wildcard spot but don’t have enough juice to have a Championship Level team.
Prospect Snapshot
- Top Prospect: JJ Wetherholt
- Biggest Mover: Quinn Matthews
- Biggest Disappointment: Won-Bin Cho
- Emerging Prospect: Rainiel Rodriguez
1. JJ Wetherholt (SS/2B, #7)
- Highest Level: Low-A ETA: 2025-26 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 SS/2B
- Last Updated: 10/18/2024
- Tools Summary: He makes elite contact with plus speed and average power.
JJ Wetherholt, a promising middle infielder, was initially the frontrunner for the 1:1 draft pick. However, a hamstring injury early in the season, his second significant injury in as many years, led to a substantial portion of the season being missed. Ultimately, he was taken seventh overall by the Cardinals.
He brings elite contact skills with plus speed, although his injury prevented him from stealing bases. He did steal 36 in 2023. He has average power and will likely hit 10 to 12 annually.
He’s a high-floor player who could hit .300 with 80 points more for his OBP. His power upside is in the 10 to 12 range, with a chance to steal 20+ bases annually.
2. Tink Hence (RHP)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2024-25 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 30 SP or Lockdown Closer
- Last Updated: 10/18/2024
- Tools Summary: Extremely athletic with an impressive four-pitch mix.
After a rough end to the 2023 season in Double-A, Tink Hence has been much better in his second kick of the can. He continues to show a four-pitch mix with a fastball in the mid-90s with a high spin rate. His secondary pitches show promise, with his change-up being his current money pitch. His curveball, though, has made strides this season and could also develop into a plus offering. Most importantly, he’s throwing strikes and throwing quality strikes.
The upside could be substantial, and I have put a number two starter ceiling with the floor of a high-leveraged reliever.
3. Quinn Matthews (LHP)
- Highest Level: Triple-A ETA: 2025Fantasy Ceiling: Top 50 SP
- Last Updated: 10/18/2024
- Tools Summary: He’s throwing harder than in college and still has that plus change-up.
I first heard of Quinn Matthews when I read on June 12, 2023, that he threw a 156-pitch outing. The media, rightly so, went wild. The Cardinals drafted him in the fourth round and rested him until the 2024 season. The fastball is better than the draft reports, as he was sitting 94 MPH and touching 96 but with little ride, according to statcast. The change-up is as advertised and is a plus pitch, while the slider is inconsistent. It’s the arsenal of at least a back-of-the-rotation starter, but I think it can be more than that with his improved control and arsenal.
He blew through four levels in 2024, finishing in Triple-A, and has an excellent chance to make his MLB debut in St. Louis sometime in 2025.
4. Sem Robberse (RHP)
- Highest Level: Triple-A ETA: 2024-25 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 50 SP with upside
- Last Updated: 10/18/2024
- Tools Summary: He introduced a cutter that has improved his overall arsenal. He has a simple and repeatable delivery.
When pitchers lack movement on their fastballs, many will add a cutter to the mix to give their fastball some wiggle without losing much velocity. That’s what Sem Robberse did this season, and everything played up.
His slider is a plus pitch that will miss bats, and while his change-up lacks fade, he uses more spin to give glove-side batters a different look. The results were promising. He struck out 8.5 per nine while cutting down his walk rate (4.1 BB/9 in 2023 to 2.8 BB/9 in 2024). I love the delivery as it’s athletic and repeatable. He’s not a finished product, but he is getting close.
He did miss time in June and July.
5. Tekoah Roby (RHP)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2025 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 45 SP with health risk
- Last Updated: 10/18/2024
- Tools Summary: He’s athletic with a simple delivery and excellent stuff. However, injuries took their toll again this season. This time, a back injury cost him to miss ten weeks.
Roby Tekoah can’t stay healthy. The Rangers drafted him in the third round in 2021, and his high watermark in innings was in 2022 when he threw 104.2 innings. In 2023, he threw 58.1; in 2024, it was 38.1. He’s been out with shoulder and back injuries.
Assuming health, the upside could be very high. He’s athletic with a fastball that will touch 97 with plenty of carry and spin. He throws a slider and curveball as his two breakers with a feel for a change-up. It’s all there for him to pitch as a mid-rotation starter, maybe more. He just needs to stay healthy.
6. Thomas Saggese (2B)
- Highest Level: Majors ETA: 2024 Fantasy Ceiling: Middle Infielder
- Last Updated: 10/18/2024
- Tools Summary: He hit at every level until he got to Triple-A. I still have hope that he’ll be a full-time regular.
Thomas Saggese was drafted in the fifth round of the 2020 by the Rangers and then was traded as part of the return for Jordan Montgomery. At the time of the trade, I loved it for both sides, but I thought the Cardinals got a guy who could flat-out hit.
Unfortunately, Triple-A has proven a challenge. He’s become too aggressive at the plate, which has caused him to be exploited by more experienced pitchers. The result is a slash line of. .253/.313/.438. To his credit, he did play better as the season progressed and even got a September promotion to St. Louis.
A ceiling is a full-time regular, but he needs to rethink his approach. The Rangers could have helped him, but I’m less confident that the Cardinals can.
7. Chase Davis (OF)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2026-27 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 60 OF with risk
- Last Updated: 10/18/2024
- Tools Summary: He’s showing more swing and miss in his bat than hoped. There is still plenty of athleticism to suggest solid fantasy tools if he can hit enough.
Chase Davis was the Cardinals first-round pick in 2023 (pick #21). In his draft year, he improved his strikeout rate from 23% to 14%, and when you combined that with his athleticism and potential power bat, it seemed a worthwhile gamble for the Cardinals.
The Cardinals had him play in three levels in 2024 – Low, High, and Double-A. He played fine, slashing .254/.354/.425 with 12 home runs and four stolen bases. However, nothing stood out. He made below-average contact (24%) with above-average contact rates (11%) and a high ground ball rate.
There are still plenty of things to like. He’s athletic with excellent bat speed and should be able to steal low double-digit bases. However, he needs to improve his contact rate and get the ball up in the air more, or I don’t think he’ll be an impact player at the highest level.
8. Chen-Wei Lin (RHP)
- Highest Level: Low-A ETA: 2027 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 50 SP
- Last Updated: 10/18/2024
- Tools Summary: He’s tall and lanky with a fastball that will touch the upper 90s and a plus change-up.
The Cardinals signed Chen-Wei Lin in 2023 for a $500,000 bonus. The 6-foot-7 right-handed pitcher has a fastball that averages 95 MPH and will touch 97 MPH. It has impressive ride through the zone and is getting a ton of whiffs. His change-up is his best secondary pitch, and he throws it hard (88 MPH – T 92). It doesn’t have a ton of fade, but he tunnels it well, and Low-A hitters had no chance. He’s still searching for breaking pitch, with his slider being just an average offering. It’s a starter arsenal, and he has the size (6-foot-7) and control to be at least a mid-rotation starter if he can find a better breaking pitch.
He was too much of Low-A, as he posted a 2.79 ERA, striking out over 9.5 per nine while only walking 2.8 per nine. We should know a lot more once he faces hitters in High and Double-A, but I like the setup here.
9. Jimmy Crooks (C)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2026 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 25 Catcher
- Last Updated: 10/18/2024
- Tools Summary: He’s an excellent defender and is showing the ability to hit with doubles power.
Jimmy Crooks was drafted by the Cardinals in the fourth round in the 2022 Draft as a kid who was a great receiver with a plus arm but would not contribute much offensively. In 2023, he hit 12 home runs with a league-average contact rate. In 2024, he improved his strikeout rate and walked nearly 12% of the time. The swing is contact-oriented, so I expect more doubles than home run pop, with 10 to 12 home runs annually.
While the defense will get him to the Show, he might hit enough not to hurt a Major League lineup, giving him plenty of playing time.
10. Cooper Hjerpe (LHP)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2025-26 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 60 SP or High-Leveraged Reliever
- Last Updated: 10/18/2024
- Tools Summary: Funky delivery from a lower three-quarters arm slot.
Cooper Hjerpe was the Cardinals’ first-round pick in 2022. In 2024, he split his time between High and Double-A and appears to be completely healthy after having loose bodies removed from his pitching elbow at the end of 2023.
Hjerpe doesn’t have the big fastball (91 to 93 MPH), but he has a 70-grade slider and maybe a 60-grade change-up. The delivery has a ton of funk with a long arm swing in which he drops to a lower three-quarters arm slot (almost sidearm). He’ll be miserable on left-handed batters, particularly with his slider, but right-handed batters get a long look and should have more success. The data is split on this point. In 2023, he had significant splits but was better in 2024.
The stuff points to a starter role, but the delivery will work better in a bullpen role.
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