The St. Louis Cardinals have earned a reputation in Major League Baseball as one of the best teams at developing homegrown talent. In 2023, we saw former top-prospects Jordan Walker, Nolan Gorman, and Dylan Carlson all play significant roles for the big league club, but what has been even more impressive is the emergence of players that weren’t on many radars before their breakout. Brendan Donovan, Lars Nootbaar, and Alec Burleson all found themselves further down the prospect rankings yet have grown into key pieces for the Redbirds.
As has been the case in recent years, the Cardinals have an abundance of batters that could make an impact in the coming year, but the already crowded big league roster could stunt the development of some of them. The starting nine on the MLB roster is likely already set in stone, so these hitters on the fringe will have to be excellent just to earn an audition.
The question mark on this roster continues to be in the pitching staff. The veteran additions of Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson, and Lance Lynn are fine, but temporary. Before long, the Cardinals will once again be tasked with retooling their rotation, and there are a couple names that should find themselves in that conversation when the time comes.
Head over to the Pitcher List dynasty page to check out the rest of the farm system rankings!
Top Cardinals Prospects
The Top Tier
1) Masyn Winn – 21 Y/O SS
2023 MiLB Stats (AAA): .288/.359/.474/18 HR/ 17 SB/16.7 K%/8.8 BB%
2023 MLB Stats: .172/.230/.238/2 HR/2 SB/19.0 K%/7.3 BB%
Winn will likely open 2024 as the starting shortstop for the Cardinals. The 21-year-old shortstop struggled immensely during his abbreviated stint in the majors in 2023, but the intangibles are enticing enough for the big league club to keep the faith in him. Winn does everything fast, he made headlines with his arm strength across the middle, as he touched 100 on several throws to first. Statcast grades his arm strength at 94th percentile in the MLB, just higher than his grade on sprint speed (92nd).
The concerns regarding Winn revolve around his performance at the plate for the Cardinals. He failed to assert himself, stumbling his way to an ugly slash, a far cry from showing what Fangraphs calls “plus bat-to-ball skills.” The redeeming factor behind those numbers is how small of a sample size he showed. Winn registered only 137 at-bats at the MLB level, and the hope is that with more exposure to Major-League-level pitching, these numbers will revert back to what they were in the minors.
Winn projects as a defensive-minded, contact-oriented shortstop. While he may fail to put up super impressive home run totals, he should make up for it with his ability to get on base and his proficiency on the base paths.
2) Tink Hence – SP, 21 Y/O
2023 Stats (A+, AA): 96.0 IP/ 4.31 ERA / 1.33 WHIP / 99 SO
Hence showed some regression from his dominant 2022 season at Single-A, as nearly every statistic ballooned up. His strikeout rate was down, his walk rate was trending up and his FIP and ERA more than doubled as he moved up through the ranks. So if his numbers don’t show it, why is he the Cardinals’ second-best prospect? Simple: He’s got some of the best stuff in the system.
Hence’s fastball explodes out of his wiry frame, sitting in the mid to high 90’s. The heater plays well anywhere in the strike zone, as hitters are forced to respect his 55-grade curveball as well. His changeup has shown signs of life too, as the late drop it generates leaves hitters helpless after expecting the fastball.
The Cardinals have an aging rotation and will look in-house to bolster their staff in the future. If Hence continues to demonstrate his advanced arsenal and is able to adapt to higher levels of the Minors, he may be knocking at the door by early 2025.
3) Chase Davis OF, 22 Y/O
2023 Stats (A): .212/.366/.269/0 HR/3 SB/ 26.0 K%/19.1 BB%
Davis’ stats in professional baseball do not tell the full story. The 22-year-old outfielder lit up college baseball before the Cardinals selected him with their first pick in the ’23 Draft. Davis was named the PAC-12 MVP and a Second Team All-American after mashing 21 home runs with a slash of .362/.489/.742 in 57 games.
Since arriving at Single-A Palm Beach, the elite eye at the plate has been on full display, walking nearly 20% of the time. His swing is incredibly smooth from the left side, with a high stride that generates impressive amounts of torque. While the power numbers aren’t there on paper, it’s important to remember that the numbers above are taken from a very small sample size (34 games). With a little more experience under his belt, Davis has the potential to be a middle-of-the-order corner outfielder with plus power and speed.
Davis has only been around professional baseball for a matter of months, and it’s a long shot that he’ll see MLB action in 2024. Davis will have to bide his time for a crowded outfield to clear up, but he has all of the tools to be yet another great outfielder in St. Louis.
4) Victor Scott II – OF, 22 Y/O
2023 Stats (A+, AA): .303/.369/.425/9 HR/95 SB/15.7% K%/7.4 BB%
One number sticks out when you look at Scott’s 2023 season. 95 STEALS!!! Don’t get me wrong, he’s a solid hitter too, putting up 39 extra-base hits in ’23 to go along with a 119 wRC+. However, he is a true outlier when it comes to his speed on the bases and he will likely use it as his calling card to earn a call up to the Big Leagues.
The former standout at West Virginia University has been a stolen base threat at every level, from the Big-12 to the Cape Cod League, and now in professional baseball. Scott had an impressive 2023 Arizona Fall League where he showcased his elite speed and potential at the plate (18 SB’s in 23 games, .286 AVG, 3 HRs).
As was the case with Davis, he will have to wait in the wings until an outfield spot opens up, but Scott’s attributes are hard to ignore and warrant call-up consideration before long.
5) Tekoah Roby – SP, 22 Y/O
2023 MiLB Stats (AA TEX/STL) : 58.1 IP / 4.63 ERA / 1.20 WHIP / 69 SO
Roby kicks off a duo of pitching prospects that Cardinals fans should be extremely excited about. The right-hander is the second prospect on this list that was involved in the Montgomery trade and may end up being his replacement before long.
Roby boasts one of the best curveballs in the Minor Leagues. The 70-graded (Fangraphs) offering shows incredible depth with a 12-6 movement profile. He pairs this up with a mid-90s four-seamer and a sweepy slider that all culminated in a 43% strikeout rate in his final four outings with the Cardinals in 2023. His low WHIP and walk rates are encouraging signs that once he hones in his arsenal’s full potential, he will be a real weapon as a member of the rotation.
6) Thomas Saggese – SS/3B, 21 Y/O
2023 Stats (A/AA/AAA): .306/.374/.530/26 HR/12 SB/22.9 K%/8.3 BB%
Saggese arrived in the Cardinals system by way of a trade that sent Jordan Montgomery to the eventual World Champion Texas Rangers. Ever since being assigned to Double-A Springfield, the former fifth-rounder has been an elite hitter, putting up a .331/.403/.662 slash in 33 games. He struggled a little after being called up to AAA, but he’s shown flashes of being an elite power-hitting infielder.
A 2020 5th-rounder, Saggese has hit over .300 at every level he has played at, apart from his first season in professional baseball where he hit .256 at Single-A to go along with ten homers. The lone concern with Saggese is the age-old question of where to play him. Winn and Arenado have the left side locked down for the next few years, and Gorman and Donovan have been productive at second. Saggese has the hit tools to earn a big league audition in 2024, but where will he stick in the lineup? Only time will tell.
7) Gordon Graceffo SP, 23 Y/O
2023 Stats (AAA): 86.0 IP / 4.92 ERA / 1.54 WHIP / 81 SO
Of the three pitchers in this section, Graceffo is the most likely to get Major League innings in 2024. The 23-year-old is the lone top pitching prospect in the Cardinals organization to spend consistent time at AAA, with varying degrees of success.
The 23-year-old’s arsenal is what you want from a big league arm, boasting a 100+ mile per hour fastball, with a solid slider. He also has shown a plus changeup and a curveball that isn’t elite on its own but compliments his other offerings well. His biggest issue is his command; his walk rate is still far higher than what you’d like to see from a guy on the fringes of the Majors (4.71 BB/9), but the pieces are there to build around for the Cardinals.
Like Roby, Graceffo will have to wait his turn before joining the Major League rotation, but considering the age of St. Louis’ current staff, he may not have to wait long.
Prospects Dynasty Managers Should Know
8) Ivan Herrera – C, 23 Y/O
2023 AAA Stats: .297/.451/.500/10 HR/11 SB/20.5 K%/20.0 BB%
2023 MLB Stats: .297/.409/.351/0 HR/0 SB/25.0 K%/11.4 BB%
Herrera will likely start as the primary backup catcher for Willson Contreras at Busch Stadium in 2024. While there are concerns about his ability to be an everyday catcher defensively (35 Field grade on Fangraphs), his ability to get on base via hits or walks, plus some sneaky power and speed tools, should solidify his place on the 26-man roster. He is worth a look in deeper leagues, but question marks will linger about playing time.
9) Sem Robberse – SP, 22 Y/O
2023 Stats (AA, AAA): 124.0 IP, 4.28 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 130 SO
One half of the return for Jordan Hicks alongside Adam Kloffenstein (more on him later), Robberse finds himself on the fringes of the MLB roster after a strong 2023 campaign. Robberse is a softer thrower, reaching the low to mid-90s on his fastball, but his secondaries are excellent. A plus changeup and sweeper headline his arsenal. If he starts out in AAA well, he could be in line for some starts for the Cardinals in 2024.
10) Won Bin Cho – OF, 20 Y/O
2023 Stats (A): .270/.376/.389/7 HR/32 SB/21.7 K%/14.2 BB%
Cho was excellent in his first full season as a professional. While he is a few years away from the MLB roster, the Cardinals have to be excited about a player with plus speed, a good eye, and some power potential, all before his 21st birthday. Cho will be one to watch closely in the coming years.
11) Adam Kloffenstein – SP, 23 Y/O
2023 Stats (AA/AAA): 128.0 IP, 3.16 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 140 SO
Kloffenstein put together a nice bounce-back season in ’23 after a rough campaign in AA in ’22, slashing his ERA in half. The righty has a tall imposing frame (6’5″, 243 lbs) and a three-pitch mix that is headlined by a slider that gives hitters fits in and out of the zone. His ceiling is not as high as the other pitchers on this list, but he could still have an impact at the big league level.
12) Cesar Prieto – INF, 24 Y/O
2023 MiLB Stats (AA/AAA): .323/.367/.446/10 HR/9 SB
Prieto was on the fringes of a crowded infield in Baltimore before being flipped to the Cardinals as part of the Jack Flaherty deal. Prieto’s elite bat-to-ball and on-base ability, combined with his defensive versatility will lead to an opportunity to contribute at the Major League level. He is a sneaky power threat too, putting up 21 homers in his past two seasons.
13) Cooper Hjerpe – SP, 22 Y/O
2023 Stats (A+) : 41.0 IP, 3.51 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 51 SO
The former first-rounder out of Oregon State hasn’t had a smooth start to his professional career. Arm injuries have derailed what should have been a breakout year for the lefty. The southpaw has shown flashes of the potential that convinced the Cardinals to take him but has simply not been on the field long enough to warrant a call-up anytime soon. He has still shown an elite ability to strike hitters out, and if he stays healthy for a full season he could be back on track for an MLB debut before too long.
14) Michael McGreevy – SP, 23 Y/O
2023 Stats (AA, AAA): 153.0 IP, 4.12 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 123 SO
McGreevy led the Cardinals’ AAA affiliate in innings with 134.1, showing his durability as a full-time starter. The 2021 first-rounder has a well-rounded pitch mix, with a really good slider. He doesn’t have the strikeout numbers that some guys higher on this list do, but he’s a reliable arm that will be among the first to be called upon if anything happens to the rotation at the big-league level.
15) Moises Gomez – OF, 25 Y/O
2023 Stats (AAA): .232/.293/.257/30 HR/5 SB/31.7 K%/6.9 BB%
Gomez projects as a low-risk waiver pickup in case of an injury to any of the Cardinals’ current outfield. Gomez’s power tool is impossible to ignore; the former Tampa Bay Rays prospect has slugged 69 homers in his past two seasons. The main concern is in his pitch selection, as his high strikeout, low walk rate have been enough of a red flag to prevent an MLB debut to this point. Gomez will likely be a DH at the Major League level, but watch this space if any of St. Louis’ outfield bats go cold.
The Next Five
Although these prospects do not crack the top 15, dynasty managers should keep their eye on these five players.
Leonardo Bernal – C, 19 Y/O- Three years of professional experience entering ’24. High walk rates, and low strikeout rates for a teenager. Look for an increase in power output in ’24
Travis Honeyman – OF, 22 Y/O – Yet to make a professional appearance after being drafted in ’23, but showed advanced hitting tools at Boston College and with Orleans in the Cape Cod League.
Max Rajcic SP, 22 Y/O – 2.48 ERA, 2.0 BB/9 in 123 innings in Single A/A+. Hasn’t had a whole lot of buzz but someone to keep an eye on.
Jimmy Crooks C, 21 Y/O – 12 home runs in 114 games at High A. Crooks has a good glove behind the plate to go along with a power bat. Has already briefly reached AAA.
Ian Bedell SP, 24 Y/O – Injuries have slowed progress, but 2.44 ERA and 10 K/9 in A+ ball last year are signs that the 2020 4th rounder could fly through the minors in ’24.