St. Louis Cardinals

BA Grade: 45/High
Track Record: Track Record: Burleson excelled as a two-way player throughout his college career at East Carolina, including earning a selection to the USA Baseball Collegiate National team, and was drafted by the Cardinals in the supplemental second round in 2020. He made his pro debut in 2021 and rose three levels from High-A to Triple-A, hitting a combined .270/.329/.454 with 22 home runs in 119 games.
Scouting Report: Previously known as a contact-oriented hitter who rarely struck out, Burleson began taking bigger swings and increased his power production in his pro debut. He shows a propensity for barreling the ball and making hard contact in games, although the added power has come with more strikeouts as he’s started expanding the zone. Burleson’s bat path is still relatively flat, but he has a chance to add more loft to his swing and hit for even more power in the future. He should even out as an average hitter with average power. Burleson at times plays average defense in left and right field, but his arm is fringy despite his two-way background and he needs to be more consistent. He can also play first base, where he shows good footwork and actions.
The Future: Burleson should start the 2022 season back at Triple-A. His major league debut won’t be far off if he continues to swing the bat well.
Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 55. Speed: 40. Fielding: 45. Arm: 45.

Track Record: Following a freshman season at Villanova split between the bullpen and rotation, Graceffo began working as a starter full-time as a sophomore in the shortened 2020 season and put up a 1.42 ERA in four starts. He sustained that level of excellence over the full 2021 season, posting a 7-2, 1.54 mark with 86 strikeouts and 13 walks in 82 innings. The Cardinals were happy to scoop Graceffo up in the fifth round and sign him to an over-slot $500,000 deal. Graceffo jumped straight to Low-A Palm Beach after signing and posted a 1.73 ERA in 11 appearances (one start).
Scouting Report: Graceffo started the 2021 season sitting 87-91 mph and touching 93, but by the end of the year his velocity ticked up to sit at 94 mph and was up to 98 in pro ball, and at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds he has some projection left to continue adding velocity. He commands the pitch well, pounding both sides of the strike zone. His best secondary is an upper-70s changeup with fading life and sinking action that is at least average and flashes plus. He rounds out his arsenal with a slider that is an above-average offering and a curveball with two-plane break. He also has the feel and strike-throwing ability to start, and the Cardinals were impressed by the way he constantly got into pitcher’s counts.
The Future: After having no trouble at Low-A Palm Beach, Graceffo could start the 2022 season at High-A Peoria. He projects as a back-end starter thanks to his pitch mix and strike-throwing ability.

Track Record: The Cardinals drafted Hence in the supplemental second round in 2020 and signed him to an over-slot $1.15 million deal to lure him away from Arkansas. He was brought along slowly in 2021, appearing in just eight games in the Florida Complex League.
Scouting Report: Hence saw his prospect status shoot up during his senior year after an impressive summer showcase circuit. He has a projectable body with room to fill out, and is already throwing a fastball that sits 90-93 mph and tops out at 95-96 mph from the right side. His breaking balls are his best weapons, a slider and curveball that he shows feel to spin. Both flash plus potential, and he rounds out his arsenal with a changeup that flashes average at times. The Cardinals intentionally brought Hence along slowly, wanting him to have a full season of preparation under his belt before making his full-season debut in 2022. They were encouraged by his mound presence and feel for pitching that he showed in the FCL.
The Future: Hence has the arsenal to one day start in the major leagues, but he’s years away from reaching that point. He’ll make his full-season debut in 2022.

Track Record: The 2018 seventh-rounder from South Alabama played in just four games in the New York-Penn League after signing before making his full-season debut at Low-A in 2019, where he put up solid numbers. Donovan wasn’t at the Cardinals alternate training site in 2020 but started the 2021 season on a tear, quickly advancing out of High-A after 25 games. He spent 50 games at Double-A Springfield before finishing the season at Triple-A Memphis. He hit .308 with two homers in the Arizona Fall League to wrap up the season.
Scouting Report: Donovan wasn’t much of a prospect coming into the year but his performance helped shoot him onto the prospect scene. He’s a line-to-line hitter who gets on base, has a patient approach and doesn’t have much swing and miss. He projects to be a plus hitter, with a high contact rate and the ability to hit mid-90s velocity, but the rest of his tools are below-average to fringe-average. Donovan has slightly below-average power and is a fringe-average defender at second base and third base. Some opposing scouts think he’ll need to move permanently to left field. The Cardinals were pleased with his development this year and added him to the 40-man roster after the season.
The Future: Donovan provides good value as a lefthanded bat off the bench on a Cardinals team stocked with righthanded hitters. He should make his big league debut in 2022.

Track Record: Love worked as a full-time reliever in his first two seasons at North Carolina in 2019 and 2020, but transitioned to the starting rotation for the 2021 season. He put up impressive numbers in 2021 while his draft stock shot up significantly. The Cardinals scooped him up in the third round of the July draft, and Love made seven appearances between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Palm Beach after signing. He allowed one earned run in eight innings.
Scouting Report: Love uses a fastball that sat 91-94 mph as a starter and topped out at 97-98 mph. He has a pair of offspeed offerings that flash above-average, with a mid-80s slider with vertical break and a mid-80s changeup with fade and tumble. Love stood out to Cardinals officials after signing for the way he competed and his ability to command his three-pitch mix. Some opposing scouts feel Love profiles better in the bullpen, where his fastball would play up, but the Cardinals plan to use him as a starter.
The Future: Love has the pitch mix and control to profile as a back-end starter, but he could also become a high-leverage reliever.

Track Record: After a dominant junior season at Kentucky the Cardinals drafted Thompson in the first round in 2019, and he made 11 appearances out of the bullpen at High-A Palm Beach after signing. He stood out in 2020 at spring training, then spent the summer at the alternate training site. Thompson made his upper minors debut at Triple-A Memphis in 2021, where he struggled mightily, proving to be far too hittable and posting 5.5 walks per nine innings and a 7.06 ERA.
Scouting Report: Thompson previously stood out for his loud arsenal, including a fastball that sat 91-94 mph and topped out at 97, but opposing scouts watched as his velocity backed up significantly early in the 2021 season. He sat 87-88 mph with big running life and pitched with restriction in his shoulder. Thompson’s velocity began to pick up as the season progressed, and he was back to sitting 91-94 mph in the Arizona Fall League, where he struck out 22 batters over 17.1 innings of work. His slider sat in the low 80s in the AFL with a low spin rate and flat break, and his plus curveball had high spin rates exceeding 3,000 rpm. However, the curve has very little power, sitting 69-72 mph. Thompson rounds out his arsenal with a changeup that flashes average. Thompson has struggled with his below-average control at times, and it’s imperative that he throws more consistent strikes, especially if his velocity continues to fluctuate.
The Future: Thompson once looked like a mid-rotation arm, but the 2021 season was a step in the wrong direction. He’ll head back to Triple-A Memphis in 2022, where he’ll look to regain his velocity and improve his strike-throwing ability.

Track Record: A 2019 fourth-rounder out of UC Irvine who was a third-team All-American in 2018, Pallante pitched well in the short-season New York-Penn League after signing, but was not at the Cardinals alternate training site in 2020. He showed no signs of rust at Double-A Springfield this season, posting a 3.82 ERA in 21 starts before earning a late-season promotion to Triple-A Memphis. He finished the season in the Arizona Fall League, striking out 22 batters and allowing just three runs in 21 innings while standing out to opposing scouts.
Scouting Report: At 6 feet, 203 pounds Pallante isn’t an imposing figure on the mound, but his fastball is an intimidating offering. The pitch sat 90-92 mph and touched 94 mph when he was in college, but it averaged 95.2 mph in 2021 and topped out at 98 mph in the fall league. The pitch has cutting action and late life, generating ground balls at a high rate, making it an above-average weapon. His low-80s slider is his best offspeed offering, an above-average pitch, and he also throws a low-80s changeup that grades out as average and a mid-70s, hammer curveball that he struggles to command. Pallante has a high arm slot and a delivery with a plunge in the back, which causes him to sometimes lose his balance on the mound, leading some opposing scouts to believe he best profiles in the bullpen. Pallante struggled at times to throw consistent strikes in 2021, but had shown average control before this season.
The Future: Pallante should start the 2022 season back at Triple-A Memphis, but he could find himself shuttled back and forth between the big leagues as well.

Track Record: Nunez, a star at the 2016 15U World Cup, signed with the Cardinals in 2018 out of Cuba, then won the Dominican Summer League triple crown that same year. His encore performance in 2019 failed to live up to expectations, as he struggled between Rookie ball and Low-A, and he spent the 2020 summer at the alternate training site. He got back on track in 2021, quickly advancing out of High-A before spending 54 games at Double-A Springfield.
Scouting Report: Nunez is likely to always be a bat-first player, but the Cardinals had him focus on improving his defense at the alternate site while working with infield coordinator Jose Oquendo. The organization was encouraged by the gains he made, but opposing scouts are skeptical he can stay at third base due to his lack of mobility and his maxed out body. He has a strong arm that flashes plus. Nunez has fast bat speed and plus power, but opposing scouts are concerned with his setup due to a hand hitch that causes his hands to go up. He might never be an everyday big leaguer, but his bat gives him value off the bench.
The Future: Nunez will likely start 2022 back at Double-A Springfield, but he could quickly move up to Triple-A Memphis.

Track Record: MLB suspended Nunez a year due to a discrepancy with his age, but he officially signed with the Cardinals for $525,000 in June 2020. It didn’t take long for Nunez to make his minor league debut, and he spent the 2021 season at Low-A Palm Beach, showing an elite fastball but bottom-of-the-scale control, walking 56 batters in 53.2 innings while posting a 10.90 ERA.
Scouting Report: Nunez stands out for a 70-grade fastball that comfortably sits in the upper 90s and touches triple-digits, with sinking life. It’s the only pitch he’s shown much feel to command, as he struggled mightily to locate his two offspeeds. His slider has slurvy shape with a high spin rate and flashes plus, but he’s unable to land it with any consistency. He rounds out his arsenal with a power changeup, but it lacks deception and he doesn’t have much feel for throwing it. The Cardinals are taking a patient approach with Nunez, understanding it’ll take time for his pitchability and command to catch up to his stuff, but opposing scouts are skeptical he’ll ever be able to throw enough strikes. Nunez has a repeatable delivery, lending some hope that he could improve his command and control.
The Future: After an up-and-down debut, Nunez should find himself at High-A Peoria in 2022. He has the stuff to profile as a late-inning reliever, but he’ll have to improve his control and feel for pitching to get to that point.

Track Record: Drafted in the 27th round in 2017 out of Mount Olive (N.C.), Whitley quickly showed he was a valuable late-round pick, posting a 2.51 ERA at Low-A in 2018, breezing from High-A to Triple-A in 2019 while posting a 1.60 ERA in 50 appearances and making the team’s alternate training site in 2020. Whitley, who made his big league debut in 2020, impressed out of the Cardinals bullpen in 2021 with a 2.49 ERA while proving to be one of the team’s more reliable relievers.
Scouting Report: Whitley leads his arsenal with an above-average fastball that has reached 97-98 mph at times, but averaged 93.7 mph at the big league level in 2021. The pitch has carry up in the zone and induced a 25% whiff rate. His best secondary is a mid-80s slider, an above-average offering that had a 42.9% whiff rate against MLB hitters, and he rounds out his arsenal with a mid-80s changeup. Whitley has a repeatable delivery and has no trouble working north and south in the strike zone. He has above-average control.
The Future: Whitley should make the Cardinals Opening Day roster in 2022. He has the upside of a medium-leverage reliever.

Track Record: Rondon steadily climbed up the minor league ladder after signing with the Cardinals in 2016 out of the Dominican Republic, making his full-season debut in 2018. He reached the upper minors in 2019, spent the 2020 summer at the alternate training site and reached Triple-A in 2021. He put up middling numbers at Memphis, and made his major league debut in June, striking out National League Rookie of the Year Jonathan India in his first appearance.
Scouting Report: Rondon doesn’t have a flashy arsenal, but he’s put up solid or better numbers at every level of the minor leagues, with a 3.29 career ERA in 424 innings. Rondon stands out for his confidence in his four-pitch mix, as he’s unafraid to throw all four of his pitches in any count. His fastball, which averaged 93.1 mph in the big leagues, sits in the low 90s, and he rounds out his arsenal with a slider, curveball and changeup. The slider is an above-average offering, with his curveball projecting as average and his changeup projecting as below-average. Rondon stands out to opposing scouts for his pitchability, but others are skeptical that he’ll make an impact in the big leagues due to his lack of a plus offering.
The Future: Although Rondon split time as a starter and reliever at Triple-A, he’s likely best suited for a bullpen role in the big leagues, where he could help the Cardinals as a middle reliever in 2022.

Track Record: Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2018, Rodriguez spent his first two seasons in the Dominican Summer League in 2018 and 2019, putting up uninspiring numbers while working exclusively out of the bullpen. Rodriguez, who wasn’t at the Cardinals alternate training site in 2020, started the 2021 campaign back in the bullpen for Low-A Palm Beach, but quickly transitioned to the rotation after dominating hitters in June. He made 12 starts to close out the season, finishing with a 4-5, 3.36 mark and 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings.
Scouting Report: When Rodriguez signed he topped out at just 89-90 mph, but since then he’s filled out some and added strength, with his fastball reaching 97 mph out of the bullpen and sitting 92-94 mph as a starter. The fastball misses bats at an above-average rate. He has a good feel for pitching and solid command of his arsenal, especially his cutter, which opposing scouts feel projects as a plus pitch. Rodriguez rounds out his arsenal with a changeup, although it’s a clear third pitch currently. Rodriguez throws consistent strikes, projecting for average control, and is competitive on the mound. Some opposing scouts are skeptical he can remain a starter without a quality third pitch.
The Future: Rodriguez will look to repeat upon his impressive season at Low-A Palm Beach when he moves to High-A Peoria in 2022. He’s likely to end up in the bullpen, where his fastball and cutter give him two quality weapons.

Track Record: Fletcher was originally a member of the 2020 draft class but reclassified to the 2019 class six months before the draft. Fletcher played 43 games in Rookie ball after getting drafted in the second round, and was added to the team’s alternate training site in 2020. He played in just seven games this season in the Florida Complex League.
Scouting Report: Fletcher is extremely athletic, has plus-plus speed and projects to be a plus defender in center field with more refinement, with a plus arm as well. He has fast bat speed and plus raw power, but with a pull-oriented approach. He’s overaggressive at the plate, which leads to swing and miss, and he struggles to hit offspeed pitches. After playing just seven games in two years the Cardinals had Fletcher working with their performance staff in the offseason to get him ready for 2022.
The Future: Fletcher has tools to dream on, but he’s yet to make his full-season debut and is still a raw talent. He’ll likely start 2022 at Low-A Palm Beach.

Track Record: After missing the 2020 summer showcase campaign due to ulnar decompression that led to surgery, Willis shot on to the scene with an outstanding performance during his senior high school season that led his draft stock to rise significantly. The Cardinals drafted him in the seventh round in 2021, and he appeared in one Florida Complex League game after signing.
Scouting Report: Willis has a powerful build at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds with projection remaining for him to gain additional velocity to a fastball that sits in the low 90s and tops out at 96 mph. He pairs his fastball with a trio of secondary pitches that all project to be average or better. His low-80s slider is the best of the three, a future plus pitch. He also throws a mid-70s curveball and a mid-80s changeup, which is a clear fourth offering. Willis projects for solid-average control, and he has good arm speed and a smooth, balanced delivery.
The Future: Willis has the upside of a future big league starter, but he’s years away from that point. He’ll make his full-season debut in 2022.

Track Record: Walsh has pitched well at every level he’s encountered, working as a starter in 2018 and posting a sub-3.00 ERA between the Class A levels before missing the majority of the 2019 season after having Tommy John surgery. He returned in 2021 as a full-time reliever, posting a 1.50 ERA in 13 appearances at Double-A Springfield before a late-season promotion to Triple-A Memphis. He finished the season in the Arizona Fall League, where he struggled in 11 appearances.
Scouting Report: Walsh overpowered hitters at the Double-A level with a fastball that sat 96 mph and touched 100 mph. The pitch has riding life up in the zone and he threw it for a strike 69% of the time in 2021. He pairs the pitch with a big, downer curveball, a swing-and-miss weapon that projects as above-average. There’s some stiffness in Walsh’s operation, and some opposing scouts weren’t convinced by his feel for pitching, though he is a solid strike thrower. The Cardinals stated their confidence in Walsh by adding him to the 40-man roster after the season ended.
The Future: Thanks to his two-pitch mix, Walsh profiles as a solid middle reliever. He’ll likely make his big league debut in 2022.

Track Record: After getting selected by the Cardinals in the first round in 2016, Perez struggled over his first two seasons in short-season ball before making his full-season debut in 2019 at Low-A Peoria, where he put up solid numbers albeit with little power. He impressed in spring training in 2021, then spent the season at Double-A Springfield, hitting .265/.322/.339 with 17 extra-base hits while providing steady defense at shortstop. Perez was not added to the 40-man roster following the 2021 season.
Scouting Report: Perez never had much power coming into the 2021 season, but he added muscle and his frame filled out to allow him to hit the ball harder. The Cardinals were pleased with the improvement of his hard-hit ability, but he still managed just four home runs while playing half his games at hitter-friendly Springfield, and he projects for well below-average power. Perez needs to improve his plate recognition and bat-to-ball skills, which are both below-average currently. He is overaggressive at the plate, with a pull-happy approach. Perez’s value comes from his defense at shortstop, where he’s an above-average defender, a plus-plus runner who has above-average range and a plus arm, and he’s learned to play more under control.
The Future: Perez will likely never be an everyday big leaguer, but he provides value thanks to his defense and speed on the basepaths. He’ll likely start 2022 at Triple-A Memphis.

Track Record: Undrafted out of high school, Mills struggled in his first season at Washington State in 2019, had an encouraging showing in the West Coast League the following summer, broke out in 2020 and posted solid, if unspectacular, numbers in 2021 before being selected by the Cardinals in the fourth round. Mills made seven appearances in the Florida Complex League after signing, striking out nine and walking none in 7.2 innings.
Scouting Report: Mills has good size at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds from the right side with projection remaining and a smooth, easy delivery. His fastball sits 89-92 mph with two-seam action, and he pairs it with a slider. While neither pitch projects to be more than average, he has plus command of each offering. He does a good job of mixing his pitches and attacking both sides of the plate. He rounds out his arsenal with a solid-average changeup. What Mills doesn’t offer in stuff, he makes up for in his feel for pitching and strike-throwing ability. Scouts who watched him in college were impressed by his pitchability and polish, which should allow him to continue starting at the professional level.
The Future: Mills should make his full-season debut in 2022, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Cardinals aggressively push him through the system given his polish. He projects as a back-end starter.

Track Record: The Cardinals signed Cho at 18 when the 2021-22 international signing period opened on Jan. 15, 2022, making the Korean outfielder the first Asian amateur signing in franchise history.
Scouting Report: Cho has a fluid, easy stroke from the left side. It’s an adjustable stroke with good bat control, allowing him to square balls up for a high contact rate and go the opposite way when he’s pitched on the outer third. Cho mostly shows power to the alleys now, but he has the strength projection in his 6-foot-3 frame to grow into more power. That will be key for Cho, who’s around an average runner and can play center field for now, but could end up shifting over to a corner.
The Future: Cho has an intriguing offensive profile, with encouraging early looks at camp in Florida. He will make his pro debut in 2022.

Track Record: An under-the-radar signing out of the Dominican Republic in 2016, Rodriguez put up back-to-back solid seasons in the Dominican Summer League in 2016 and the Rookie-level Appalachian League in 2017, then spent the 2018 season at Low-A Peoria. Rodriguez hit well at High-A in 2019 and briefly made his upper minors debut, setting the stage for an anticipated 2021 encore performance. But he dealt with a wrist injury, missed two months and struggled with the bat in 29 games at Double-A Springfield.
Scouting Report: Rated the best defensive catcher in the Cardinals system in 2020, 2021 and 2022, Rodriguez stands out for his receiving, blocking and game-calling ability, profiling as an above-average defender. He has an average, accurate arm and a swift transfer. Rodriguez has the defensive ability to become a backup at the big league level, but he may never hit enough to get to that point. He has a short swing and solid bat-to-ball skills, but pairs that with below-average power.
The Future: Rodriguez could head back to Double-A to attempt to improve upon his 2021 struggles before making his Triple-A debut.

Track Record: The 2019 fifth-rounder from Georgia Tech arrived in the short-season New York-Penn League after signing, making five appearances (two starts) before a promotion to Low-A Peoria. He spent the 2020 shutdown at home and made his upper minors debut in 2021. Thomas made four starts at Double-A Springfield before the Cardinals sent him to Triple-A Memphis, where he pitched to a 6-4, 3.10 mark while showing impressive command of his three-pitch mix.
Scouting Report: Thomas won’t wow anyone with his arsenal, which includes two fastball variations that sit 90-91 mph. One is a below-average offering, while the other has natural sinking life and is an average pitch. His plus command allows his stuff to play up. Thomas pairs his fastballs with a plus slider and an above-average changeup. He induces ground balls with all of his pitches, with a 50% or higher groundball rate on each offering. Coming out of college there were concerns that Thomas’ modest arsenal would cause him to struggle against better competition, but he’s pitched well at every stop in the minor leagues. In addition to having plus command, Thomas has above-average control.
The Future: Thomas could be in line to make his major league debut after conquering Triple-A in 2021. He’ll likely never be a full-time starter, but he provides value as a long reliever and spot starter.