Tonight Major League Baseball will host the first round of the annual June draft. The Cardinals will pick five first-round selections today because of various losses last year from free agency. The last few years have netted some top talent for the Cardinals who may soon contribute in the big leagues including Shelby Miller, Kolten Wong, Zack Cox, and Tyrell Jenkins. A preview of the draft, with links, can be read below.
The Cardinals' Picks Today
#19 â€" From the Angels as compensation for the loss of Albert Pujols
#23 â€" Based on the Cardinals record from last year
#36 â€" Also compensation for the loss of Albert Pujols
#52 â€" Compensation for the loss of Octavio Dotel
#59 â€" Compensation for the loss of Edwin Jackson
The Strategy
The consensus is that this draft is thin on quality college-level players with more of an abundance of high school talent. In an interview with the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Cardinals’ Scouting Director Dan Kontrovitz said the Cardinals would continue to focus on taking “the best player available†at the slots where they pick. The front office has hinted that they may be willing to take on more a high risk/high reward type player with some picks since they could theoretically balance out the risk with safer selections later.
This draft also involves a change of strategy for all teams, since now teams are restricted on how much they can spend on each player. For example, the Cardinals are given 1.9 million to spend on their pick in the 19th slot, but just 1.775 million to spend on the 23rd pick. The Cardinals can pay their 19th pick more than the slot allows, but then they have less money to spend on the picks in later slots. Ideally, teams contact prospects and their agents so that they have an idea of what each player will demand in terms of pay. The Cardinals may select a player who demands well above 1.9 million in the 19th slot, and then pick a player who demands less in the 36th and 52nd slot.
The Mocks
Kevin Goldstein of Baseball prospectus has the Cardinals picking up Addison Russell, a high school shortstop from Florida, with their first pick, and then Richie Shaffer, a power-hitting third baseman from Clemson, with their second pick. Goldstein has not mocked the “sandwich round†picks.
Jim Callis of Baseball America has the Cardinals picking Stephen Piscotty, a third baseman from Stanford, with their first pick and Addison Russell with their second pick in the first round.
Keith Law of ESPN has the Cardinals taking Addison Russell with their first pick, and Marcus Stroman, a right-handed relief pitcher from Duke, with their second selection.
Clearly the best analysts either have inside information indicating the Cardinals will take Russell, or they just all feel that Russell is a good fit for the Cardinals given where the team picks.
Other Sources of Info
Future Redbirds has an excellent breakdown of the many names the Cardinals may consider picking in the draft including Stryker Trahan, a high school catcher, Chris Stratton, a RHP from Mississippi State, David Dahl, an ultra-athletic high school outfielder, and Hunter Virant, a LHP high pitcher from California. Future Redibrds also will host a live online chat to discuss each of the Cardinals’ selections.
The draft itself can be followed live on MLB.com.
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