ITB: Prospect Watch Spring Training Week 1

ITB Prospect Watch: Checking in on the Young Guys After a Week of Grapefruit League Action

By Evan Walsh

Although there will likely be little controversy on the Cardinals’ roster outlook in 2020 outside of the closer role, Spring Training down in Jupiter gives both fans and the front office a chance to get a closer glimpse at the young talent that could be taking the field in downtown STL before we know it. Today we will look at a select group of prospects who have either impressed or disappointed in their first week of 2020 action, and hopefully give insight into what they will bring to the organization in the years to come.

Trending Up:

Dylan Carlson

● As crazy as it seems, the 2019 Texas League MVP and St. Louis’ #1 prospect has only added to

his already stellar resumé so far, posting a 1.397 OPS in his 14 Grapefruit League at bats. The switch-hitting OF from Cal State-Fullerton has shown great plate discipline for such a young hitter, already having drawn 4 walks for a .611 OBP. Carlson made a statement in his first game with a 110 MPH rocket that almost took Yerfy Ramirez’s head off last Saturday, and from Tuesday-Saturday had reached base in seven consecutive plate appearances.

Genesis Cabrera

● In the later stages of 2019, Cabrera flashed signs of the top prospect he has been ranked as (#10

in the organization per MLB.com), showcasing a lively mid-to-upper 90s fastball as well as a plus changeup and effective breaking ball. However, he struggled with command at times, and came into this spring focused on hitting his spots more often. In his first week of spring action, he showcased his improved command and posted 3 shutout innings without walking a single batter, striking out 5 along the way.

Edmundo Sosa

● Sosa did not have much of an opportunity to battle for at bats in his very limited time with the

big league club last season, but has proved very useful for St. Louis’ spring squad with his versatility, having spent time in both corners of the outfield as well as second, shortstop and even an inning at third. His numbers at the plate haven’t been anything special so far, but a game-tying home run vs. New York earlier in the week and some nice plays in the field have given him a shot to compete with Yairo Muñoz and the newly acquired Brad Miller for a utility role in 2020.

Trending Down:

Justin Williams

● Although Williams has been given a high volume of plate appearances so far, he has not helped

his case to become a part of what is already a pretty crowded outfield in St. Louis. Williams has just one hit in his fourteen at-bats, and has shown a need for improvement in his patience at the plate, drawing just one walk to the tune of a .133 OBP. Williams is ranked as the 16th-prospect in the Cardinals’ system, and showed consistent power and on-base ability in Memphis after coming over from Tampa as part of the Tommy Pham deal, so he should be able to get back on track soon.

Andrew Knizner

● Knizner filled in as a serviceable backup to Matt Wieters and Yadier Molina in 2019, but despite his solid defense did not produce a whole lot offensively. His .226/.293/.377 line yielded just a 75 OPS+ (an all-encompassing hitting stat adjusted for ballpark, era etc. where 100 is average) over the course of the season, and so far in 2020 he has not done much to improve on that. He has just 2 hits in his 11 ABs, striking out 3 times without drawing a single walk over the last week. The Cardinals’ front office has high hopes for Knizner, their 4th-ranked prospect, but he will need to improve his offensive output to at least an average level to contribute positively to the club.

Angel Rondon

● Rondon was a pretty unheralded prospect when the Cardinals signed him as an raw 19-year-old

arm from the Dominican Republic in 2016. However, his quick rise through the lower levels of the farm system surprised many, and his ability to avoid hard contact and generate high swing-and-miss rates has many excited about his future. However, the inconsistency of his command and movement revealed itself some during his first week in Florida, allowing 3 earned runs and 2 homeruns in his first 2.1 innings of work. Once Rondon develops more consistent movement on his changeup and improves the bite on his already above-average slider, he should be able to make an impact at the big league level sooner than many had thought.

(This is Evan's first article. He is an avid Cardinal's fan and is excited to join the ITB team. Hope you enjoy his work!)