20/20 — 20 Prospects, 20 Quick Takes

The Cardinal Chronicle
20/20 — 20 Prospects, 20 Quick Takes
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

 
There’s no better snapshot of an organization than its pipeline. Not hype, not projections—just a clear-eyed look at what’s coming.

Here are 20 quick takes on 20 names shaping the future of the St. Louis Cardinals.

 
20/20 — The Snapshot

1. JJ Wetherholt (INF)
The crown jewel. Advanced bat, advanced approach, and already carrying himself like a big leaguer. Opening Day second baseman—and just getting started.

2. Liam Doyle (LHP)
Power lefty with frontline upside. The fastball plays, the arsenal backs it up—now it’s about consistency over innings.

3. Rainiel Rodriguez (C)
“Light tower” power at 19. The kind of bat that changes a lineup if the development stays on track.

4. Joshua Baez (OF)
Biggest riser in the system. Adjustments are real—this isn’t just tools anymore, it’s production.

5. Jurrangelo Cijntje (RHP/LHP)
Switch-pitching novelty, but the future is right-handed dominance. That’s where the ceiling lives.

6. Quinn Mathews (LHP)
Health is the story. When right, he’s a legitimate mid-rotation arm with deception hitters hate.

7. Leonardo Bernal (C)
Quietly becoming one of the more complete catching prospects in the system. Bat leads, defense catching up.

8. Jimmy Crooks (C)
Old-school grinder. Defense gets him there—bat will decide how long he stays.

9. Tink Hence (RHP)
Electric stuff, fragile track record. The bullpen may be where the talent finally sticks.

10. Tekoah Roby (RHP)
Tommy John resets the clock. Still projects if the arm comes back. Big “if.”

11. Tanner Franklin (RHP)
Triple-digit arm being stretched out. Starter experiment will tell the story.

12. Ryan Mitchell (SS/OF)
Hit tool is real. Defensive home still being sorted out. Bat will carry him.

13. Yhoiker Fajardo (RHP)
Projectable arm with feel beyond his years. Quietly climbing.

14. Brandon Clarke (LHP)
Electric but erratic. Smells like a bullpen weapon long-term.

15. Ixan Henderson (LHP)
Late bloomer. Low-effort delivery, trending the right direction. Keep an eye on him.

16. Yairo Padilla (SS)
Projection play. Frame, feel, and patience—but still a few years away.

17. Brycen Mautz (LHP)
Velocity jump got attention. Next step is rounding out the arsenal.

18. Tai Peete (OF)
Boom-or-bust athlete. Power is coming—but so are the strikeouts.

19. Blaze Jordan (1B/3B)
Contact over power right now. Needs to tap back into what made him famous.

20. Chen-Wei Lin (RHP)
Big frame, big arm, big upside. Health has slowed the climb.

 
The Old School Take

Every system has names. Not every system has answers.

This one? It has both—but they’re not all on the same timeline.

Wetherholt looks ready now. Doyle and Baez are knocking. The rest? That’s where development—not rankings—will decide things.

Because in this game, prospects aren’t promises.

They’re possibilities.

 
The Cardinal Chronicle
Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.