Cardinals Add UDFA Power-Hitting Catcher John Lemm to the Mix
The Cardinal Chronicle
Cardinals Add UDFA Power-Hitting Catcher John Lemm to the Mix
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur
The St. Louis Cardinals have added another intriguing catcher to their growing collection of minor-league talent, signing former University of Alabama backstop John Lemm as an undrafted free agent.
Lemm is a 6-foot-3, 230-pound right-handed hitter from Brisbane, Australia, who brings legitimate power, patience at the plate, experience behind the plate and a reputation for playing through pain.
He spent his final collegiate season with Alabama in 2026, helping the Crimson Tide reach the College World Series after beginning his American baseball journey at the junior college level and later becoming one of the most dangerous power hitters in Southern Illinois University history.
It has been a long road from Brisbane to professional baseball, but Lemm has consistently produced at each stop.
During his senior season at Alabama, Lemm appeared in 58 games and made 55 starts. He finished with a .253 batting average, a .389 on-base percentage and a .464 slugging percentage while hitting 10 home runs and driving in 34 runs.
The batting average does not tell the entire story.
Lemm’s .389 on-base percentage reflected his ability to control the strike zone, work deep counts and reach base even when the hits were not falling. That plate discipline, combined with his power, gives the Cardinals an offensive foundation they can continue developing.
Behind the plate, Lemm made 34 starts at catcher and recorded a .987 fielding percentage. He threw out seven runners attempting to steal and became an important part of an Alabama team that made a historic postseason run.
His season also included several memorable moments.
Lemm became a fan favorite in Tuscaloosa after hitting a dramatic walk-off home run against Vanderbilt in May. He later drew attention during regional play when he continued competing despite suffering a fractured finger.
Alabama’s athletic training staff created a specialized impact-absorbing splint that allowed Lemm to remain in the lineup.
Catchers are expected to be tough. Lemm apparently received that memo and underlined it twice.
While his final college season was played in the Southeastern Conference, Cardinals fans in Southern Illinois may already be familiar with his name.
Lemm played at Southern Illinois University in 2025 and delivered one of the most productive power seasons in Salukis history.
He hit 19 home runs, tying for the second-highest single-season total in program history, and finished with a 1.104 OPS. His performance earned him Second Team All-Conference honors and established him as one of the Missouri Valley Conference’s most dangerous hitters.
His season at SIU demonstrated the impact his power can have when everything comes together.
Lemm was not simply hitting mistakes over the fence. He showed the ability to control at-bats, reach base at a high rate and punish pitches in the strike zone. That combination eventually led him to Alabama, where he faced stronger competition and continued establishing himself as a legitimate professional prospect.
Before his time at Southern Illinois, Lemm spent two seasons at South Suburban Community College in Illinois.
He helped the Bulldogs win an NJCAA Region IV Division I championship before moving on to Division I baseball. His journey through junior college, Southern Illinois and Alabama gave him experience at several levels of college competition before he signed with the Cardinals.
From Brisbane to junior college baseball in Illinois, then to Carbondale, Tuscaloosa, the College World Series and now the St. Louis organization, Lemm has already traveled a baseball road that few prospects can match.
His signing also adds another catcher to one of the deepest position groups in the Cardinals’ minor-league system.
St. Louis already has several highly regarded catching prospects, led by Rainiel Rodriguez, Leo Bernal and Ryan Campos. Rodriguez has emerged as one of the organization’s best overall prospects, while Bernal has built his reputation around his defense and ability to control the running game. Campos has also continued progressing through the system.
That depth means Lemm will not be handed anything.
As an undrafted free agent, he will have to earn his opportunities and prove he can handle professional pitching. He will also need to continue developing defensively in an organization with several young catchers competing for playing time.
Still, Lemm offers several qualities worth betting on.
He has size. He has raw power. He has shown plate discipline. He has experience catching at a major college program, and he has already demonstrated the toughness needed to handle the physical demands of the position.
The Cardinals have also placed a clear emphasis on adding athletes with strong college track records, physical tools and room for additional development.
Lemm fits that profile.
Undrafted free agents remain long shots by definition. Most never reach the major leagues, and many have to fight for playing time from the moment they report to their first professional affiliate.
But baseball history is filled with players who were overlooked, went undrafted or signed for modest bonuses before developing into productive major leaguers.
That is why organizations continue searching for value after the draft ends.
Sometimes the right player simply needs an opportunity.
Lemm will now get his opportunity with St. Louis.
For Cardinals fans in Southern Illinois, he will be an especially interesting player to follow. The former Saluki is back in the region’s baseball family, this time as a professional.
His road to the major leagues will not be easy, but easy has not been part of John Lemm’s journey so far.
The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports & MiLB Today
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Photo Credit: John Lemm, St. Louis Cardinals | Abby Harris