Angel Rondon - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	STL	RHP	9	45

Grades Update: Dec 2020

OFP	Role	FB	CB	CH	Ctl/Cmd
45	40	55	55	50	45/40

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Dec 2020 Report

Evaluator: Joe Drake

Age: 23 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 205 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2015 IFA
RuleV: On 40-Man

Physical Description: Solidly built frame with a round butt and strong legs and long arms. Shoulders are wide and square, not a lot of room for additional weight, but some. Thighs are thick and strong. Lean and strong, overall. Longer legs and a high waist. Frame looks close to maxed out but will hold 5-10 more pounds. Not quite the ideal pitcher's build, but not far off, either. Maintains poise and composure in rough outings and when defense lets him down. Level-headedness of a starter.

Delivery & Mechanics: Starts windup angled toward the right. Deliberate pause at rock step before coiling into letter-high leg kick. Sits into glutes well which helps lower release height. Arm comes through at high 3/4s slot. Average pace with a couple of pauses mixed in. Arm action is on the longer side and drops down behind the body; hides the ball well. Moderate to high effort; low finish that falls off first base side. Very good separation at foot plant and arm is on time. Repeats pretty well. Similar from the stretch. Pace is up a tick, leg lift mostly the same. Conscious of runners, keeps good ones honest with a quick move to first.

Fastball: 91-93, T94. Not enough velo to really challenge good hitters and is most successful when he's spotting it well. Gets more whiffs than you'd expect based on velo; ball appears to jump on hitters. Higher arm slot and lower release help it play up high in the zone, likely gets good ride. Able to run it by rehabbing big leaguers when he's on. Uses it as his out pitch, dares guys to hit it at times, but still gets it by them more often than not. Loses a tick deeper into outings. Mostly maxed out frame doesn't leave much room to dream on velo increase coming. What you see is probably what you get. Grade: 55

Curveball: 78-81. Tight, vertical break at its best, loses the tightness at times and the break becomes more gradual. More depth than sweep, drops hard when it's on. Changes the shape a bit, utilizing one with tighter bite and a slightly slower version with more depth. Tunnels well off the fastball and fools hitters. Gets whiffs in and out of the zone and can freeze guys with it, too. Not afraid to drop it over the plate when behind in the count or to start an at bat; lots of confidence in the pitch. Clear best secondary pitch. Above-average more often than not with a few bangers and a few hangers mixed in. Grade: 55

Changeup: 78-79. Good separation from the fastball and average fade. More run than depth. Struggles to command it sometimes, clear third offering based on pitch profile and usage. Used predominantly against lefties. The best ones are good enough to get big whiffs with strong fade. Sells it solidly with armspeed. Grade: 50

Control and Command: Has a knack for finding edges andt has the ability to really paint corners when he's on. Around the zone often, but doesn't spot up consistently; Hitters who control the zone well make him come over the heart. Loses the release on the breaker occasionally and hangs it over the middle. Loses the feel at times and will fall behind and walk hitters. He either has it or he doesn't, for the most part. Control: 45 | Command: 40

Overall: Pitchability righty with a collection of average to above-average offerings. Not a strikeout artist, but does a good job inducing weak contact in concert with some Ks. Sequences and mixes pitches well, not afraid to work backwards. Movement profile on the fastball allows it to punch above its velocity and the secondaries flash plus. Had success in AA prior to turning 22 and looks poised to make his MLB debut in 2021. Has a chance to stick at the back of the rotation with a fairly safe floor of long relief or low-leverage work.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Spot Starter / Long Relief & Low Leverage
Risk: Moderate

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Johan Oviedo - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	STL	RHP	8	45

Grades Update: Dec 2020

OFP	Role	FB	CB	SL	CH	Ctl/Cmd
45	40	50	45	55	40	45/40

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Dec 2020 Report

Evaluator: Trevor Hooth

Age: 23 yr
Height: 6-5
Weight: 245 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2016 IFA
RuleV: On 40-Man

Physical Description: Tall, long limbs, but still a lean build. He is physically mature, there is no projection left to his frame.

Delivery & Mechanics: Standard 3/4 arm slot. Easy delivery with a whippy arm that can generate velocity. Hands start at chest height. Hands break as the knee drops out of the balance point. His wrist stays stiff through the arm circle. Leg finishes through high. He's made strides in recent years, but his long limbs still sometimes make it hard for him to repeat his mechanics. Those same long limbs help him to get really good extension towards home.

Fastball: 93-95 T98. Gets good ride through the zone, especially when thrown up. He leans on this pitch and likes to throw it inside to right handed hitters in strikeout situations. Works best up in the zone and playing off his other pitches. Grade: 50

Curveball: 73-75, generally. 12-6 break with average spin. The break isn't as sharp as it could be. He uses it as a third pitch to give a different look than the FB/SL combination he normally leans on. Grade: 45

Slider: 83-86. This is his best pitch. It garners above average spin. He'll throw it to righties or lefties and manipulates it to look more like a cutter at times. When thrown down in the zone the pitch can get some nice tilt. When he wants to vary the look, the pitch appears as a late biting cutter. Grade: 55

Changeup: Sits 87-88. Gets some fade at the bottom of the zone. He rarely uses this pitch, threw it just 17 times in his MLB debut season. Grade: 40

Control and Command: He took strides in terms of walk numbers in the small sample size in 2020. He still was all over the place, especially with his lesser used secondary pitches. Command was the main concern for him following the 2019 season, but he was competitive against MLB competition with his FB/SL combo. Still, the track record doesn't work in his favor. Control: 45 | Command: 40

Overall: His fastball and slider will play in the big leagues as he proved in 2020. His curveball works as a third pitch to change pace. What will ultimately be the deciding factor in his role is if he can throw enough quality strikes. Even if he looked better in terms of command in 2020, he still had his share of pitches that weren't competitive. If that trend continues his job as a starter may dwindle and he may find himself in a multi inning relief role. He's still young and proven he can make strides from year to year. Improved command could see him take on a more concrete role in the back end of the rotation.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Spot Starter / Long Relief & Low Leverage
Risk: Low

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Matthew Liberatore - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	STL	LHP	7	50

Grades Update: Dec 2020

OFP	Role	FB	CB	SL	CH	Ctl/Cmd
50	50	45	55	50	55	55/50

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Dec 2020 Report

Evaluator: Wyatt Kleinberg

Age: 21 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 200 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/L
Acquired: 2018 Draft - Round 1, TB
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: At 6'5'' 200, Liberatore provides what is widely considered to be a strong frame for a starting pitcher. Slightly lanky with a solid lower half, Liberatore offers a rare combination of plus strength potential with a large frame. He does not possess elite athleticism when it comes to explosiveness or quick twitch power generation, though he has relatively average flexibility; the lower body strength and helps make up for the deficiencies.

Delivery & Mechanics: Liberatore has a very simple, repeatable, low stress delivery. Works out of both the windup and stretch. Has a leg lift that is relatively standard in height, doing a very good job of generating force via the pointing of his right glute towards the plate prior to his drop and drive. The drop and drive does not go very far forward however, with an extension averaging around six feet. This hurts all of his pitches outside of the curveball. Despite this deficiency, he sinks well into his glutes upon plant, rotates well (on time, low stress), leading into a high 3/4 slot from a release height of around six feet. While his scap retraction and hip shoulder are nothing beyond special, his elite arm action makes up for it, allowing for the generation of plus velocity.

Fastball: Liberatore's four seam fastball, despite the solid reviews it has received across the scouting world is an average pitch at best. Coming from a six foot release height (subpar extension), at a below average spin rate of 2019 rpm, with 14.9 inches of induced vertical break, it would require near triple digit velocity to help make up for its issues. The pitch does not come in remotely near that, with an average velocity of 92.5 mph (he can touch 96-97, but it is very rare). Despite his ability to spot it pretty well, it will struggle to miss bats or generate soft contact at the big league level at a consistent rate. Grade: 45

Curveball: Liberatore's curveball is the only pitch in his arsenal that greatly benefits from his subpar extension and release traits (given total arsenal makeup). It is a solid change of pace for the left hander, coming in at an average velocity of 75.5 mph. While the slurvy 4:45 tilt does take away from its ability to get max drop (what may be ideal given his release traits), the spin rate of 2846 rpm allows for it to play plus (10.1 hmov, 14.5 vmov). He generally locates the pitch well, though it ocasionally doesn't break as sharp as would be optimal. A shift to a more vertical axis could make this pitch elite, and help bolster the slider, which comes from a similar tilt (lowering slider effectiveness). Grade: 55

Slider: The slider, while possessing solid traits is set to struggle at the next level thanks to its similar profile to the curveball unless changes are made. With solid sweep (5.8 in), at good spin, the pitch plays plus. That is about the only area in which it is optimized however. Coming from a 4:15 axis with an average velocity of 80.4 mph, it is too similar in profile to the curveball to do maximum damage. The spin rate suggests that a horizontal shift in axis would make the pitch run more, differentiating itself from he curveball, making both offerings more successful in the process. While he can command it well, the pitch will never play more than slightly above average in the show if the traits on both breaking balls remain the same. 60+ potential. Grade: 50

Changeup: Liberatore's fading changeup is his second best pitch behind the curveball. At an average velocity of 85 mph with a spin rate in the 1900s, the pitch is built to run coming from its 10:15 axis. The more horizontal tilt, higher spin, and his hard pronation upon release suggest horizontal run - it delivers, running an average of 15.1 inches. His lack of a solid extension and average release height allow the pitch to get more depth than the 10.2 inches of induced vertical break suggest, making the pitch play plus. He can spot up well, though his overall command on the pitch could still improve - this would allow the pitch to play plus plus, rather than its current state (plus). Grade: 55

Control and Command: Liberatore does a very good job of locating pitches in the strike zone. The fastball is consistently thrown for strikes, though he can lose the change on occasion. The lack of extreme depth or break on the curve allows him to keep it in the zone consistently, and his feel on the slider is plus. Overall plus command. He is still honing in on his feel for the changeup, and the curveball can lose its sharpness on occasion. The overall command will only go up as the feel for the pitches does. Current 50 with easy 55 potential. Control: 55 | Command: 50

Overall: The lack of a plus primary offering and the similarity in overall profiles of the two breaking balls are holding Liberatore back. While the latter of the two can easily be corrected, the fastball problem is one that could haunt him in the long run. A switch to a sinker would be interesting (he has the profile), though current circumstances suggest a backend of the rotation type of arm.

OFP: 50
Role: 50 - #4-#5 Backend SP
Risk: Low

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Zack Thompson - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	STL	LHP	6	50

Grades Update: Dec 2020

OFP	Role	FB	CB	SL	CH	Ctl/Cmd
50	50	50	60	40	50	50/45

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Dec 2020 Report

Evaluator: Wyatt Kleinberg

Age: 23 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 215 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/L
Acquired: 2019 Draft - Round 1
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: At 6'2' 215, Thompson is pretty filled out -- in a solid position physically to succeed. All around athletic build with a strong lower half. Upper body has filled out more since his time with Kentucky. The plus athleticism and strong lower half helps him sink down in delivery. Solid mobility in shoulders, hips and groin muscles. Has a long injury history, particularly during his amateur days.

Delivery & Mechanics: Thompson has a very interesting delivery coming from the left side. He has a relatively quick leg kick that reaches about belt high at its apex. Delays his back leg sink until midway through his extension, which allows him to get very low upon plant. His plus leg strength and hip mobility help him keep the release height down; post plant (he plants very closed off, which could limit hip torque ie excess velocity), Thompson rotates his lower half well, and the plus scap retraction helps generate more force as his arm comes forward. High 3/4 slot with a very balanced follow through that helps him field the position well.

Fastball: Thompson's four seam fastball looks solid yet is nothing fantastic. Typically sitting in the low 90s, it has the ability to get up into the 96+ range. While its spin rate is subpar (2155 rpm), it still manages to get around average induced vertical break (16.5''). Despite the lack of elite traits, his unique look makes the fastball particularly effective against left handed hitters -- the 11:02 slot does help contribute to the eight inches of run on the pitch. He spots the heater well, and maintains the velocity deep into outings. Grade: 50

Curveball: Thompson's curve is the best pitch he has both on tape, and when looking at his data. The low to mid 70s velocity (avg of 74.2 mph) is a good change of pace for him, and the plus depth on the pitch shows signs of playing elite (-20.4" ivb). The plus to elite bender showcases tight break thanks to its 3090 average spin, and helps make the curve is his best counter to right handed hitters. The nature of his horizontal approach angle limit's the slider's effectiveness against righties (most dangerous against left handed hitters), so the fact that this pitch can play elite is a major player in how Thompson projects overall. The addition of a few mphs could see this pitch play as high as a 70. Grade: 60

Slider: The slider, despite having really poor traits can still be a plus pitch if optimized, and used almost exclusively against left handed bats. At an average of 83.2 mph, it is not the fastest of slider offerings -- the lack of spin on it (2005 avg rpm) also sees it struggle to play plus in any regard. Its ability to kill lift is nothing special, though the 3.2 inches of horizontal break do allow it to do some damage. He spots the pitch pretty well, and thanks to his wide horizontal approach angle, the pitch can surprise left handed hitters. At its best, the pitch's tilt would probably be shifted even further horizontally (2:20 now has more room to shift) in order to prioritize hmov. This would make it a greater weapon against lefties -- the low spin and subpar vertical break means that it must be used situationally or against lefties only anyway. Grade: 40

Changeup: Thompson's changeup has the potential to be an average to plus pitch at the big league level. The eight mph drop off in velocity from the fastball is more than adequate, and the low spin nature of the pitch suggests that it should have elite vertical break potential. While he does manage to get ten inches of induced vertical break on the change, a further horizontal shift of the pitch's tilt could result in a plus overall offering (the 14 inches of run are already adequate if he adds more vertical break) He has very good command of the pitch, and the solid feel could make it play plus at the big league level. Grade: 50

Control and Command: Thompson is a solid strike thrower, though he does have a tendency to lose his slider and change at times in the feel department. Overall average control over the four pitch mix. Spots the fastball and curve (his two best and most consistent options) very well, though he can lose his change and slider more regularly. While his misses on the changeup are not as detrimental, the slider can be a serious issue for him; hanging the pitch at the next level very rarely results in anything other than a run up on the scoreboard for the other team. Control: 50 | Command: 45

Overall: The lack of an elite primary offering does not help Thompson, though his ability to spot it makes up for its deficiencies. The curve plays plus to elite against both righties and lefties, and should be considered the better of his two breaking ball offerings. Changeup is overall average to plus, and the slider is really only a weapon against left handed hitters. He has a long injury history which raises concerns for me while evaluating him as a starter. If he cant stay healthy, he could become a solid high leverage reliever with a playable four pitch mix.

OFP: 50
Role: 50 - #4-#5 Backend SP
Risk: High

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Jordan Walker - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	STL	3B	5	50

Grades Update: Dec 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
50	50	45	60	50	55	50

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Dec 2020 Report

Evaluator: Ray Kinsela

Age: 19 yr
Height: 6-5
Weight: 220 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2020 Draft - Round 1
RuleV: 2024

Physical Description: Physical monster, long-limbed with broad shoulders and tapered trunk, strength throughout body with projection for more, could wind up 6-6/240 or more, high-end physical projection.

Hit: Walker's swing has some undue length to it due to the natural length of his limbs, but perhaps more notably, he's got the high-end bat speed that allows for him to overcome that length and still have a shot at getting to velocity. The path is clean with good lag through the zone, and he showed a better approach in the spring than on the circuit last summer, leading some scouts to believe he's got a solid chance to hit. Realistically, it's a fringy hit tool projection long term, due mostly to the swing-and-miss that is present in his game and will likely continue. Grade: 45

Power: Walker's raw power is easily plus right now, and he's one of the few prospects in the minors with realistic projection for 80 raw when he's done growing. The physicality is tremendous and his strength is just now starting to show up really, considering he's on the younger side for the '20 class. With projection to make enough contact for the power to show up in an impactful way, it's within reason to see Walker's game power showing up as plus, though an average hit tool would draw even more out long term. Grade: 60

Field: A third baseman at present, Walker is a good enough athlete to be sent out there, but he's unlikely to stay there if his physical projection comes anywhere near full realization. The hands are wholly fine and the arm plays from third, though most scouts believe that he's likely to slide across the diamond to first base long term. He's seen some time in a corner outfield spot before, and given his more long-stride athleticism and arm strength, right field could be an interesting fit as well. Grade: 50

Arm: An above-average tool at present, once upon a time not too long ago, Walker was seen as a legitimate two-way prospect with high upside on the mound. He's got the arm strength to profile wherever the Cardinals prefer he play, be that third base or a corner outfield spot, and with refinements to the release quickness and continued maturation of his strength, a plus tool could be in the cards here long term. Grade: 55

Run: Walker is a supreme athlete for his size, and is capable of clocking solid-average times down the line from the right side of the plate. We've exhausted this point already, but Walker is likely to get bigger as he continues to mature just given his frame, so it's further likely that his speed dips a tick or two as he matures. He won't be a base-clogger, but he's unlikely to be an asset on the bases. Grade: 50

Overall: Walker represents one of the more high-risk, boom-or-bust prospects coming out of the 2020 draft, and St. Louis bet on the upside to be sure. His ceiling is potentially that of a 35-40 HR player with some walks and swing-and-miss while playing right field at a passable level, but the realistic outcome here is that of a right-handed hitting first baseman with big power who should hit just enough to play everyday.

OFP: 50
Role: 50 - Average Everyday Regular
Risk: High

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Masyn Winn - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	STL	SS/RHP	4	50

Grades Update: Dec 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
50	50	55	50	55	60	60

FB	CB	CH	Ctr/Cmd
70	60	50	55/45

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Dec 2020 Report

Evaluator: Ray Kinsela

Age: 19 yr
Height: 5-11
Weight: 180 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2020 Draft - Round 2
RuleV: 2024

Physical Description: Compact, athletic build filled with extreme twitch and good present strength. Should add some strength as body matures, but isn't a plus physical projection guy due to general size of frame.

Hit: Hands work extremely well in swing, gets barrel on plane early and shows good lag through zone, plus-plus bat speed with present impact to gaps and good frequency of hard contact, footspeed allows for higher projection of hit tool, approach needs to be cleaned up a bit, will expand zone and generally is an aggressive hitter. Aptitude and potential adjustments give him an above-average hit tool ceiling. Grade: 55

Power: Present fringe raw to pull side, impacts the ball hard consistently and has the bat speed and strength projection to see above-average raw power in the future. Can backspin balls with authority up both gaps and turn on balls, launching them out pull-side. Continued refinement of hit tool and overall approach along with projected strength gains gives him legitimate power ceiling. Grade: 50

Field: Extremely athletic and twitchy middle infielder, light on his feet with elite first step in any direction, combines that athleticism with good feel for infield defense, above-average hands with a weapon of an arm. Athleticism allows his projection to pretty much anywhere on the diamond, should stay up the middle (SS-2B-CF) with ease. Grade: 55

Arm: Howitzer. Winn is capable of running his fastball on the mound up to 98 mph and that arm strength plays across the diamond. Likely won't play as a two-way big leaguer with a 70 arm, but that's the raw arm strength grade. Variance is present here as a two way player, this is likely a 60 grade tool in practice; as a positional player only, it could be a 70. Grade: 60

Run: Elite athleticism with plus-plus speed, rare twitch is on display down the line and on the bases, capable of sub-4 second times down the line from the right side, speed plays consistently in game in the 70 range presently, likely ends up plus long-term with physical maturation. Grade: 60

Delivery & Mechanics: Uptempo, aggressive delivery with high-end athleticism on display and 80 arm speed standing way out. Moderate effort through release and over front side, has the athleticism and overall traits to start, likely a reliever given probability of two-way development.

Fastball: Works anywhere from 93-98 mph with solid-average arm side life, pitch plays as velocity would indicate, excellent carry through the zone, overpowering pitch when controlled on the amateur circuit, dynamic upside as a pitch, will play plus-plus or potentially better out of the bullpen. Grade: 70

Curveball: Thrown in the upper 70's and can reach the other side of 80 mph, 11/5 shape with powerful, sharp downward bite, best ones are a half-tick better than plus, some evaluators project the pitch to plus-plus, will stick with plus as the projection grade. Grade: 60

Changeup: Presently his third best pitch, used somewhat infrequently as an amateur, thrown in the 81-84 mph range with feel for turning it over, generates solid fade, athleticism allows for projection here, best ones flash solid-average at present. Grade: 50

Control and Command: Throws strikes, but effort in delivery and overall looseness within the zone, dominated with looser command due to pure overpowering nature of his stuff on the amateur circuit, projects to have enough command for late innings role. Control: 55 | Command: 45

Overall: Winn presents tremendous upside as a two-way player who was drafted and will be developed as such. Rare tools and athleticism positionally, overpowering stuff on the mound with aptitude for both. Pigeonholed upside is likely a touch better as a positional player, overall upside as a two-way is that of an All-Star. The longer he spends as a two-way player the less likely he his to max out as a pitcher or hitter.

OFP: 50
Role: 50 - Average Everyday Regular/#4-#5 Backend SP
Risk: Extreme

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Ivan Herrera - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	STL	C	3	50

Grades Update: Dec 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
50	50	55	40	45	50	40

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Dec 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 21 yr
Height: 5-11
Weight: 220 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2016 IFA
RuleV: On 40-Man

Physical Description: Lean, athletic build with strong wrists and lower half. Looked noticeably larger in Arizona Fall League compared to my early looks while with Low-A Peoria. Has done a great job adding mass to frame while maintaining athleticism.

Hit: Made a significant stance adjustment from when I saw him while he was in Low-A. During his time with Peoria he sat much lower in a crouch at the plate with a wider base. During the AFL he was more upright and was slightly opened with the front foot curled inwards. He picks up his front foot and sets it down to begin his swing, and will transfer his weight back and sit on his lower half before attacking. Strong contact skills and will use all fields. Hits the ball hard with a short, compact stroke. Grade: 55

Power: Per FanGraphs Herrera has recorded a max exit velocity of 108 MPH, which shows what he's capable of when he finds the barrel. I can confirm a 105 EV off the bat as well. Herrera will be more gap-to-gap than an over the fence power bat. It's a swing geared for contact and he could swat 20 homers as he matures. Displayed average to slightly above-average pop during batting practice in Arizona. He has the ability to hit for more power at the expense of some of the bat to ball skills. Grade: 40

Field: The bat is ahead of the glove but Herrera has made tremendous improvements behind the dish. He still needs to work on his receiving and some issues with the transfer, but he's worked to become a better blocker. He moves well side to side and will get in front of pitches when he needs to. Strong footwork and good hands behind the plate, but has issues getting the ball out of his glove on the transfer. I see him as an above-average defender in the future. Grade: 45

Arm: Short arm stroke with enough carry to make baserunners think twice, Herrera has improved his throwing due to an offseason arm strengthening program. He's very accurate but can be slow getting out of the crouch at times despite his athleticism. Grade: 50

Run: Below-average runner, but speed isn't part of his game. Grade: 40

Overall: Herrera looked like a very different player when I saw him early in 2019 compared to later at the Fall League, where he was the league's second youngest player behind Mariners Julio Rodriguez. He performed well against the older competition, which is nothing new. The Cardinals have pushed Herrera aggressively despite his age and he's always been an above-average offensive player. That's a good trend. Herrera does everything well enough to be the team's next franchise catcher.

OFP: 50
Role: 50 - Average Everyday Regular
Risk: Moderate

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Nolan Gorman - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	STL	3B	2	55

Grades Update: Dec 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
55	60	50	60	45	55	40

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Dec 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 21 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 210 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2018 Draft - Round 1
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Impressive physical specimen. Strong, mature physically for his age. Big chest and shoulders. Sturdy lower half. Strong hands and wrists. Linebacker build.

Hit: Starts from a wide base, feet more than shoulder width apart. Hand waggle to keep the hands loose and utilizes a modest leg kick for the trigger. Transfers weight efficiently through his swing, but have seen him get out front at times. Large uppercut swing that's tailor made for sending balls into orbit. Prone to the swing and miss, but that comes with an ability to do damage. Have seen him struggle more with the heaters in the upper quadrants of the strike zone, but absolutely punishes stuff at the knees. Has shown ability to make adjustments despite the strikeouts, and I'm not overly worried until there's a reason to be. Heavily shifted against in Low-A, and pull tendencies will limit batting averages. Grade: 50

Power: Double-plus raw translates to easy plus in game. His carrying tool. Posts elite exit velocities. Was top power bat in 2018 prep class and has lived up to that title thus far. Blistering pro debut saw what he's capable of. Since then he's produced but power numbers are hidden by tough home parks. Potential 35-40 homer bat that anchors a lineup. Strong hands and forearms generate plus bat speed. Grade: 60

Field: Can stick at third but won't win any Gold Gloves. Sure-handed and will make all the routine plays with the occasional highlight. Good body control and foot work. Good at charging the ball and throwing on the run. Lacks the quick first step, but has enough range for the hot corner. Grade: 45

Arm: Strong arm. Not a throw from third he can't make. Good footwork and excels at throwing on the run. Grade: 55

Run: Below-average runner, but not terribly slow for his size. Can move well when he gets underway. Gets out of the box very well and speed plays up home to first. Grade: 40

Overall: Middle of the order power bat took a surprising tumble on draft day down to the Cardinals at pick 19, and has been productive at every stop. Despite being young for the levels he's managed to post a well above-average stat line in the tough Midwest League as well as the Florida State League. He can get over aggressive at times, and needs to fine tune the approach. Drew rave reviews at the alternate site and could set himself up to make his big league debut in 2021.

OFP: 55
Role: 60 - Above-Average Everyday Regular: Occasional All-Star
Risk: High

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Dylan Carlson - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	STL	OF	1	55

Grades Update: Dec 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
55	60	60	55	55	50	55

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Dec 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 205 lbs
Hits/Throws: S/L
Acquired: 2016 Draft - Round 1
RuleV: On 40-Man

Physical Description: Tall, broad shoulders with long tapering legs. Added 10-15 pounds of muscle last season, limited physical projection remaining in frame. Impressive athlete with no real physical weakness. Savvy, high baseball IQ. Didn't face a pitcher younger than him until 2018. Calm, reassuring demeanor. Poised, mature beyond years.

Hit: Switch-hitter with mirror image swings from left and right side. Stands upright with knees slightly bent with shoulders square to the pitcher. Uses a thigh high leg kick as the trigger, and keeps bat though the zone with above-average bat speed. Impressive hand-eye coordination and ability to find the barrel. Covers the strike zone very well and will take his walks. Keeps head still and will square up any and all fastballs. Susceptible to breaking balls on the lower half, and big league pitchers attacked him with sliders in the lower quadrants. Cerebral hitter; Cardinals have pushed him aggressively since drafting him, and he's always made adjustments. Future plus hitter that can fit in anywhere in lineup. Grade: 60

Power: Has bulked up and added power to his game, and he's capable of swatting 25-30 homers in a full season. Swing plane generates natural loft and he's proven he can drive the ball, especially when it's up in the zone. There's more natural power in his left-handed swing, right-handed cut is a slightly more level swing. Stays back and keeps hands inside baseball, allowing him to drive the ball. Major League average exit velocities at 20 years old are a great sign for his future power potential. Grade: 55

Field: He's a plus defender in left, above-average in right (average arm dings him some), and an average centerfielder. Strong first step and long strides allow him to get to more balls than most. He's a versatile defender that can play all three outfield positions while also being a capable defender at first base. He's better at going back on the ball than coming in, but there's no real weakness here in the outfield. Fits best in left field, but if you need offense he can be regular centerfielder. Grade: 55

Arm: Above-average accuracy with average carry. The arm doesn't prevent him from being an everyday guy in center or even right, but his only average arm strength fits best in left. Mechanically sound footwork, no issues with footwork or transfer on throws. Grade: 50

Run: Above-average speed plays up due to high baseball IQ. Aggressive runner that will take the extra base. Regularly going from first to third. Good jumps and above-average speed make him a moderate stolen base threat. Capable of 15 or so steals depending on location in batting order. Grade: 55

Overall: Solid contributor in all facets of the game. His strong strikezone recognition make the hit tool his strongest tool. Versatile player on both sides of the ball that can play all three outfield positions well and also be a natural fit at any spot in the lineup. Carried himself well despite big league struggles in 2020. Carlson will settle in as a 3-to-4 win player and be an anchor in the Cardinals lineup for years to come.

OFP: 55
Role: 60 - Above-Average Everyday Regular: Occasional All-Star
Risk: Low

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