Don’t forget to pick up your copy of the The 2024 Prospect Digest Handbook here.
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1. Masyn Winn, SS
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 40/50 | 35/40 | 60 | 55 | 70 | 55 |
Background: It turned out to be a disastrous season for St. Louis in 2023 as the perennial contending NL Central Division club finished with their lowest winning percentage, .438, since 1995, a span of 28 years. But the atypical losing season did allow the front office to grant some extra playing time to some of their top prospects, guys like Jordan Walker, who looked quite good, Alec Burleson, Matthew Liberatore, and – of course – Masyn Winn, one of the game’s better middle infield prospects. Taken as part of the club’s phenomenal 2020 draft class that included Walker, Burleson, Tink Hence, Ian Bedell, and, once again, Masyn Winn. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound shortstop would turn in a solid, yet quite unremarkable, debut showing in 2021, batting an aggregate .242/.324/.356 between Palm Beach and Peoria. But things clicked for the former second round selection the following season as he mashed .283/.364/.468 with 56 extra-base hits between his time back in Peoria and up in Springfield. Last season, Winn continued to impress as he moved up into the International League. Appearing in 105 games with the Memphis Redbirds, the cannon-armed infielder hit .288/.359/.474 with 15 doubles, seven triples, 18 homeruns, and 17 stolen bases (in only 19 total attempts). His overall production with the club’s Triple-A affiliate topped the league average mark by 8%. Winn spent the final month-and-a-half up in the big leagues, though the results were pretty underwhelming (.172/.230/.238).
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: Throw in Gold Glove caliber defense and Winn has the makings of a valuable big league infielder. In terms of big league ceiling, think something along the lines of .260/.340/.415.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only two 21-year-old hitters met the following criteria with one club in any Triple-A league (min. 350 PA): 103 to 113 wRC+, a 14% to 18% strikeout rate, and a 6% to 9% walk rate. Those two bats: Corey Seager and Masyn Winn.
In a farm system with a solid collection of pitching prospects, guys like Tink Hence, Tekoah Roby, and Cooper Hjerpe, the best arm may actually go to Masyn Winn, who famously uncorked a 100-mph throw during the Futures Game two years ago. Winn is an absolutely wizard at shortstop, one of the premium defenders among any prospect in the game. He’s going to be a perennial contender for the Gold Glove award. At the plate, Winn owns one of the best bat-to-ball skills around. He posted an In Zone Whiff Rate of just 11% in Triple-A last season. Winn will expand the zone a little more than he should, but it’s nothing too concerning. His power has developed into an average tool over the past couple of years and should be an annual threat for 15 or so homeruns a year. In terms of big league ceiling, think: .280/.340/.420 with spectacular, highlight reel worthy defensive ability.
Ceiling: 3.5-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: Debuted in 2023
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2. Tink Hence, RHP
| FB | CB | SL | CH | Command | Overall |
| 55 | 55 | 60 | 60 | 50/55 | 55 |
Background: The Tampa Bay Rays and the St. Louis Cardinals got together on an interesting swap prior to the 2020 season. St. Louis shipped declining veteran bat Jose Martinez, an unproven, albeit post-season hero Randy Arozarena and a 2020 supplemental first round pick to the AL East contending franchise for lefty Mathew Liberatore, Edgardo Rodriguez, and a 2020 supplemental second round pick. While Arozarena’s gone on to be a star and a franchise cornerstone in Tampa Bay, Liberatore’s languished in Triple-A for parts of three seasons and has been mediocre in a couple stints in St. Louis. But the Cards’ brass hit a – potential – homerun with the supplemental pick they received in the deal, snagging wiry right-hander Tink Hence with the 63rd overall pick in what’s become one of the better draft class’s in club history. Hence, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound right-hander, burst onto the scene during his first full year in the minors in 2022. Making 16 starts with Palm Beach, St. Louis’s Low-A affiliate, he posted a dominant 81-to-15 strikeout-to-walk ratio in only 52.1 innings of work. And he continued his mastery in the Arizona Fall League as well, fanning nine and walking four to go along with a 2.16 ERA in 8.1 innings. Last season the front office brass sent Hence up to High-A to begin the year, but after 11 strong starts he was deemed ready for the minors’ toughest challenge: Double-A. Hence would make a dozen starts with Springfield in the Texas League, posting a 53-to-22 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 54.1 innings of work. The former second rounder averaged 9.3 strikeouts and 3.2 walks per nine innings last season.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: And for the sake of baseball and baseball fans everywhere, I hope that Hence can avoid the vaunted injury nexus because he’s going to special with the chance to be generational.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only four 20-year-old hurlers met the following criteria with one club in any Double-A league (min. 50 IP): 21% to 23% strikeout percentage with an 8% to 10% walk percentage. Those four arms: Martin Perez, Jarrod Parker, Beau Burrows, and Tink Hence.
Two years ago Hence simply overpowered the Low-A hitters with relative ease. Last season, while he was still solid, Hence’s repertoire didn’t look as explosive. His fastball was sitting in the 93- to 95-mph range with some life above the belt, an above-average offering. He added an upper-70s curveball, another 55-grade pitch. But his bread-and-butter pitches are a swing-and-miss changeup, which he relies on frequently, and a low-80s slider. Hence is a strike thrower who projects for above-average command at full maturity. He’s tracking like a very solid mid-rotation caliber big league arm.
Ceiling: 3.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024
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3. Victor Scott, CF
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 50 | 35 | 80 | 50 | 70 | 55 |
Background: Victor Scott’s baseball story is one of the more interesting ones over the past couple of seasons. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound centerfielder was dreadful during his first extended action with West Virginia University: he batted .232/.359/.368. He took some modest steps forward during his junior campaign with the Mountaineers as he hit .278/.397/.454 with 12 doubles, two triples, six homeruns, and 38 stolen bases. Scott took a quick jaunt through the Cape Cod League that summer – though it definitely did not help his draft status. He put together a putrid .173/.368/.308 slash line in 20 games with Cotuit. Still, though, the Cardinals drafted the toolsy outfielder in the fifth round two years ago and signed him to a deal worth $350,400. Then he promptly struggled through his debut with Palm Beach as he batted .222/.358/.389 in 31 games. At that point it would have been easy to write off Scott. He had exactly one good, though not great, season on his resume – which was promptly followed by a dreadful performance against elite competition in the Cape. But the Cardinals sprinkled a little bit of their magic dust on the 5-foot-10, 190-pound outfielder and he looked remarkable last season. Splitting time evenly between Peoria and Springfield, the WVU product slugged .303/.369/.425 with 20 doubles, 10 triples, nine homeruns, and minor league leading 95 stolen bases (in only 109 total attempts). Per Weighted Runs Created Plus, his overall production topped the league average mark by 18%.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only a pair of 22-year-old hitters met the following criteria with one club in any Double-A league (min. 300 PA): 115 to 125 wRC+, a 13.5% to 15.5% strikeout percentage, and a 5.0% to 7.0% walk percentage. Those two hitters: Dawel Lugo and Victor Scott, the former WVU outfielder.
Watching Scott play one name immediately came to mind: Coco Crisp, who also happens to be a former St. Louis prospect taken in the mid rounds (seventh round, 1999). Crisp would spend just one season in Double-A (though it was spent with two organizations, Cleveland and St. Louis). Just for fun, here’s how their statistics stack up:
| Name | Year | Age | Level | PA | AVG | OBP | SLG | BB% | K% |
| Coco Crisp | 2002 | 22 | AA | 433 | 0.310 | 0.372 | 0.437 | 9.00% | 13.63% |
| Victor Scott II | 2023 | 22 | AA | 310 | 0.323 | 0.373 | 0.450 | 5.80% | 14.50% |
Scott shows a simple left-handed swing, short, quick, compact. There’s doubles power present, but he doesn’t project to slug more than six or eight homeruns in a big league season. Plus-plus speed, which is something Crisp didn’t possess, Scott is an absolute menace on the base paths and looks like an elite defender, not just a Gold Glove winner. He handled lefties well, and he passed the Double-A test. There’s going to be some regression next year. But the defense and stolen bases alone is enough to make him a league average starting centerfielder. In terms of ceiling, think: .265/.315/.390 with 70 stolen bases and a tremendous defensive value.
Ceiling: 3.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024
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4. Tekoah Roby, RHP
| FB | CB | SL | CH | Command | Overall |
| 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 |
Background: The Cardinals already had a bevy of talent from the 2020 draft class thanks to their own success, adding the likes of Jordan Walker, Masyn Winn, Tink Hence, Alec Burleson, and Ian Bedell to the fold. After trading Jordan Montgomery to the Rangers, the Cards’ farm system includes fellow 2020 draftees Thomas Saggese and Tekoah Roby. A tremendous find in the third round out of Pine Forest High School that summer, Roby sparkled during his 2022 campaign in the South Atlantic League, averaging 10.8 strikeouts and just 3.0 walks per nine innings across 21 starts and one relief appearance with the Rangers’ High-A affiliate. Last season, in an injury-marred campaign, Roby made 14 starts between both organizations’ Double-A affiliates, throwing 58.1 innings with 69 punch outs, 15 walks, and an aggregate 4.63 ERA. A right shoulder issue knocked him out of commission for nearly three full months. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound right-hander did throw an additional 13.2 innings in the Arizona Fall League with Scottsdale, posting an 18-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio in only 13.2 innings.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: There’s backend starting potential here. Don’t be surprised if Roby continues to miss bats in Double-A and spends a month of two in Triple-A in 2023.
Scouting Report: Thick lower half like he can squat a small family sedan, Roby features a deep, four-pitch repertoire where each offering grades out as a strong above-average pitch. Low- to mid-90s fastball that hitters chase high in the zone. A hard-bending 12-6 curveball. A tightly spun slider. And a sneakily good changeup that sits in the low 80s. Roby commands the zone well, again another above-average skill, and he passed the Double-A test, even in an injury-abbreviated contest. There’s nothing overly flashy about the former third rounder, but he could be solid #4-type arm for the better part of decade donning Cardinals red.
Ceiling: 3.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024
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5. Thomas Saggese, 2B/3B
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 45+ | 50 | 35 | 50 | 50 | 55 |
Background: Mike Girsch came under fire from fans and social media pundits over the past season – whether it’s justified is an entirely different question. But what is undeniable is that Girsch absolutely pulled the correct strings when it came to trading for and then dealing away veteran lefty Jordan Montgomery. St. Louis acquired Montgomery from the Yankees two years ago in a good ol’ one-for-one challenge trade that sent Harrison Bader to the AL East Division. Bader would eventually hit .237/.274/.353 in 98 games for New York before he was placed on waivers. As for Montgomery, he was borderline brilliant during his tenure in St. Louis, throwing 184.2 innings across 32 starts, tallying a 3.31 ERA. The Cardinals, almost a year to the day that they acquired him, turned around and sent Montgomery – as well as veteran Chris Stratton – to the eventual World Series Champion Texas Rangers, receiving a three-player package headlined by two very strong prospects in Thomas Saggese and Tekoah Roby. A fifth round pick during the COVID-interrupted 2020 draft, Saggese has put together three quietly – almost eerily quiet – seasons in the minors. He batted .256/.372/.463 in 73 games in Low-A as a 19-year-old in 2021. The following season the 5-foot-11, 175-pound infielder hit .306/.374/.530 in 103 games, most of which came in High-A. And last season the California native continued to mash as he slugged .306/.374/.530 with career bests in doubles (34), triples (six), and homeruns (26) to go along with a career high-tying 12 stolen bases. Per Weighted Runs Created Plus, Saggese’s overall production topped the league average mark by 33%.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: Even after two strong showings to open up his career, Saggese remains incredibly underrated – even within the Rangers’ improving farm system. From Don’t sleep on this guy. A strong showing in Double-A could position the former Carlsbad High School star as a potential late season calling.
Scouting Report: Saggese totaled just 13 games in Triple-A, all coming with the Memphis Redbirds, last season. The Statcast data, even in a very small sample size, is a bit concerning. The former fifth round pick, who has solid contact numbers over the past two years, showed the propensity to chase outside the zone (about 38%). It can be an aberration or something more. But even with a 45-grade hit tool, which seems likely, Saggese should have no issues carving out a length career at the big level. He’s a grinder that can handle the keystone (slightly below-average) or the hot corner (slightly above-average). All three of the home fields Saggese spent time at in 2023 (Frisco, Memphis, and Springfield) stifle homeruns, so the power is legit. Jake Cronenworth seems like a reasonable comp at this point. One final point: Saggese is such a Cardinals-type player that it wouldn’t be surprising to see the organization get more out of him than expected.
Ceiling: 2.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024
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6. Chase Davis, OF
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 45/50 | 55 | 30 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
Background: One of the highest ranked prep players in the 2020 Class. Perfect Game ranked the toolsy centerfielder as the top prospect in the state of California, which is no easy feat, and the ninth overall player in the entire country. But Davis’s freshman season hardly resembled a potential top prospect, though. Appearing in 27 games for the Wildcats, Davis batted a lowly .233/.343/.400 in only 35 plate appearances. His struggles continued into the Northwoods League that summer as well, hitting a meager .207/.359/.405 with the La Crosse Loggers. Davis found his footing during his sophomore season as he slugged .289/.414/.586 with 13 doubles, one triple, 18 homeruns, and a quarter of stolen bases. But, once again, he struggled in limited summer action in the Cape too (.212/.379/.250). Last season, though, Davis turned in his finest showing to date: in 57 games, the 6-foot-1, 216-pound outfielder slugged .362/.489/.742 with career bests in doubles (17) and homeruns (21) to go along with a pair of three-baggers. St. Louis selected him in the first round, 21st overall, and signed him to a deal worth $3,618,200. Davis appeared in 34 games with the Palm Beach Cardinals, putting together a disappointingly bad .212/.366/.269 slash line with just six doubles and a trio of stolen bases.
Scouting Report: Davis finally capitalized on his toolsy potential during his final campaign with the Wildcats, showcasing above-average power, strong plate discipline and contact skills, and a solid glove patrolling the outfield grass. Unfortunately for Davis, as well as the Cardinals’ decision makers, none of that really showed up during his abbreviated debut with Palm Beach. He’s not overly quick, just average footspeed, so a permanent move to a corner spot is a distinct possibility. Above-average power, below-average bat. Davis doesn’t get cheated at the plate, swinging hard and – sometimes – wildly, but he made consistent contact during his collegiate career. Solid league average starter with the ceiling as a .250/.320/.430 hitter with 20-homer thump.
Ceiling: 2.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2026
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7. Cooper Hjerpe, LHP
| FB | CB | CH | Command | Overall |
| 50 | 55 | 50 | 55 | 45 |
Background: St. Louis has always targeted pitching in the first round of the draft. The frequency of it borders on the old saying, “Nothing in this world is certain except death and taxes.” That, and maybe, the Cardinals going after arms early in the draft. Since 1965 the storied franchise has owned 88 first round selections. They’ve picked hurlers 46 times – or about 52.3% of the time. So it’s unsurprising that they grabbed Cooper Hjerpe with the 22nd overall pick two years ago. An alumnus of Oregon State University, the wiry southpaw was absurdly dominant during his junior campaign with the Beavers, averaging 14 strikeouts and just 2.0 walks per nine innings across 17 starts and one relief appearances. Hjerpe made his anticipated professional debut last season, though it was quite limited. An elbow injury put him on the disabled list in late May. It was suspected – or speculated at the time – that a ligament issue was the culprit, though it was late confirmed that a “loose body” was causing the disturbance. The former Beaver would throw just 41.1 innings in the Midwest League, posting a 51-to-25 strikeout-to-walk ratio to go along with a 3.51 ERA. Hjerpe did appear in seven games with the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League, throwing another 8.1 innings, posting a 15-to-6 K/BB ratio with a 4.32 ERA.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: Back of the rotation caliber arm as long as he can take the ball every fifth day. I had a second round grade on Hjerpe heading into the draft. He’s likely going to move quickly through the low levels of the minor leagues.
Scouting Report: Hjerpe throws a deep, five-pitch mix, though none are particularly overwhelmingly strong. Everything plays up based on his low three-quarter arm slot, which is basically a high sidearm release point. Hjerpe commands the zone surprisingly well, particularly on the third base side of the plate, given the funk of his arm action. Fringy fastball that creeps into average territory due to the aforementioned deception with his release. Average curveball, average horizontally sweeping slider, and the rare – still average, though – cutter too. His best pitch is a Bugs Bunny-esque changeup that seems to stop midway to the plate. Hjerpe is absolutely death on left handed bats, so if he struggles in the upper levels of the minors, he should have no problem morphing into a viable big league relief arm. The starting potential is somewhere near the backend of a rotation, maybe a four if you squint hard enough.
Ceiling: 1.5-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2025
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8. Gordon Graceffo, RHP
| FB | CB | SL | CH | Command | Overall |
| 55 | 55 | 50 | 45 | 45/50 | 45 |
Background: St. Louis hasn’t gone to the Villanova well often throughout their history. They’ve nabbed just four Wildcats. But, surprisingly, all four of those selections happened between 2012 and 2022. The best of the bunch being Gordon Graceffo, a fifth round pick three years ago. Graceffo, the 151st overall player taken that summer, was nothing short of brilliant during his abbreviated professional debut that year, posting a 37-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio to go along with a 1.72 ERA in 26.0 innings. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound righty continued to impressive the following season, throwing 139.1 innings while averaging 9.0 strikeouts and just 1.8 walks per nine innings between Peoria and Springfield. Graceffo spent the entirety of last season twirling games for the Memphis Redbirds in the International League, throwing 86 innings with an 81-to-45 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He tallied a 4.92 ERA, a 4.69 FIP, and a 5.21 xFIP. The former fifth round pick missed about six weeks due to right shoulder inflammation in the first half of the season.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: There’s league average starting material here, maybe a touch more depending upon his defense because his pitch-to-contact approach.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, here’s the list of 23-year-old hurlers that posted a 20% to 22% strikeout percentage with a 10.5% to 12.5% walk percentage with one club in any Triple-A league (min. 75 IP): John Lamb, Robert Stephenson, Tyler Clippard, Wily Peralta, Jon Meloan, Casey Crosby, and – of course – Gordon Graceffo.
Graceffo’s an interesting pitching prospect because, well, the eye test would suggest he’s better than he actually is. But the Statcast Data suggests otherwise. His mid-90s fastball, which approaches 98 mph at times, is the opposite of a spin rate monster. His low 80s changeup is below average. He doesn’t throw his curveball enough, an above-average pitch. And his slider is workable. The big regression for Graceffo was his feel for the strike zone. He’s entering his age-24 season and likely gets 18 months or so to convince the club to stay in the rotation mix. Otherwise, he’s going to be converted into a relief pitcher.
Ceiling: 1.5-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024
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9. Leonardo Bernal, C
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 50 | 50 | 30 | 50 | 55 | 45 |
Background: The Cardinals’ Top 20 Prospect list always seems to feature a catcher or two among the top half. Guys like Carson Kelly, Andrew Knizner, and Ivan Herrera have all spent time amongst the club’s better known prospects. Now Leonardo Bernal has entered the discussion. Signed off the international free agency market prior to the 2021 season, St. Louis handed the Panamanian backstop a bonus just shy of $700,000. A few months later, the 6-foot, 200-pound teenager would battle the Dominican Summer League competition, though he mostly came up on the losing end. Bernal batted a lowly .209/.298/.373 in the offense-boosting environment of the foreign rookie league. Things clicked for the young catcher the following year, despite moving up to Low-A, as he slugged .256/.316/.455 in only 45 games with Palm Beach. The front office sent Bernal back down to the Florida State League for additional season in 2023, but his offensive production took a noticeable step backward. He hit .265/.381/.362 with 15 doubles, one triple, and three homeruns in 78 games. Per Weighted Runs Created Plus, his production with Palm Beach topped the league average mark by 11%, thanks in large part due to his newly found patient approach at the plate. His season ended prematurely in early August courtesy of an undisclosed injury.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: The Cardinals clearly know their prospects well. Because there’s no other reason why they would have sent a teenager coming off of a disastrous debut showing in the Dominican Summer League straight into full season action not expecting him to succeed.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only three 19-year-old hitters posted a 105 to 115 wRC+ mark with a walk rate north of 14% with one club in any Low-A league (min. 300 PA): Won-Bin Choo, Bryan Rincon, and Leonardo Bernal.
A few interesting notes on the group of three:
#1. Choo, Rincon, and Bernal all achieved the feat in 2023.
#2. Choo and Bernal both accomplished the feat as members of the Palm Beach Cardinals.
Even during his disastrous showing in the Dominican Summer League three years ago, Bernal had a knack for showcasing power. And that thump really came through during his abbreviated stint in the Florida State League in 2022 when he slugged 16 extra-base knocks in only 45 contests. The switch-hitting backstop also adopted a far more patient – maybe passive – approach at the plate. Even if the power regression is real and there’s no bounce back, Bernal’s defense and solid-average hit tool back him a potential starter on a non-contender.
Ceiling: 1.5-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2026
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10. Sem Robberse, RHP
| FB | CB | SL | CH | Command | Overall |
| 55 | 55 | 50 | 50 | 55 | 45 |
Background: The Cardinals found themselves in an unfamiliar position last summer. Starring down the finish to a disastrous 2023 season, the perennial contenders became sellers at the trade-deadline, not the typical St. Louis squad looking to bolster their roster for an extended playoff run. Jordan Montgomery and Chris Stratton were shipped off to eventual World Series Champion Texas Rangers. Jack Flaherty was dealt away to Baltimore. And in three separate deals, the front office sent Génesis Cabrera, Jordan Hicks, and Paul DeJong to the Blue Jays. Hicks was shipped to Canada for minor league right-handers Adam Kloffenstein and Sem Robberse. Born in Zeist, Netherlands, Robberse was one of the more intriguing young arms in the Jays’ system over the past couple of seasons. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound right-hander posted a 90-to-38 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 88.2 innings as a 19-year-old between Low-A and High-A. The following season, 2022, Robberse made stops with Vancouver and New Hampshire, Toronto’s High-A and Double-A affiliates, throwing 111.1 innings with 97 strikeouts against 34 free passes. Last season – once again – Robberse split his campaign between two separate stops: New Hampshire and Memphis, St. Louis’s Triple-A farm club. He would throw 124.0 innings, averaging 9.4 strikeouts and 4.1 walks per nine innings to go along with an aggregate 4.28 and a 4.88 FIP.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: While Robberse is still tracking like a solid, pitchability-based backend starting pitcher, the Dutch right-hander’s arsenal didn’t take a step forward as expected. He’s a low ceiling / high floor prospect with a high probability of spending at least a few seasons in the majors.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, ten 21-year-old hurlers met the following criteria with one club in any Double-A league (min. 75 IP): 22% to 24% strikeout percentage and an 8% to 10% walk percentage. Those ten hurlers: Carlos Carrasco, Edwin Diaz, Beau Burrows, Wade Davis, Blake Walston, Angel Rondon, JoJo Romero, Grant Holmes, Rony Garcia, and Sem Robberse.
Again, it’s not overly surprising that the Cardinals’ brass targeted Robberse in one of their three trades with the Blue Jays. Why? Because he’s the prototypical St. Louis pitching prospect: fringy average fastball, a couple solid offspeed pitches, and – for the most part – he’s a consistent strike-thrower. Robberse is as relaxed on the bump as any 21-year-old pitching prospect I’ve ever seen. He attacks hitters with a borderline 50-grade low-90s fastball. He’ll mix in a 55-grade curveball, an average slider, and a surprisingly above-average power changeup. The latter sits – consistently – in the upper 80s, only about three ticks below his fastball. Backend starting pitcher material. Nothing more.
Ceiling: 1.0- to1.5-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024
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All statistics were provided via the following website: Baseball Reference, FanGraphs, TheBaseballCube, BaseballProspectus, ClayDavenport.com, Baseball America, and X-user @mk237700 (for compiling Statcast Data)
