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Today, we’ll continue looking back at previous classes with a recap of the 2010 MLB Draft. Though it wasn’t flooded with big-league contributions, there are a few notable names to come out of that year’s crop.
If you would like to check out the previous installments, follow the links below:
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The Cardinals drafted infielder Zack Cox with their first-round pick in the 2010 draft.
Cox reached Triple-A Memphis by 2012 and was traded at the trade deadline of that season to the Miami Marlins for closer Edward Mujica. As for Cox, he remained in the Marlins’ farm system through the 2015 season and sat out the entire 2016 season after being released after spring training.
Cox joined the Detroit Tigers’ organization last December and spent 2017 at their Double-A level. Slashing .281/.351/.361 with just three home runs in 85 games, Cox elected for free agency this offseason at age 28.
He is still searching for his big-league debut.
Shortstop Sam Tuivailala was taken in the third round out of Aragon High School in San Mateo, California. With just a .220 batting mark (63-for-287) over the 2010 and 2011 seasons, the Cardinals converted Tuivailala - a shortstop with a power arm - to a relief pitcher. From there, Tuivailala’s path to the Majors was paved.
The right-handed Tuivailala made it to St. Louis by 2014 and appeared in the big leagues in 2015 and 2016 before really making an impact in 2017. In 34 games out of the Cardinals’ bullpen in ‘17, Tuivailala went 3-3 with a 2.55 ERA in 42 1⁄3 frames. The walk issues that followed him in the Majors in 2014-16 (16 in a combined 24 2⁄3 innings) were not the case this season, as ‘Tui’ posted a 34:11 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Infielder Greg Garcia was selected out of the University of Hawaii in the seventh round. The swift, left-handed-hitting utility fielder rose through the system quickly and debuted in the Majors in April of 2014. Since then, his role at the big-league level has continued to grow.
Garcia appeared in 49 games in 2015, 99 in 2016, and a career-high 133 contests in 2017. Splitting time between second base, third base, and shortstop — wherever the Cardinals had an opening that given day — Garcia slashed .253/.365/.332 with 20 RBIs and 27 runs scored.
The final player we’ll look at from the 2010 draft class is left-hander Tyler Lyons. Lyons, primarily a starter for his entire tenure in the Minors, has served as a key reliever for the Cardinals since 2016.
St. Louis Cardinals 2010 draft results
Lyons made his big-league debut in May of 2013, but he got his first real role last year. Lyons logged 48 innings across 30 games in the ‘16, maintaining a 3.38 ERA for the season.
After an offseason knee operation pushed his the start of his 2017 to late May, Lyons still topped his 2016 performance with 50 appearances in ‘17. In 54 frames of work, Lyons posted a 2.86 FIP with 68 strikeouts.
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