I’ve already done the status update of the players drafted in the 2018 and 2017 MLB drafts, so today is 2016’s turn. I’m not entirely sure how many of these updates I will do, but as long as the vast majority of the minor leaguers are still in the system, I’ll continue. But we’re certainly getting close to the point where the players are either known to us, either through flirting with the majors or someone you needn’t bother getting updates on. This is Randy Flores’ first draft with the Cardinals.
Standouts
Dylan Carlson, 33rd overall pick, OF
Stats - AA: 483 PAs, 142 wRC+, .315 BABIP, .237 ISO; AAA: 79 PAs, .361/.418/.681, 161 wRC+, .429 BABIP
Wow. That’s not a wow at his numbers, which I’m already well aware of, as are most Cardinals fans at this point. It’s a wow at the fact that I didn’t realize he was drafted this recently. Anyway, it’s probably dumb to mention he only had 79 PAs for those AAA numbers and we should maybe keep expectations in check? Yeah it’s dumb, he’s a future Hall of Famer.
Dakota Hudson, 34th overall pick, RHP
Well someone in the comments informed me in was in fact pick, which is my mistake. I saw Carlson drafted in the compensation round and assumed he was the only one. Anyway, you know his deal.
Zac Gallen, 3rd round, RHP
We’re not going to talk about him. He’s not in the Cardinals organization anymore, but look up his stats, they’re pretty good. He was in the Marcell Ozuna trade. Fun stuff here.
Tommy Edman, 6th round, SS
I’m not going to list his stats since we all know what he’s doing right now. But I just want to say how jarring it is to see the wildly different outcomes from just the first six rounds. I’ve already got two MLBers, one uber prospect, a seemingly failed former prospect, an outfielder to pitcher conversion still in Johnson City, and someone already released.
Andy Young, 37th round, 2B
He was a throw-in for the Paul Goldschmidt trade, and in his age 25 season, he has a 140 wRC+ in AA and a 131 wRC+ in AAA. The only question is if the Dbacks will give him a chance.
Step Back
Connor Jones, 70th overall pick, RHP
Stats - AA: 48.1 IP, 21.2 K%, 15.2 BB%, 62.9 GB%, 4.66 ERA, 5.13 FIP, .353 BABIP
Jones got moved to the bullpen not being all that successful as a starter, and his stats did not really improve. He struck out more, but also walked more and he already walked a lot to begin with.
Mike O’Reilly, 27th round, RHP
Stats - AA: 11.1 IP, 15.7 K%, 9.8 BB%, 7.94 ERA, 3.63 FIP
He had a good run. Made his name by not walking anyone, but Springfield is the place where fake pitching prospects go to die, and well he couldn’t survive.
Moving Right Along
Delvin Perez, 23rd overall pick, SS
Stats - A: 508 PAs, .269/.329/.325, 95 wRC+, .057 ISO, .359 BABIP, 5.7 BB%, 23.1 K%
He undoubtedly earned the moving right along distinction, but there are some serious red flags with his offense, namely his complete lack of power, his lack of walks, his too high K rate, and his BABIP. This might be the least encouraging 95 wRC+ I’ve ever seen. Granted, he’s still 20 and a defense-first prospect at SS, but Palm Beach is gonna eat him alive. (then again, having virtually no power at a place with virtually no power... might not actually hurt him as bad as players with power)
Walker Robbins, 5th round, RHP/OF
Stats - JC: 25 IP, 28.4 K%, 9.2 BB%, 2.52 ERA, 2.74 FIP
I was about ready to put him under missing in action, because I couldn’t find anything on him. The MiLB site didn’t say he was released or on the injured list and I was stumped. Turns out, he was converted to pitcher after three straight dreadful years with the bat. So far, so good.
Andrew Knizner, 7th round, C
Stats - AAA: .276/.357/.463, 99 wRC+, .281 BABIP, 8.6 BB%; MLB: .213/.288/.383, 78 wRC+, .242 BABIP
Solid, not spectacular numbers in AAA, but he was getting hot at the end there. Also his MLB numbers are more encouraging than I thought. I mean you can trace his problems to a .242 BABIP. Only through seven rounds, but this is a wildly successful draft already, with three MLBers, and a top 50 prospect.
Brady Whalen, 12th round, 1B
Stats - A: 508 PAs, .248/.335/.370, 106 wRC+, 11 BB%, 19.9 K%, .122 ISO, .299 BABIP
Whalen is taking the slow, methodical rise in the system, going up one level at a time. Drafted out of high school, he’s set to be challenged by Palm Beach at 22. His .299 BABIP is the highest he’s ever had, so that does not usually strike me as a good sign for a lower level minor leaguer.
Daniel Castano, 19th round, LHP
He’s 24 and in the Marlins organization. He’s posted good numbers at High A and AA splitting his time between starting and relieving. He’s 25 next year, so probably don’t need to worry about this guy haunting us in the future (also in Ozuna trade).
Missing in Action
Jeremy Martinez, 4th round, C
The writing was already set it stone last year, when he functioned as a backup in Springfield. He was invited to spring training this year, and released at the end of it.
Sam Tewes, 8th round, RHP
I’m not entirely sure what his injury is (update: it was Tommy John for his second time), but he appears to still be in the organization, and has been on the injured list for the whole season. He’s going to be 25, and his highest level was at AA and he wasn’t very good there, so I’m curious how long he’ll be here.
Matt Fiedler, 9th round, OF
I’m not entirely sure the backstory to this guy, but he kind of didn’t seem to get much of a chance? He was sent to Johnson City after being drafted, had a 141 wRC+, and then functioned as a bench player in Peoria for the next two years, with a 98 wRC+ and 111 wRC+.
Danny Hudzina, 10th round, 3B
Eaten up by Palm Beach last year and released for his troubles.
John Kilchowski, 11th round, LHP
Never had good numbers at full season ball, was promoted to Palm Beach in the hopes that the park would help and it did not.
Shane Billings, 13th round, OF
Harsh. The Cardinals kept Billings around in case of an injury, it happened early, he got sent to Springfield, crushed 2 homers in 28 PAs for a 185 wRC+, and was released as soon as he wasn’t needed.
Vincent Jackson, 14th round, OF
The MiLB site says he’s still active, but since he hasn’t played since 2017, I assume he is not still active. I found his twitter account and given his retweets, either drafted as a Cardinal fan or still a fan.
JR Davis, 15th round, 2B
This is a first. Released at beginning of year, signed on May 1st by Mariners, sent to their Single A team, and he appears to have gotten starter playing time before being released in July. That’s weird because he was 24 in Single A, had an 86 wRC+, and they really had nobody else?
Tyler Lancaster, 16th round, C/1B
Appears to have been drafted as a catcher, but played mostly 1B.
Matt Ellis, 17th round, RHP
I find no evidence he even played for the Cardinals once. He converted to pitching in his last year of college and I guess either never signed or got injured?
Anyway, I’ll stop there because mostly, everyone after the 17th round did get released. The ones not released are in other sections. If I continue this beyond the 2016 MLB Draft, I’m definitely going to come up with a different format to adjust for the fact that most players have been released. Pretty good draft. Too bad a decent number of the “hits” are in other organizations from trades.