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The St. Louis Cardinals have come out and blown past their limited expectations this season. Going into Thursday's games, they sit in second place in the National League Central with a 42-36 record, just seven games behind the Milwaukee Brewers.
But while the fans are enjoying the success, the front office is starting to think about the future. They are prepping harder than ever for the upcoming draft, where they have been given the No. 13 pick.
The question is, which way is the front office leaning? Are they leaning toward a college or prep player, and what position?
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Last year, the Cardinals took University of Tennessee pitcher Liam Doyle with pick No. 5. They have leaned heavily on college talent over the last five drafts, but this year may be different.
The last high school player they took in the first round was Jordan Walker in 2020, and with the success he is having, it may be smart to take a chance on another.
That is exactly what Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter believes, with the Cardinals taking California prep two-way player Jared Grindlinger.
"Since reclassifying from the 2027 draft class in February, Grindlinger has settled comfortably into the middle of the first-round picture. Scouts remain split on whether his future is on the mound or in the outfield, and both profiles rely heavily on physical projection, but the Cardinals have a great player development system in place to maximize his unique talents."
It's all about projection with this guy, as he's one of the youngest players in the class. But he's touched 96 mph on the mound with some good offspeed stuff and has a great contact-oriented swing.
Scouts are still split on whether he will stick to one over the other, but that is something that can be figured out after the draft.
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