The St. Louis Cardinals have one of the richest traditions in all of Major League Baseball. There’s something about the birds on the bat that seems to always signify success.
The NL franchise with the most World Series titles (11) has often been known as a haven for veteran players. Many a career has been given new life in the midst of a pennant run. In the past, former established stars like Matt Holliday, Will Clark, and Carlos Beltran found new life in Cardinal Nation. At the same time, they also quickly became local fan favorites.
Given the fact that they are almost always in contention to make the postseason, the club has traditionally traded top young players in exchange for battle-tested warriors. However, in recent years, there’s been a shift in St. Louis.
Currently, the Cards have a list of potential candidates and top prospects for future positions. However, a select few will likely see action in 2023, and possibly even by Opening Day.
Here’s a closer look at three of the Redbirds’ most promising top prospects entering the dawning of a new season.
Analyzing 3 of the St. Louis Cardinals Top Prospects Entering 2023
#1 – Masyn Winn Should Be The St. Louis Cardinals’ Anchor at Shortstop For a Generation
As about as complete a player it gets on the middle infield, Masyn Winn does everything you need to win and more, proving why he’s one of the Cardinals’ top prospects. He’s got a good bat and great speed. His slick fielding up the middle and ability to be the captain will be his greatest attributes, however. His glove and his savvy will carry him throughout his career, even when he isn’t necessarily hitting the ball well.
However, he’s got some pop in his bat, too. Winn cracked 11 home runs in just 86 AA games in 2022. He will need to raise his average going forward, though.
A second-round pick in 2020, Winn won’t turn 21 until later this month (March 21st) and could probably be big-league-ready right now if pressed into duty. While he will likely start the year in Triple-A, the Cardinals will be looking to him eventually.
If Winn can provide star power at short, it allows the club to move Tommy Edman back to his more natural position of second base and leave him alone there.
#2 – Whether Jordan Walker Plays Third Base or the Outfield, He’s Going to Hit a Ton
St. Louis’ number-one prospect is the powerful Jordan Walker, who is a professional hitter by any definition of the term. With his long reach and good balance, he can hit the ball to the opposite field and has the potential to be a gap-hitting, RBI machine at the Major League level. Walker’s amazing skill and ability makes him one of the top prospects in all of baseball.
While the Cardinals are walking in high cotton right now at their corner infield positions with Paul Goldschmidt at first and Nolan Arenado at third, Walker might still make the team as a backup. If he has a massive spring, there’s an outside chance that he could get the call-up to fill in at 1B,3B, OF, and DH.
More than likely, however, he will spend the year at Triple-A and be a September call-up. The franchise won’t want to start the clock on his MLB service time if they don’t have to. And he’s better served to be playing every day down in Memphis than trying to get at-bats with the big club. At least, for now.
#3 – Moises Gomez Could Surprise Some People in Spring Training
The dark horse out of this trio of top prospects is the masher Moises Gomez, who swings possibly the loudest bat of all the team’s possible future stars. Listed at 5’10” and 200 lbs, he looks much bigger and stronger than that. Gomez blasted 39 home runs over different levels of the St. Louis Cardinals’ organization last year, so you know he can rake.
That prodigious power will earn the 24-year-old right fielder a lot of extra attention during the spring in Jupiter. And it’s a bit of a ‘make-or-break year’ for him, anyway.
Gomez has been in the minors for several years because he was signed as a teenager. So, even though he’s still got time, he probably needs to make a roster either this year or next if he wants to have a sustained career. While he likely won’t make the team out of Jupiter, he’ll get some at-bats and contribute in the majors (probably as a DH) at some point in 2023.
Main Image: Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports
