The cardinals prospect

[dominik]

It seems like the cardinals often have prospects breaking out late out of nowhere and then produce well for 3-4 years to disappear then. Alan Craig is certainly such a guy, Matt carpenter might be one too, this year it is maybe hazelbaker.

How are the cards doing that? They seem to do a good job teaching obscure prospects late in their minor league careers and get an unlikely kind of production.

This is especially true on the hitting side, they rarely have a really good prospect dominating AA ball at age 21 and then kill it in the majors but they often have those older guys suddenly breaking out. I think that is a big part of their success getting that unlikely cheap production although for non cards fans it makes the team a little "boring" (26 year old rookies are not as exiting as a 19 year old manny machado or Carlos correa).

[Bothrops Atrox]

It seems like the cardinals often have prospects breaking out late out of nowhere and then produce well for 3-4 years to disappear then. Alan Craig is certainly such a guy, Matt carpenter might be one too, this year it is maybe hazelbaker.

How are the cards doing that? They seem to do a good job teaching obscure prospects late in their minor league careers and get an unlikely kind of production.

This is especially true on the hitting side, they rarely have a really good prospect dominating AA ball at age 21 and then kill it in the majors but they often have those older guys suddenly breaking out. I think that is a big part of their success getting that unlikely cheap production although for non cards fans it makes the team a little "boring" (26 year old rookies are not as exiting as a 19 year old manny machado or Carlos correa).

1. Do you have any evidence at all that this is true across the board or any comparison points to any other teams?
2. Marp is a great hitter. He has been a great hitter for 4 years and absolutely nothing suggests he will not remain so for years to come.
3. Hazelbaker had a great 2 weeks and has done nothing since - even spend a month and a half in the minors. not really fitting your own criteria.

[dominik]

Maybe Paul dejong will be the next guy they bring up.

2015 4th rounder has already reached AA ball and will start in AAA next year according to some sources. he is said to be bad defensively (nothing unusual for a Cards middle infielder) and has some contact issues (not terrible though at 26% Ks which is above average Ks but not sky high) but he improved to 22 HRs from 9 in 2015 and seems to have at least a solid eye at the plate (again typical for the homegrown cardinals hitter).

If he can Keep his Ks around 25% at the MLB Level and hits 25-30 HRs he would be a nice Piece even with below average D. and if he shifts away from SS he might even have average D at second or third which could increase his value.