Redbird Farmhands’ Top 30 Prospects: Post-Deadline (10–1)
Credit: PJ Maigi/Springfield Cardinals
10. RHP Tink Hence
Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 70 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45+
Good: Tink Hence’s arsenal remains one of the best in the organization. The fastball has taken a slight step back but still plays at the top of the zone. He pairs it with a circle changeup that is one of his best pitches and a major whiff generator. The slider has improved over the past couple of years, and the velocity and gyro shape now make it an above-average offering. The curveball is more of a show-me pitch than a true bat-misser. Despite a lengthy injury history, he has generally maintained consistent command.
Bad: The concern with Hence is straightforward: health. He has yet to reach 100 innings in a minor league season, coming closest with 96 in 2023. He was shut down before the 2025 season with a rib cage strain and, after only eight appearances, was shut down again with another undisclosed issue. Given the accumulation of injuries over the last three to four years, it is fair to wonder whether his clearest path to the majors might ultimately be in relief.
9. OF Joshua Baez
Hit: 45 | Power: 65 | Run: 60 | Arm: 70 | Field: 45 | Overall: 50
Good: After years of inconsistent contact, Baez went to the development list in the middle of 2024 and returned looking like a potential star. He posted a 177 wRC+ at Palm Beach to finish 2024, then carried the momentum into 2025 with five-tool impact. Between Peoria and Springfield he hit .286 with an .884 OPS, 20 home runs, and 54 steals. The arm is a weapon, and he has thrown out multiple runners with ease, including first to third from right field. The biggest turning point is a meaningful drop in strikeouts, from the high to mid 30s into the low 20s.
Bad: Even with the reduced strikeouts, there are still some in-zone whiff concerns. The defense can be inconsistent from day to day. At times he looks like a comfortable right fielder who can handle some center field; at other times reads and routes betray him and balls get into the gap. He has been an outfielder his entire career, so this is not a Jordan Walker level concern, but it bears monitoring.
8. RHP Tekoah Roby
Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 65 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50
Good: Concerns about his performance against right-handed hitters subsided this season, as they managed only a .611 OPS against him after a .958 mark in 2024. The fastball and curveball have long been his bread and butter, and this year he added a new changeup that markedly improved the pitch’s effectiveness, giving him a complete four-pitch mix. The slider also looked better. His confidence on the mound stands out and has been publicly backed by Oli Marmol. Roby’s in-zone command improved as well, with far fewer mistakes over the plate compared to 2024.
Bad: Like Hence, Roby has a substantial injury history, culminating in Tommy John surgery that will likely sideline him until 2027. I am still more confident in Roby as a long-term starter than Hence because of his starter’s build and the fact that he exceeded 100 innings in 2022. The hope is that when he returns the velocity and command remain intact.
7. INF Jesus Baez
Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50
Good: Acquired as the centerpiece of the Ryan Helsley trade, the 20-year-old Baez has consistently produced above-average results while being young for each level. He broke out in 2024 with 11 home runs in 72 games and a 120 wRC+ across Low A and High A, then added 14 more homers this season between Brooklyn and Peoria. He has kept his strikeout rate under 20 percent each year since coming stateside, a rarity for a power-dominant profile. He has solid hands and a good feel for third base, which is his most likely long-term home given the arm strength, with a possibility of second base as a secondary fit.
Bad: Baez played only 72 games last year due to a torn meniscus in his right knee, and the downtime appeared to affect his conditioning, costing him speed into 2025. He is clearly below average on the bases. Even so, he defends third base capably. A return to shortstop or second base would likely require a conditioning step forward. He can also have occasional mental lapses in game situations, which is not unusual for his age but is an area for growth.
6. C Jimmy Crooks
Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 30 | Arm: 60 | Field: 60 | Overall: 50
Good: Defense is Crooks’s calling card. He is widely regarded as a plus framer and blocker, and his arm strength is also above-average. He is also praised for leadership and game-calling, both highly valued by the Cardinals. Offensively he is more power than hit, with a 110.6 mph max exit velocity in the 80th percentile and barrel rate, hard-hit rate, and 90th percentile exit velocity all above the 65th percentile. After a slow start, he posted a 124 wRC+ at Triple A from July onward, earning a call-up on August 29.
Bad: The strikeout rate climbed and the walk rate dipped this year. His strikeouts rose from 21 percent at Double A in 2024 to 26.5 percent at Triple A, while walks fell from 11.6 percent to 8.4 percent. His speed is well below average, which is typical for the position. His caught-stealing rate also dipped year over year, though that may reflect better baserunners and more selectivity at Triple A.
5. LHP Quinn Mathews
Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 65 | Control: 45 | Overall: 50
Good: Mathews has two of the best off speed pitches in the system. Through the ups and downs, the slider and changeup stayed very good, helping him rank among Triple A’s top strikeout pitchers. His 25.9% strikeout rate is in the 66th percentile, his 34.9% whiff rate is in the 87th percentile, and his 77% zone contact rate is in the 89th percentile. Despite the perception of struggle, his 3.90 ERA is 18% better than the International League average.
Bad: Walks have been the problem. His 17.3% walk rate sits in the 14th percentile at Triple A. He also saw a fastball velocity dip after shoulder fatigue kept him out from mid April to late May. The heater went from averaging 93 to 96 last year, depending on the start, to 91 to 93 after the injury. It is unclear how much was recovery versus searching for command. In late August and September the fastball ticked back to around 94, a good sign for 2026, when he likely finds himself in the Cardinals rotation.
4. C Rainiel Rodriguez
Hit: 60 | Power: 65 | Run: 45 | Arm: 45 | Field: 45 | Overall: 55
Good: I am sticking with the August list here, but heading into 2026 Rodriguez will get real number one consideration, with a floor of number two. The Cardinals have not had a hitting profile like this at this age in a long time. He consistently gets the ball in the air, which lets him cash in frequent 95 plus exit velocities despite the smaller frame. His 29.40% Pull Air rate ranked in the 95th percentile among FSL hitters. He does not have the typical swing and miss you see with young power bats. His 18.3% strikeout rate is in the 74th percentile, and his 10.5% barrel rate is in the 87th percentile. That is a dangerous combination.
Bad: There is not much to knock. The defense is closer to average right now, which is not surprising at 18. His athleticism behind the plate and on the bases is encouraging. There is no reason to move him off catcher at the moment. If that ever changes, he looks athletic enough for first base and maybe even third if the arm ticks up.
3. C Leonardo Bernal
Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 30 | Arm: 65 | Field: 60 | Overall: 55
Good: Bernal is a very complete catcher at 21 and is the current leader for long term potential behind the plate. He is a switch hitter who has been better from the right side, hitting .307 with an .848 OPS, compared to .221 with a .674 OPS from the left. He hit 13 homers at Double A, with a 131 wRC+ through early July and 11 of those homers before July 1. Behind the plate he is one of the best throwers in the minors, improving his caught stealing rate from 34% to 39% at Springfield. By the eye test he also improved his blocking and looks like an easy plus defender.
Bad: The second half showed some wear. As the Cardinals pushed his catching load, he wore down and hit .204 with a .582 OPS since July 1. A full offseason should help him build up for Triple A in 2026, which is the likely assignment even with the slow finish.
2. LHP Liam Doyle
Fastball: 70 | Slider: 50 | Cutter: 55 | Splitter: 65 | Control: 55 | Overall: 55+
Good: Doyle has the best overall arsenal of any Cardinals pitcher. The fastball is the calling card. It was almost untouchable in college and, even with some spec backup with the minor league ball, it remains an an elite offering. The splitter is excellent by the metrics, though he is still dialing in feel and command. The slider and cutter are average to slightly above and could be shaped in interesting ways this offseason. He also has real mound presence and can take over games.
Bad: It is early in his pro run. The slider has been hit in his first two outings, and the velocity dipped going into the second inning of his Palm Beach debut. Early velo dips showed up in college too, but he improved at holding it as the season went on, so this is not a big concern right now.
1. SS JJ Wetherholt
Hit: 65 | Power: 55 | Run: 55 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 60
Good: The whole profile is impressive. The hit tool leads the way and is the best in the minors. He rarely chases, with an 18.3% chase rate in the 92nd percentile, and he pairs that with a 15.7% strikeout rate in the 83rd percentile and a 12.9% walk rate in the 73rd percentile. What really stands out is how he adjusts to the situation. This year he gave up a few more whiffs to get more impact, and he now sits in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity with 16 homers. When he needs contact, he gets it. On defense he has been above average at shortstop and has also looked well above average at second and third, with plenty of arm for third if that is the long term home. He also stole 23 bases, among the best marks in the system. He is the most complete player in the Cardinals system and has the most upside.
Bad: There is not much to say here. If we are nitpicking, he missed a week with illness in April and another week with general soreness in September. Those brief pauses might have been enough to nudge the club toward holding off on a debut, though that was unlikely this year anyway as they sort out 2026. One name that will be in that lineup is Wetherholt.
