Trevor Rosenthal

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #4 prospect in 2013
  Area scout Aaron Looper advocated selecting Rosenthal in the 21st round of the 2009 draft after seeing him throw all of one inning, believing the athletic righthander personified the gut-feeling picks the Cardinals encourage their evaluators to make. A shortstop at the start of his Cowley County (Kan.) CC career, he signed for $65,000 and emerged as a prospect when he struck out 11 in his first full-season start in 2011. He skipped a level last year, advanced from Double-A to the majors and became St. Louis' shutdown middle reliever in the playoffs. Rosenthal was a revelation in the postseason, with half of his fastballs in October clocked at 99 mph or faster. He works in the mid-90s as a starter and consistently hits 98 and tops out at 101 as a reliever. He spots his fastball low in the strike zone. Rosenthal also has a hard curveball and a solid changeup, pitches the Cardinals believe will allow him to be a big league starter. The key for him will be able to maintain the improved command he showed late in the year. Like Shelby Miller, Rosenthal will come to spring training with the opportunity to take a spot in the rotation. If he doesn't win one, he'll slide easily into a late-inning relief role.
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  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #11 prospect in 2012
  Like Shelby Miller and Lance Lynn before him, Rosenthal asserted his ascending status with a postseason gem. The broad-shouldered righty threw a complete-game, four-hit shutout in the Midwest League's Western Division Championship Series in September. He struck out three, didn't walk a batter and got 14 of his 27 outs on the ground. He punctuated his breakout playoff run with a win in the title clincher, during which he touched 98 mph. Unheralded coming out of Cowley County (Kan.) CC as a 21st-round pick in 2009, the Missouri native signed for $65,000. Rosenthal earned an invitation to the Cardinals' top-prospect camp last spring on potential, then quickly added production to that promise, striking out 11 in his first MWL start. Rosenthal has an athletic frame built for logging innings and a simple, repeatable delivery that aids his power and control. Last season he added zip to his stuff, sitting regularly at 91-95 mph with a heavy sinker. He also throws a biting slider that he can use effectively in the strike zone. His changeup shows life but is still in the early stages of development. Rosenthal will look to prove his worth as a frontline starter with Palm Beach in 2012.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Texas League #9 prospect in 2012
  Rosenthal dominated in low Class A in 2011, then jumped to Double-A to open this season. Called to St. Louis in mid-July, he bounced between the big leagues and Triple-A before going up for good at the end of August. He worked out of the bullpen for the Cardinals but has all the ingredients to be a quality starter. Rosenthal dials his fastball anywhere from 92-100 mph, usually working in the mid-90s with good life. He used a cutter more this year and also throws a hard curveball with late bite and a solid changeup. He has average control and a solid frame that should lend itself to durability, though he dealt with a nagging back injury this season that he sustained while working out. "This year, he became more of a complete pitcher," Springfield manager Mike Shildt said. "He's been quicker to make adjustments. He's got a tremendous arm, tremendous work ethic and that made it fun for instruction."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #39 prospect in 2013

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Area scout Aaron Looper advocated selecting Rosenthal in the 21st round of the 2009 after seeing him throw all of one inning, believing the athletic righthander personified the gut-feeling picks the Cardinals encourage their evaluators to make. A shortstop at the start of his Cowley County (Kan.) CC career, he signed for $65,000 and emerged as a prospect when he struck out 11 in his first full-season start in 2011. He skipped a level last year, advanced from Double-A to the majors and became St. Louis' shutdown middle reliever in the playoffs. Scouting Report: Rosenthal was a revelation in the postseason, with half of his fastballs in October clocked at 99 mph or faster. He works in the mid-90s as a starter and consistently hits 98 and tops out at 101 as a reliever. He spots his fastball low in the strike zone. He also has a hard curveball and a solid changeup, pitches the Cardinals believe the blend will allow him to be a big league starter. The key for him will be able to maintain his improved command. The Future: Like Shelby Miller, Rosenthal will come to spring training with the opportunity to take a spot in the rotation, but can slide easily into a late-inning relief role as well.