Drew Rom Attracts Cardinals With Proximity, Bat-Missing Stuff
As the Cardinals pivoted to seller at the trade deadline for the first time in at least two decades, they prioritized acquiring young starting pitchers with high strikeout rates.
It wasn’t long before 23-year-old lefthander Drew Rom rose to meet that wish list.
The Cardinals added Rom as part of the three-prospect package acquired from the Orioles for Jack Flaherty. Rom struck out 10 in his first start for Triple-A Memphis and followed that with an eight-strikeout performance. The only run he allowed came on a home run.
Those starts earned him a callup to St. Louis on Aug. 21.
“His fastball plays up from its velo,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “He’s got a good enough mix to keep guys off balance. That splitter he’ll throw from time to time. His slider is a good pitch for him.”
Rom allowed eight runs on eight hits and four walks during his MLB debut when one inning went sideways on him due to an error. Still, the lefthander hinted at the potential his stuff has to challenge big league hitters.
Catcher Andrew Knizner likened Rom’s delivery to Madison Bumgarner for how he coils his torso in such a way that it hides his arm before a quick swing delivers the pitch. Rom has a crossfire look to his pitches and a high spin rate to increase the perceived velocity of his four-seam fastball.
He can also throw a sinker from a different arm angle to give him two distinct fastballs.
“He’s got kind of like a quick arm, hides it well,” Knizner said. “He’s got good stuff. It’s not a matter of stuff.”
A 2018 fourth-rounder out of high school by the Orioles, Rom recorded a 5.34 ERA through 86 innings for Triple-A Norfolk this season. He struck out 100, walked 46 and allowed seven home runs.
Rom’s proximity to the majors appealed to the Cardinals, though not as much as his pitch profile and bat-missing stuff. The organization likes that he’s developing a splitter to go with a slider that is effective versus lefthanded hitters.
REDBIRD CHIRPS
— With precisely 45 days remaining in the MLB season, the Cardinals called up top prospect Masyn Winn to be their starting shortstop. The timing of the move means the 21-year-old can maintain his rookie eligibility for 2024 if he has 130 or fewer at-bats this summer. That would keep alive the Cardinals’ chances of receiving a Prospect Promotion Incentive draft pick if Winn makes a play for Rookie of the Year.
— In addition to Drew Rom, the Cardinals also received Triple-A second baseman Cesar Prieto and Low-A righthander Zack Showalter in the Flaherty trade.
— Another starter acquired at the trade deadline, righthander Tekoah Roby, joined the Cardinals with a shoulder issue, and after three weeks of rehab was activated on Aug. 21 and put in the Double-A Springfield rotation. For the Rangers’ Double-A affiliate he went 2-3, 5.05 in 10 starts before the injury.
