St. Louis Cardinals 2023 MLB Draft Review
See Also: 2023 MLB Draft Database
Draft Theme: College Players Only
It took the Cardinals until the 20th round to select a non-college player in the 2023 draft, and it seems like a safe bet to assume that LHP Cam Johnson is going to make it to campus at Louisiana State. Other than Johnson, the Cardinals only targeted college players this year, which follows the exact same playbook the team employed for the 2022 draft. You have to go back to the second round in 2021 to find the last high school player St. Louis drafted in a signable range and that was OF Joshua Baez.
Most Interesting Day 2 Pick: OF Caden Kendle, 10th round
Kendle is a 5-foot-11, 195-pound outfielder who has played all three outfield positions for UC Irvine. He was a part-time player and pinch runner during the 2021 season, but broke out in 2022 and continued hitting at a high clip in 2023, when he slashed .333/.433/.532 with eight home runs, 16 doubles, a 16.4% strikeout rate and a 10.3% walk rate. He is a strong and powerfully built hitter who has above-average raw power. He’s probably a power-over-hit bat at the next level, with just solid pure bat speed. Kendle was a double-plus runner coming out of high school, but tore his ACL and has been more of a solid-average runner subsequently who will turn in a 55-grade time from home to first. He’s an above-average defender with impressive instincts that should allow him to play all three outfield positions, with above-average arm strength that would fit nicely in right field and be an asset in both left or center.
Most Interesting Day 3 Pick: OF Brayden Jobert, 12th round
Jobert was draft eligible in 2022 after he was second on Louisiana State’s team with 18 home runs behind potential No. 1 overall pick Dylan Crews. He went undrafted and returned for his second year with the Tigers in 2023, when the 6-foot-2, 209-pound outfielder hit .301/.409/.596 with 14 home runs, 11 doubles, a 25.7% strikeout rate and 9.6% walk rate. Jobert is a power-oriented corner profile who has played a bit of first and third, as well as the outfield, but in pro ball he’s more of a DH/first baseman-only sort of defender. He hits the ball hard and to the pull side, with impressive raw power and exit velocities when he gets fully extended and on plane, but he’s a streaky hitter overall. Jobert’s swing has a bit of length in it, and he does swing-and-miss frequently, particularly against secondaries.
