By Derrick Goold
February 9, 2007

Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel. All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible. Ages are as of April 1, 2007.

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TOP TEN PROSPECTS

1. Colby Rasmus, of 2. Jaime Garcia, lhp 3. Chris Perez, rhp 4. Blake Hawksworth, rhp 5. Jon Jay, of 6. Bryan Anderson, c 7. Adam Ottavino, rhp 8. Mark McCormick, rhp 9. Josh Kinney, rhp 10. Darryl Jones, of

BEST TOOLS

Best Hitter for Average Colby Rasmus Best Power Hitter Mark Hamilton Best Strike-Zone Discipline Jon Jay Fastest Baserunner Daryl Jones Best Athlete Daryl Jones Best Fastball Mark McCormick Best Curveball Jaime Garcia Best Slider Chris Perez Best Changeup Blake Hawksworth Best Control Jaime Garcia Best Defensive Catcher Matt Pagnozzi Best Defensive Infielder Brendan Ryan Best Infield Arm Tyler Greene Best Defensive Outfielder Skip Schumaker Best Outfield Arm Jon Edwards

PROJECTED 2010 LINEUP

Catcher Yadier Molina First Base Albert Pujols Second Base Adam Kennedy Third Base Scott Rolen Shortstop David Eckstein Left Field Jon Jay Center Field Colby Rasmus Right Field Chris Duncan No. 1 Starter Chris Carpenter No. 2 Starter Adam Wainwright No. 3 Starter Anthony Reyes No. 4 Starter Jaime Garcia No. 5 Starter Blake Hawksworth Closer Chris Perez

TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2006 1997 Matt Morris, rhp Giants 1998 Rick Ankiel, lhp Cardinals 1999 J.D. Drew, of Dodgers 2000 Rick Ankiel, lhp Cardinals 2001 Bud Smith, lhp Long Beach (Golden) 2002 Jimmy Journell, rhp Bridgeport (Atlantic) 2003 Dan Haren, rhp Athletics 2004 Blake Hawksworth, rhp Cardinals 2005 Anthony Reyes, rhp Cardinals 2006 Anthony Reyes, rhp Cardinals

TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2006 1997 Adam Kennedy, ss Angels 1998 J.D. Drew, of Dodgers 1999 Chance Caple, rhp Out of baseball 2000 Shaun Boyd, of Cardinals 2001 Justin Pope, rhp Yankees 2002 Calvin Hayes, ss (3rd round) Cardinals 2003 Daric Barton, c Athletics 2004 Chris Lambert, rhp Cardinals 2005 Colby Rasmus, of Cardinals 2006 Adam Ottavino, rhp Cardinals

LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY

J.D. Drew, 1998 $3,000,000 Rick Ankiel, 1997 $2,500,000 Chad Hutchinson, 1998 $2,300,000 Shaun Boyd, 2000 $1,750,000 Braden Looper, 1996 $1,675,000

CARDINALS LINKS

Cardinals' Team Page Cardinals Top 10 Scouting Reports  Last Year's Cardinals Top 10 Prospects 2006 Draft: Cardinals (Basic Database) 2006 Draft: Cardinals  (Advanced Database) 2006 Draft Report Cards: NL Central  Complete Index of Top 10 Prospects Pre-Order the 2007 Prospect Handbook

Several weeks after ownership shook up the player-development department, the Cardinals rode a sampling of players gathered and groomed by their system to a World Series title.

Seeking to bridge talent procurement with talent development, the Cardinals added farm director to scouting director Jeff Luhnow's titles in September. Three years into his career with St. Louis, Luhnow has run two drafts and has overseen the establishment of baseball academies in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela. Luhnow said his joint responsibilities should eliminate what he called a natural tension between scouting and development.

The move irritated some members of the front office, because farm director Bruce Manno was reassigned as a major league scout and because Lunhow comes from a business background rather than a baseball background. The move came the same day that general manager Walt Jocketty's option for 2008 was exercised, prompting manager Tony La Russa to say, "Nothing wrong with our development. Just have to get the talent."

Though many of the players on the franchise's 10th World Series championship team were acquired via free agency and trades, the system did make some significant contributions.

Most notable, of course, is Albert Pujols, who went from 13th-round pick in 1999 to superstar seemingly overnight. Chris Duncan (supplemental first round, 1999) cranked 22 homers during the regular season to help St. Louis sneak into the playoffs. Yadier Molina (fourth round, 2000) surprisingly led the team in hits during the postseason.

On the mound, Anthony Reyes (15th round, 2003) pitched eight strong innings to win Game One of the World Series. Adam Wainwright (who developed for two years in Triple-A in the Cards system after coming from Atlanta in the J.D. Drew trade) got the final outs in the National League Championship Series and World Series after taking over for injured closer Jason Isringhausen. St. Louis might not have successfully negotiated the first two rounds of the playoffs without the bullpen work of Tyler Johnson (34th round, 2000) and Josh Kinney (signed out of the independent Frontier League in 2001).

Those are very real contributions from a system that has lacked depth in recent years. It remains thin at the upper levels, as evidenced by Triple-A Memphis' 58-86 record and 15th-place finish in the 16-team Pacific Coast League. The bulk of St. Louis' best prospects was concentrated in Class A, the result of an infusion of talent from the last two drafts, when it owned a total of 11 picks in the first two rounds.

Eight of the players on our Cardinals Top 10 list were drafted in either 2005 or 2006. No. 1-ranked outfielder Colby Rasmus was St. Louis' top pick in 2005, when the club also nabbed righthander Mark McCormick in the supplemental first round, outfielder Daryl Jones in the third, catcher Bryan Anderson in the fourth and lefty Jaime Garcia in the 22nd. Last June, the Cards added righthanders Adam Ottavino (first round) and Chris Perez (supplemental first), plus outfielder Jon Jay (second).

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