Juan Yepez

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #9 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Yepez signed with the Braves out of Venezuela in 2014 and was traded to the Cardinals in 2017 in exchange for Matt Adams. Yepez didn’t look like much of a prospect his first three years in the organization but broke out in a big way in 2021. He hit .286 with 27 home runs, 77 RBIs and a .969 OPS as he rose to Triple-A Memphis and was added to the Cardinals roster for the National League Wild Card Game. Yepez went to the Arizona Fall League after the season and continued to swing the bat well with seven home runs and a 1.028 OPS in 23 games.
  
  Scouting Report: Yepez gained about 20 pounds of muscle coming into the 2021 season, which led to more hard contact and the best season of his career. Now that he’s gotten stronger, Yepez checks a lot of boxes as a hitter. He consistently barrels the ball, shows a patient approach and rarely chases pitches out of the strike zone. He has struggled at times with spin, but he destroys fastballs at any velocity. He has improved facing lefthanded pitching to reduce his platoon split and altogether projects to be an average hitter with above-average power. Yepez previously was versatile enough to play first base, third base and left field, but the added bulk and muscle has reduced his mobility. He is a well below-average runner and below-average defender who is limited strictly to first base and may have to be a DH.
  
  The Future: Yepez is blocked by Paul Goldschmidt in St. Louis, but the permanent addition of the DH in the National League would open up a spot for him. He should make his major league debut in 2022.

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Yepez signed with the Braves out of Venezuela in 2014 and was traded to the Cardinals in 2017 in exchange for Matt Adams. Yepez didn’t look like much of a prospect his first three years in the organization but broke out in a big way in 2021. He hit .286 with 27 home runs, 77 RBIs and a .969 OPS as he rose to Triple-A Memphis and was added to the Cardinals roster for the National League Wild Card Game. Yepez went to the Arizona Fall League after the season and continued to swing the bat well with seven home runs and a 1.028 OPS in 23 games.
  
  Scouting Report: Yepez gained about 20 pounds of muscle coming into the 2021 season, which led to more hard contact and the best season of his career. Now that he’s gotten stronger, Yepez checks a lot of boxes as a hitter. He consistently barrels the ball, shows a patient approach and rarely chases pitches out of the strike zone. He has struggled at times with spin, but he destroys fastballs at any velocity. He has improved facing lefthanded pitching to reduce his platoon split and altogether projects to be an average hitter with above-average power. Yepez previously was versatile enough to play first base, third base and left field, but the added bulk and muscle has reduced his mobility. He is a well below-average runner and below-average defender who is limited strictly to first base and may have to be a DH.
  
  The Future: Yepez is blocked by Paul Goldschmidt in St. Louis, but the permanent addition of the DH in the National League would open up a spot for him. He should make his major league debut in 2022.