St. Louis Cardinals

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: Thompson was a highly touted decorated college starter at Kentucky and one of the top pitchers available in the 2019 draft. The Cardinals selected him 19th overall despite a history of elbow injuries and signed him for an under slot $3 million bonus. Thompson quickly ascended the minors but got rocked at Triple-A Memphis in the first year back from the pandemic. He repeated Triple-A in 2022 and had much greater success, pitching well as a starter to earn his first callup to the big leagues. He settled in as a reliever for the Cardinals down the stretch and logged a 2.08 ERA in 22 appearances.

Scouting Report: Thompson utilized a four-pitch mix as a starter, but he leans on his fastball and curveball as a reliever. His fastball sits 94-96 mph with average ride and life out of the bullpen and touches 100 mph at peak. His slow, high-spin curveball with plus depth plays well off his fastball and induces a heavy dose of ground balls. Thompson will mix in a fringy upper-80s cutter and below-average upper-80s changeup to give batters a different look. He throws strikes with average control.

The Future: Thompson's primary two-pitch combination and average command make the bullpen his long-term destination. He should take on a bigger role as one of the Cardinals' primary relievers in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 40. Cutter: 45. Control: 50.

BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme

Track Record: The Cardinals signed Bernal out of Panama for $680,000 during the 2020-2021 international signing period, the second time in recent years they've signed a top amateur catcher from Panama after Ivan Herrera. Bernal struggled to hit for average but showed power in his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League and jumped stateside for the 2022 season. He began the year in extended spring training but rose to Low-A Palm Beach in June, where he hit .256/.316/.455 as the youngest hitter to receive 100 or more at-bats in the Florida State League in 2022.

Scouting Report: Bernal is a switch-hitting catcher with projectable abilities on both sides of the ball. He's an average contact hitter with a solid approach, although he can be a little passive batting righthanded. His main offensive calling card is his power. He already shows above-average power as a teenager and showcased it when he hit a ball 423 feet at 110 mph for a pull-side home run in late August. Bernal makes his best contact at his steepest launch angles and projects to keep hitting for power long-term. Behind the plate, Bernal showcases advanced receiving skills and plus arm strength. He is comfortable in the crouch and has the athleticism to move fluidly behind the plate.

The Future: Bernal is a long way off, but has the traits of a potential everyday catcher who contributes on both sides of the ball. He may see High-A as a 19-year-old in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 50. Power: 55. Run: 30. Field: 55. Arm: 60.

BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme

Track Record: Baez looked like one of the top high school players to come out of Massachusetts in years after he dominated the summer showcase circuit, but he struggled to make consistent contact against lesser high school pitching in the spring and fell out of first-round consideration. The Cardinals believed enough in Baez's plus-plus raw power and supporting skills to draft the muscular slugger in the second round, No. 54 overall, and sign him for $2,250,000, nearly a million above slot value. Baez's contact struggles continued in the Florida Complex League in his debut and he played just 32 games in 2022 due to a wrist injury.

Scouting Report: Baez stands out from his teenage peers for his extreme physicality. He has a muscular, well-proportioned build that exudes natural strength and allows him to pulverize baseballs. Baez's offensive game is centered around his plus-plus game power, showcasing exit velocities already well above the major league average. Baez makes loud contact when he connects, but he rarely gets to his power due to poor contact skills and a somewhat aggressive approach. Baez swings and misses at a high rate against both high fastballs and spin and generally shows an aversion to both pitches, limiting him to a well below-average hitter, at best. Baez is a fringe-average runner who ticks up to average underway. He is a good athlete who was a two-way player in high school and is an average defender with a plus-plus arm that allowed him to touch 97 mph on the mound.

The Future: Baez's huge power is easy to dream on, but his poor contact skills will need to improve for him to be a low-average, power-hitting outfielder.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 30. Power: 70. Run: 45. Field: 50. Arm: 70.

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: Mautz spent his first two seasons alternating between starting and relieving at San Diego before moving into the rotation full-time in 2022. He broke out and led the West Coast Conference in wins, finished second in strikeouts and had his signature moment when he dominated Vanderbilt over seven innings in the NCAA Tournament to lead the Toreros to an upset victory. The Cardinals drafted him in the second round, No. 59 overall, and signed him for a below slot $1.1 million bonus. The Cardinals held Mautz out of games after signing after he pitched a full college workload.

Scouting Report: A deceptive lefthander who works exclusively from the stretch, Mautz mixes three pitches with a heavy focus on his fastball and slider. He hides the ball well to help his 90-93 mph four-seamer play up and get on hitters faster than they expect. His primary weapon is his above-average, sweepy slider in the low-80s. That silences lefthanded batters and is an effective weapon against righthanded hitters as well. Mautz will mix in a mid-80s changeup, but it's poorly executed and not a major part of his arsenal. Mautz's control is fringy and his success varies widely from outing to outing depending on if he has command of his fastball that day.

The Future: Mautz will get a chance to start, but his fastball and slider combination, stretch-only setup and fringy control project best in the bullpen long-term. He'll make his pro debut at the Class A levels in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 45. Slider 55. Changeup 30. Control: 45.

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: Hansen was one of baseball's most reliable college starters at Texas, going 22-4 over two-plus seasons in the Longhorns rotation and emerging as their de facto ace. The Cardinals selected him in the third round, No. 97, and signed him for $629,800, making him the third of three college lefthanders the clubs selected with its top three picks. The Cardinals chose to rest Hansen due to his heavy college workload and did not send him out to an affiliate after signing.

Scouting Report: Hansen is a soft-tossing lefthander whose sum is greater than his parts. His fastball sits 88-91 mph and scrapes 94 with only average life. His secondaries consist of an above-average low-80s slider with two-plane break, an average changeup and a low-70s curveball that acts as an early count strike-stealer. Hansen's arsenal lacks velocity across the board, but everything plays up with his plus-plus control and advanced feel for sequencing. He executes at a high level consistently and keeps hitters guessing and off-balance, yielding results on par with a pitcher who has much louder stuff.

The Future: College pitchers historically add a few ticks of velocity upon entering professional ball. If Hansen can do that to add power to his deep arsenal of pitches, he has a chance to be a back-of-the rotation starter.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 40. Curveball: 40. Slider 55. Changeup 50. Control: 70.

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: Paniagua signed with the Cardinals for $160,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2017 and moved slowly through their system. After splitting the previous season between starting and relieving, Paniagua became a full-time starter in 2022 and had a breakout season at Low-A Palm Beach. He led the Florida State League in ERA for most of the season and earned a promotion to High-A Peoria, where he made eight starts to finish his season.

Scouting Report: Paniagua slings a quartet of pitches from his low three quarters slot with a smooth and effortless delivery. He has both a four-seamer and sinker that sit in the low-90s, and he alternates which one he throws depending on the situation. Paniagua pairs his fastballs with an above-average, low-to-mid-80s changeup and an average curveball in the mid-70s with two-plane break. His changeup and curveball act as his primary swing-and-miss weapons and had above-average whiff and chase rates in 2022. Paniagua shows advanced feel for sequencing, mixing in all four pitches regardless of the handedness of the opposing batter. He has average control of his entire arsenal and could tap into more velocity as he matures physically.

The Future: Paniagua projects to be a back-the-rotation starter who shows batters a variety of looks. He has a chance to grow into more if he adds velocity.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 45. Curveball: 50. Changeup 55. Control: 50.

BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme

Track Record: Willis missed most of the high school showcase circuit after having ulnar nerve decompression surgery before his senior year, but he returned healthy in the spring and showed premium stuff and physicality to become one of the 2021 draft's biggest risers. The Cardinals drafted him in the seventh round and signed him for an above-slot $1 million bonus to forgo a Minnesota commitment. Willis has struggled to stay on the mound since signing. He pitched only one inning in his pro debut and missed most of 2022 with an unspecified arm issue.

Scouting Report: Standing 6-foot-5 with a broad physical frame, Willis has the build of a rotation workhouse at just 19 years old. While his pure strength is yet to surface as a professional there's hope he can make significant velocity gains once healthy for a long stretch. Willis' fastball sits 89-91 mph and tops out at 92, but it plays up with moderate ride and cut and the more than seven feet of extension he generates in his delivery. His slurvy curveball sits in the upper-70s and tunnels well off his fastball. His fringy, low-80s changeup features splitter-like action, but he rarely throws it. Willis has flashed average control of his stuff, but he's rarely been on the mound long enough to show whether he can sustain it.

The Future: Willis has to get healthy. If he does, he shows the raw ingredients of a projectable, righthanded starter capable of eating innings.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 50. Changeup 45. Control: 50.

BA Grade/Risk: 40/Medium

Track Record: Gómez was once an up and coming power prospect in the Rays system, but after multiple consecutive poor seasons, the Rays allowed him to leave as a minor league free agent. The Cardinals signed Gomez before last season and reaped the benefits of his long-awaited breakout. The powerful slugger led all of minor league baseball with 39 home runs as he climbed from Double-A to Triple-A and hit a career-best .294. The Cardinals added him to the 40-man roster after the season, keeping him from reaching minor league free agency a second time.

Scouting Report: Gomez's calling card is his plus-plus raw power. He swings hard and looks to do damage every time he swings, leading to long home runs when he connects but also a lot of strikeouts. Gomez's approach teeters on the edge of being over-aggressive and he is prone to chase swings against righthanded breaking balls, but he makes enough contact against lefties to be a potential platoon option. He is a below-average hitter overall. Gomez is a below-average runner and defender who lacks range in the outfield. He does show the ability to keep the ball in front of him and uses his plus arm to keep runners honest.

The Future: Gomez has a chance to be a backup or platoon option who plays against lefties. He could make his major league debut in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 40. Power: 70. Run: 40. Field: 40. Arm: 60.

BA Grade/Risk: 40/Medium

Track Record: Thomas pitched three years at Georgia Tech and emerged as its top starter as a junior, leading the Cardinals to draft him in the fifth round in 2019 and signed him for $340,000. After briefly appearing in the short-season leagues in his debut, Thomas jumped straight to Double-A out of the pandemic and quickly moved to Triple-A. Thomas returned to Memphis in 2022 and spent the entire year in the Redbirds rotation, then led the Arizona Fall League in strikeouts after the season.

Scouting Report: Thomas is a pitchability lefty almost to an extreme. His fastball sat 85-87 mph as an amateur and has ticked up marginally to now sit 88-91 mph and touch 93. He shows two different fastballs shapes with a four-seamer and a sinker, using his sinker especially against lefties. Thomas secondaries consist of an average, low-to-mid-80s slider, a fringy mid-80s changeup and a below-average cutter. He has above-average control of his entire arsenal and effectively locates all of his pitches to help them play up. He has a good feel for sequencing and lasts deep into his starts.

The Future: Thomas' varied arsenal, control and feel for pitching give him a chance to emerge as a No. 5 starter. He has a chance to settle in as a swingman or depth starter even if he doesn't reach that ceiling.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 40. Slider 50. Changeup 45. Cutter: 40. Control: 55.

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: Love spent two seasons in North Carolina's bullpen before breaking out as a starter in 2021. The Cardinals drafted him in the third round after that season and signed him for a below-slot $600,000. Love began his first full season at High-A Peoria in 2022 and struggled to a 5.73 ERA, but he showed the underlying stuff to miss bats and was often victimized by bad luck.

Scouting Report: While Love's maiden voyage was rough, he showcased several promising traits. He has a large, physical starter's frame at 6-foot-3, 232 pounds and a potent four-pitch mix. His fastball sits 92-94 mph and touches 97 at its peak and his mid-80s, gyro-slider is an above-average pitch that regularly misses bats. Love can get outs with those two pitches, but the rest of his arsenal is further behind. He struggles to land his fringy changeup his low-80s curveball is a below-average pitch, although it shows solid depth. He throws strikes with average control but has room to improve his command.

The Future: Love has a chance to remain a starter if he can command his changeup better. If not, his fastball and slider combination should play up out of the bullpen.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 40. Slider 55. Changeup 45. Control: 50.

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: Rajcic starred as the ace of national prep power Orange (Calif.) Lutheran High and arrived at UCLA as a top recruit in the 2020 class. He served as the Bruins' closer as a freshman and transitioned to starting in the Cape Cod League. Rajcic took over as UCLA's top starter as a draft-eligible sophomore in 2022 and wore down at the end of the season, but he showed enough for the Cardinals to draft him in the sixth round and sign him for an above-slot $600,000 bonus.

Scouting Report: Rajcic is a stocky, undersized righthander with an above-average breaking ball. With a long track record of success as an amateur, Rajcic has shown an ability to command and sequence his arsenal in such a way that it plays above his raw stuff. Rajcic mixes three pitches in his fastball, curveball and changeup. His fastball sits 90-93 mph with heavy ride but is easy to track due to his very visible release point. His fastball is primarily a setup weapon for his two secondaries. His primary secondary is his low-80s above-average curveball with heavy two-plane break. His changeup is a low-to-mid-80s pitch that shows hellacious armside run. He throws all of his pitches for strikes, showing average command across his arsenal.

The Future: Rajcic will have to make it as a starter because he doesn't have enough power to profile in relief. He projects to be an up-and-down starter who possibly sneaks into a No. 5 starter's role.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 45. Curveball: 55. Changeup 50. Control: 50.

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: Crooks spent one season at McLennan (Texas) JC before transferring to Oklahoma and started 100 games behind the plate with the Sooners. He hit for average and power to emerge as one of the top catchers in the draft class and was selected by the Cardinals in the fourth round, signing for $470,300. Crooks debuted with Low-A Palm Beach after signing and hit .266/.396/.468 with eight extra base hits in 23 games, continuing to show ability on both sides of the ball.

Scouting Report: Crooks has the typical strong, stout catcher's build and is muscled throughout his frame. He employs a large leg kick to start his swing and has explosive bat speed through the zone with a level bat path. Crooks' noisy swing mechanics may limit him against higher-level pitching, but he should make enough contact to be a fringe-average hitter who taps into his average power in games. He shows a solid approach and is best when he attacks pitches in the inner half and drives them to his pull-side. Crooks is an average defender behind the plate who is comfortable in the crouch. His average arm strength plays up with a quick transfer and release.

The Future: Crooks is a well-rounded player who keeps trending up as a hitter. He projects to be a backup catcher and could be more if his hitting continues to improve.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 50. Run: 30. Field: 50. Arm: 50.

BA Grade/Risk: 40/High

Track Record: Pacheco signed with the Cardinals out of Venezuela in 2017 and steadily rose up the minor league ladder with little fanfare. He opened the 2022 season at Double-A Springfield and continued to perform, earning a promotion to Triple-A Memphis by late June. Pacheco emerged as one of the Redbirds' top relievers and recorded four saves while averaging well over a strikeout per inning, leading the Cardinals to add him to the 40-man roster after the season.

Scouting Report: Pacheco is undersized at 5-foot-11 but has a big right arm. His fastball sits 95-97 mph and touches 99 with above-average vertical break, resulting in swings and misses at a high rate. Pacheco throws his fastball nearly 60% of the time and commands it well, making it a swing-and-miss offering even when hitters know it's coming. Pacheco's primary secondary pitch is a tight mid-80s slider that gets whiffs both in and out of the zone to be a second plus pitch he can turn to at any time. Pacheco hardly ever throws his well below-average changeup but rarely needs it. He throws plenty of strikes with his fastball and slider and has a fiery mentality on the mound that fits the archetype of a hard-throwing reliever.

The Future: Pacheco will likely join the Cardinals bullpen at some point during the 2023 season. He should settle in as a middle reliever and could pitch his way into a leveraged role.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider 60. Changeup 30. Control: 50.

BA Grade/Risk: 40/High

Track Record: A 16th-round pick out of Florida Southern in 2017, Walsh began his pro career as a starter but moved to the bullpen after having Tommy John surgery. He returned to the mound in 2021 as a hard-throwing short reliever and was added to the 40-man roster after the season. Walsh opened 2022 at Triple-A Memphis and pitched well enough over 13 appearances to earn his first big league callup, but he went down with elbow soreness in early June and had a platelet-rich plasma injection that ended his season.

Scouting Report: When healthy, Walsh flashes big stuff capable of getting outs in the major leagues. His fastball 94-96 mph and touches 99 mph with heavy ride and bore. He pairs his above-average fastball with an above-average curveball that sits in the low-80s with big depth and plays perfectly off his fastball shape. Walsh's pitch mix is primarily built around the vertical attack of his fastball and curveball, locating his four-seam fastball at the top of the zone and tunneling his downer curveball off of it to drive chase swings. Walsh also throws a hard, below-average slider with less depth in the upper-80s and a below-average, mid-80s changeup his feel comes and goes for. His control is fringy but usable.

The Future: Walsh projects to be a solid middle reliever, but only if he can stay healthy. He'll have a chance to win a spot in the Cardinals bullpen in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Curveball: 55. Slider 40. Changeup 40. Control: 45.

BA Grade/Risk: 40/High

Track Record: Antico played four seasons with St. John's before transferring to Texas for his final season of eligibility. He broke out in his lone season with the Longhorns, batting .273/.437/.489 with 10 home runs, 41 stolen bases and more walks than strikeouts. The Cardinals selected Antico as a senior sign in the eighth round and signed him for $20,000. Antico made his full-season debut in 2022 and quickly hit his way up to Double-A Springfield while showing the best speed in the organization. He finished the year with a system-high 67 stolen bases and was assigned to the Arizona Fall League after the season.

Scouting Report: Antico's game is centered around his explosiveness as a runner and at the plate. He is a fringe-average contact hitter with a discerning eye that rarely expands the zone, allowing him to draw walks and get on base to use his plus speed. Unlike most speedsters, Antico looks to elevate the ball to his pull-side and hits a lot of fly balls. He hits the ball at steep launch angles but doesn't have the strength to punish balls, leading to fringy power. Antico's speed translates to the outfield, where he covers a lot of ground in center to be an above-average defender. He has fringy arm strength.

The Future: While Antico will already be 25 on Opening Day, but he shows the traits to be a reserve outfielder who provides speed and occasional pop off the bench. He'll see Triple-A in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 45. Run: 60. Field: 55. Arm: 45.

BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme

Track Record: Bedell skipped his senior year of high school to enroll at Missouri, where he worked primarily out of the bullpen as an underclassman. He broke out as a starter for Wareham in the Cape Cod League in 2019 and moved into Missouri's rotation the following spring, but made only four starts before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the season. The Cardinals saw enough in that limited time to draft Bedell in the fourth round and sign him for an above-slot bonus of $800,000. Bedell's pro debut lasted just one month before he had Tommy John surgery, but he returned midway through the 2022 season and made six appearances.

Scouting Report: Bedell looks the part as a 6-foot-2 righthander with a lean, athletic frame. His stuff doesn't jump out on the radar gun, but he delivers the ball from a low three-quarters arm slot that allows his stuff to play above its velocity. Bedell's fastball sits 91-93 mph and touches 96 mph with ride and heavy armside run, making it difficult for hitters to get on plane with. His primary secondary is a fringy, high-70s curveball with two-plane break and solid depth. He'll also mix in a fringy changeup in the mid-80s with heavy armside run that plays off his fastball. Bedell had above-average control before surgery, but it remains unknown whether it is still intact due to his limited innings.

The Future: Bedell has a chance to be a back-of-the-rotation starter if his stuff and control return to pre-injury form. If not, he'll likely be limited to an up-and-down starter.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Curveball: 45. Changeup 45. Control: 50.

BA Grade/Risk: 40/High

Track Record: A Portland, Oregon native, Mills went undrafted out of high school and was little-known until he broke out in the summertime West Coast League between his freshman and sophomore years at Washington State. He spent the next two seasons in the Cougars rotation and was drafted by the Cardinals in the fourth round in 2021, signing for a below-slot $375,000. Mills made his full-season debut in 2022 and rose from Low-A to High-A, compiling a 4-6, 4.03 mark with a 51% groundball rate.

Scouting Report: Mills lacks premium stuff but uses his pitch mix effectively to limit hard contact. A tall righthander with an easy, effortless operation, Mills has a short arm action as he delivers the ball from a high three quarters slot. Due to his size and release height, he creates good downhill plane on low-90s sinker and induces an extreme amount of ground balls with it. He pairs his sinker with an above-average low-80s slider with tight gyro spin and a fringy mid-80s changeup he uses against lefties but has inconsistent command of. Mills is an efficient strike-thrower with above-average control and effectively uses his sinking fastball to control contact.

The Future: Mills' stuff is a tick short to be a No. 5 starter, but he could be an up and down starter or an effective middle reliever with his sinker and slider playing up out of the bullpen.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 45. Slider 55. Changeup 45. Control: 55

BA Grade/Risk: 40/High

Track Record: A decorated pitcher at Division II Angelo State, Baker set school records in strikeouts and wins as he led the Rams to the Division II World Series in 2021 and won Lone Star Conference pitcher of the year. The Cardinals selected Baker in the ninth round that year and signed him for $75,000. Baker made his full-season debut in 2022 with Low-A Palm Beach and continued his track record of success. He led the Florida State League in strikeouts, wins and innings pitched.

Scouting Report: Baker is a large-bodied righthander at 6-foot-3, 240 pounds with a big, round build. His two-seam fastball sits 92-94 mph with downhill plane out of his high three-quarters arm slot and touches 95. He pairs his fastball with a fringy, mid-80s slider with cutter shape and an above-average, low-to-mid-80s changeup that is the best pitch in his arsenal. Baker throws his changeup liberally and is comfortable throwing it against hitters on both sides of the plate. Baker shows average control of his three pitch mix and is particularly proficient at landing his changeup.

The Future: Baker's success came as an older pitcher in the Low-A, so he'll have to prove his stuff plays against age-appropriate competition. He projects to be a depth starter and will move to High-A in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 45. Slider 45. Changeup 55. Control: 50.

BA Grade/Risk: 40/High

Track Record: When Loutos committed to Division III powerhouse Washington University in St. Louis, he expected to play baseball while majoring in computer science and training for a technical career. The Cardinals instead signed Loutos as a nondrafted free agent following his senior season and used him as both a pitcher and a member of the front office building analytical models. Loutos arrived at his first spring training throwing 4-5 mph harder and rocketed up the minors from High-A to Triple-A in his first full season in 2022 to establish himself as a prospect independent of his front office work. He finished the year with nine solid appearances in the Arizona Fall League.

Scouting Report: Loutos is a big, physical 6-foot-5 righthander and has grown into power stuff. After sitting 91-93 mph and touching 94 in college, Loutos' fastball now sits 95-96 and touches 99 with riding life and heavy bore. He not only added velocity to his fastball, but added six inches of sweep to his slider with the added power. His slider now averages almost a foot of sweep and sits 81-83 mph as his de facto out pitch. Loutos' low-80s curveball sits in a similar velocity band to his slider but with a distinctly different movement pattern featuring depth and two-plane break. He relies on overpowering hitters and has just fringe-average control.

The Future: With substantial gains in his first full professional season and high level of intelligence, Loutos could blossom into a viable middle relief option. He is in position to make his major league debut in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Slider 50. Curveball: 45. Control: 45.

BA Grade/Risk: 40/High

Track Record: Originally signed by the Braves out of Colombia back in 2016, Zuniga signed with the Dodgers as a minor league free agent and spent the last four seasons in their system, including the last two at Double-A Tulsa. The Cardinals signed him as a minor league free agent after the 2022 season and immediately added him to their 40-man roster.

Scouting Report: A true power reliever, Zuniga stands an imposing 6-foot-5, 230 pounds and mixes a trio of pitches with well above-average velocity. His fastball sits 97-98 mph and touches 102 mph at its peak with heavy armside run. He pairs his heater with a tight, plus slider in the mid-80s with two-plane movement that is his go-to swing and miss pitch. Zuniga's changeup is his third offering but is still a part of his arsenal, sitting 89-91 mph with heavy tumble and fade. Like many hard-throwing relievers, Zuniga has plenty of stuff but is hindered by below-avergage control.

The Future: A pure power reliever with elite velocity and a prime bat-missing secondary in his slider, Zuniga should see time in the Cardinals bullpen in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Changeup 55. Control: 40.