Cardinals Trio Recognized On MLB Pipeline's Updated Top 100 Prospect List

St. Louis has a few stars in the making

Jul 29, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A general view of Busch Stadium during the second inning of a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports / Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Cardinals don't have the strongest farm system but that doesn't mean the organization's future is completely hopeless.

Despite what the ratings might say about the Cardinals arsenal of prospects, the organization still has plenty of talent to look forward to.

For instance, a trio of Cardinals minor league players have been recognized for their potential and it might not be long before they're dominating for St. Louis.

Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt (No. 19), right-handed pitcher Tink Hence (No. 51) and left-handed pitcher Quinn Matthews (No. 86) were recently recognized in MLB Pipeline's updated top 100 prospect list.

Wetherholt is the Cardinals 2024 first-round draft pick and his hitting potential is what makes him special. The young slugger was arguably the best pure hitter in his draft class, and it should be fun watching him develop.

The 21-year-old batted .331 with 16 extra-base hits including eight home runs, 30 RBIs and a 1.061 OPS in 36 games played for the University of West Virginia Mountaineers in his final season before declaring for the draft.

Hence is a rising star who has the potential to be a front-end starter if he can stay healthy. Since being drafted by the Cardinals in 2020, the young hurler has been making steady progress and it might not be long before St. Louis gives him a shot at the show.

The 22-year-old has logged a 4-3 record with a 3.02 ERA, 86-to-20 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .210 batting average against and a 1.09 WHIP in 62 2/3 innings pitched for Double-A Springfield this season.

Matthews is a pitching prospect who has flown under the radar this season as one of the most dominant pitchers in all of minor league baseball. He currently leads the minors in strikeouts with 157 punch-outs recorded -- in only his first season as a professional pitcher.

The southpaw has posted a 7-3 record with a 2.49 ERA, 157-to-34 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .168 batting average against and a 0.89 WHIP in 112 innings pitched this season between his time playing for Single-A Palm Beach, High-A Peoria and Double-A Springfield.

Even though the Cardinals are currently struggling, there's at least hope for the future with the young talent coming through the farm system.

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