Correa now faces the challenge of signing Cardinals' Day 3 draft picks
ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals scouting director Chris Correa feels good about the job his team did identifying talent and capping off a strong 2015 class on the MLB Draft's final day. But he knows the task of getting those players to officially join the organization won't be easy.
Correa said the long, difficult signing process is already under way for several high-potential, highly recruited prep athletes, and even multiple college athletes who may feel they can prove more by going back to school.
"I've set myself up for a complicated signing period and to be quite honest, I think I just wanted to have some options," Correa said via conference call Wednesday afternoon. "All I can do is have conversations with that kid about the opportunity that we can give them and give them the chance to make the choice and assess it for themselves."
The Cardinals took eight high school seniors in the final 30 rounds Wednesday, including two projected by some to go in the first five rounds. But Bishop Gorman (Nev.) shortstop Cadyn Grenier fell all the way to the 21st round, and St. Louis drafted Aliso Niguel (Calif.) pitcher Kyle Molnar in the 25th.
Grenier went to the same high school as Rangers slugger Joey Gallo and provides great athleticism and hitting ability without the power of Gallo, but it's tough to imagine Grenier will turn down a chance to play for 24-time conference champion Oregon State. This year's Pac-12 champion, UCLA, signed Molnar, a hard-throwing right-hander who led the US pitching staff with 13 scoreless innings at the 18-and-under Pan American Championship last September.
Correa said pitcher Parker Kelly, a 34th-round pick, is a strong commitment to the University of Oregon, even though his brother, Carson, plays catcher in the Cardinals organization. Local outfielder and 30th-round pick Matt Vierling impressed Correa with his athleticism, but it may be impossible to talk him out of a strong commitment to Notre Dame.
"To be honest, we're a little confused about whether he's going to be a pitching prospect or a position prospect," Correa said. "He's really talented, projectable, and he's going to have a great career."
St. Louis scouts liked what they saw from TCU pitcher Mitchell Traver, a former first-round prospect who came back from two surgeries in college to go 9-2 with a 1.60 ERA for a team headed to Omaha for the College World Series. But Correa said after being drafted by the Cardinals in the 28th round, the sophomore may choose to go back to TCU to improve his draft status.
The same could be true for 23rd-round pick Gio Brusa, who turned down a fifth-round offer from the Red Sox in 2012 to go to Pacific. The powerful outfielder hasn't lived up to expectations other than a breakout summer at the Cape Cod League, and he has one more year of eligibility.
St. Louis still drafted 11 college seniors on the final day, along with three sophomores out of junior college. Correa said a few of them are already close to signing and expects announcements to be made in the coming days.
Searching for catchers
Three straight catchers in Rounds 17, 18 and 19 stood out for an organization short on depth behind six-time All-Star Yadier Molina.
The 32-year-old All-Star won't be able to play the game's most grueling position forever. Correa said that lack of depth provided the incentive to draft five catchers, including four on Wednesday.
Perhaps the most promising of that group was LSU's Chris Chinea, who hit .367 in a team-high 61 games with 11 home runs and 17 doubles as a junior. Correa said Chinea is athletic enough to play some first base in the minors.
"To get that kind of power from a catcher, it's exciting," Correa said.
Joshua Rolette from Shawnee High School in Oklahoma would provide a left-handed bat, and Ryan McCarvel of Howard College earned first-team All-NJCAA honors by batting .398 with seven home runs despite playing in just 37 of his team's 60 games.
Junior Stephen Zavala of Whittier College completed the group of catchers in the 37th round. St. Louis also drafted San Diego junior Jesse Jenner in the seventh round on Tuesday.
"At the amateur level we're looking for soft hands and we're looking for a strong enough arm to be able to control the running game," said Correa, adding game management skills are often hard to judge at the lower levels.
Here's the full list of Cardinals draft picks for Rounds 11-40 on Wednesday, with some additional notes and thoughts from Correa:
Round (overall pick). Name, Position, School
11 (341). Paul Salazar, RHP, Lutheran South Academy (Tex.)
Correa said Salazar worked out for the Cardinals in Houston a couple of weeks ago. He showed plenty of potential with a 94-mph fastball and a frame that needs some work to develop strength and durability.
12 (371). Jacob Schlesener, LHP, Logan-Rogersville HS (Mo.)
Another hard-throwing pitcher who hit 92 on his fastball and has plenty of upside. He could have some signability issues with a commitment to Arkansas.
13 (401). Craig Aikin (Bats L/Throws L), CF, Oklahoma
Correa said the Sooners' outfielder showed great speed, even though he went just 5 for 13 on stolen-base attempts as a junior. Aikin also hit .340 with 15 doubles.
"He can hit for average and get on base and use that speed," Correa said. "He's going to be a good defender in center field."
14 (431). Carson Cross, RHP, Connecticut
After a shoulder injury forced him to miss the 2014 season, Cross bounced back to go 10-2 with a 2.29 ERA and team highs of 108 strikeouts in innings. Those numbers earned him American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year honors as a senior.
"He's got a four-pitch mix," Correa said. "Just outstanding pitchability and deception."
15 (461). Ryan Merrill (L/R), SS, Iowa Western CC
16 (491). Max Almonte, RHP, Villanova
17 (521). Chris Chinea (R/R), C, LSU
18 (551). Joshua Rolette (L/R), C, Shawnee HS (Okla.)
19 (581). Ryan McCarvel (R/R), C, Howard College (Tex.)
20 (611). Luke Doyle, (L/R), 2B, Yavapai College (Ariz.)
21 (641). Cadyn Grenier (R/R), SS, Bishop Gorman HS (Nev.)
22 (671). Hunter Newman (R/R), 1B, Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.)
Newman showed massive power with team highs of 18 home runs and 77 RBIs to go with a .451 average as a junior. Correa said Newman played third base in college but projects as a first baseman at the next level.
"I think there's a lot to like about that bat and we'll see how far it can carry him," Correa said.
23 (701). Gio Brusa (S/R), RF, University of the Pacific (Calif.)
24 (731). Daniel Martin (R/R), 2B, Azusa Pacific University (Calif.)
25 (761). Kyle Molnar, RHP, Aliso Niguel HS (Calif.)
26 (791). Brennan Leitao, RHP, Cal State Sacramento (Calif.)
27 (821). Greg Tomchick, RHP, Old Dominion (Va.)
28 (851). Mitchell Traver, RHP, TCU
29 (881). Ben Yokley, RHP, Air Force
Correa said the success of Mitch Harris this season showed the Cardinals they can afford to be patient when it comes to projectable talent. Yokley certainly has that with three pitches and a fastball that goes up to 94 mph, and unlike Harris, he won't have to wait five years before going to the minor leagues.
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"We think there are going to be opportunities for him to come out and pitch for us," said Correa, noting Yokley could pitch this summer but probably not during short season A ball. "The reality is he's going to have some service commitments."
30 (911). Matt Vierling (R/R), OF, Christian Brothers College HS (Mo.)
31 (941). Aaron Coates, LHP, Glasgow HS (Del.)
32 (971). Thomas Spitz, CF, Wingate University (N.C.)
Correa likes the above-average speed and raw power Spitz showed at Wingate, where he hit .372 with 17 home runs while stealing 22 bases in 23 attempts as a senior.
33 (1,001). Chandler Hawkins, LHP, Arkansas State
34 (1,031). Parker Kelly, RHP, Westview HS (Ore.)
35 (1,061). Luke Harrison, RHP, Indiana
36 (1,091). Dylan Tice (S/R), 2B, West Chester University (Pa.)
37 (1,121). Stephen Zavala (R/R), C, Whittier College (Calif.)
38 (1,151). Orlando Olivera (R/R), OF, Missouri Baptist College
Correa said the Cardinals saw Olivera, another 23-year-old with significant power, at the team's workout last Sunday as well as at Missouri Baptist. He hit .395 with 20 home runs as a senior.
39 (1,181). R.J. Dennard (L/R), 1B, Armstrong State (Ga.)
40 (1,211). Joseph Hawkins (R/R), SS, Missouri State
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