Chicago Cubs: 2019 MLB Draft grades for NL Central

The St. Louis Cardinals took four pitchers with their first five picks.

Here were the first five rounds for the St. Louis Cardinals:

1st round, 19th overall: Zack Thompson, LHP (Kentucky)

Thompson was ranked as the 14th best prospect in this draft and the Cardinals got a good one in the southpaw. He made 14 starts for the Wildcats this spring, including 2 complete games, tossing 90.0 innings and struck out 130 batters while allowing opponents to bat just 0.184 off him. His fastball will touch 96 mph and has some late life to it. Thompson’s slider is also graded as a plus pitch. This was a great pick for the Cards.

2nd round, 58th overall: Trejyn Fletcher, CF (Deering High School)

Fletcher was ranked as the 87th best prospect in this draft and has a verbal commitment to Vanderbilt in the fall. He is a two-way player with a fastball that reaches 93 mph and a terrific slider. Scouts question if he’ll be able to stick as a centerfielder and handle the bat. Either way, there is a lot to like in Fletcher.

3rd round, 96th overall: Tony Locey, RHP (Georgia)

Locey was great for the Bulldogs this spring and finished with an overall record of 11-2 in 14 starts. In those starts, he struck out 97 batters but did walk 45 guys in 89.0 innings. Locey projects to throw 100 mph after all is said and done but his curveball is a work in progress.

4th round, 125th overall: Andre Pallante, RHP (UC-Irvine)

It’s amazing the Cardinals were able to find this guy in the 4th round. He had 15 starts for UC-Irvine in his junior season and struck out 89 batters in 94.0 innings. Pallante finished with a 2.68 ERA and allowed opponents to bat just 0.212 off him. He already has four pitches and could be an addition to the Cardinals pitching staff sooner than they think.

5th round, 155th overall: Connor Thomas, LHP (Georgia Tech)

Thomas tossed 3 complete games in 16 starts this season for the Yellow Jackets. He tossed 113.0 innings and struck out 103 batters to just 19 walks. Opponents did bat 0.265 off him this season which will happen when his fastball tops out in the high 80’s. He features an above-average changeup that generates a lot of swing and misses.

Five-round draft grade: A-