St. Louis Cardinals prospect Yairo Padilla impressed scouts in Dominican Winter League play, making his case for a fast rise within the organization.
Padilla, 17, is from the Dominican Republic and signed a minor-league deal with the Cardinals in January. They used $760,000 of their $5.6 million international signing pool to acquire him.
With the Cardinals’ renewed focus on prospect development, a signing with such a high ceiling is an important sign of the growing health of their farm system. A shortstop and impressive contact hitter, Padilla could be the next star developed in the Cardinals organization.
Cardinals Prospect Yairo Padilla’s Scouting Report
Geoff Pontes, a prospect writer at Baseball America, wrote of Padilla that he is a “standout athlete with a well-balanced blend of tools.”
Padilla received “effusive” praise from scouts during his time in the Dominican Winter League with the Dominican Cardinals Blue.
Through 35 games, Padilla slashed .287/.404/.391 with one HR and 17 RBI. He was also able to show off his speed on the bases, stealing 22 in Winter League play.
If you want to roster a 2024 DSL player without the buzz, it’s Yairo Padilla of the Cardinals. Ranked 7th in the system for me. Highly athletic frame that is bigger than his listed 6’0″. Heres my report from the Cardinals list. Link to full top 30 below.
?: Aldo Ramirez on YT pic.twitter.com/kX3bRNOQWB— Chris Clegg (@ChrisCleggMiLB) January 11, 2025
Padilla is currently ranked in the top 30 Cardinals prospects and is listed as the best athlete in the Cardinals farm system by Baseball America. With a unique blend of hitting tools and speed, scouts are very high on the young player.
Padilla’s Fit Within the Organization
As the Cardinals look to begin their youth movement, second-year shortstop Masyn Winn stands poised to play a major role in the Cardinals’ plans. Based on his rookie performance, Winn appears to have solidified himself as a starter for the foreseeable future. In 150 games in 2024, Winn slashed .267/.416/.314, but a slump towards the end of the season brought him out of contention for Rookie of the Year.
Including Padilla, the Cardinals have three shortstops within their top-30 prospect rankings. Headlining this list is JJ Wetherholt, the Cardinals’ top-ranked prospect. Wetherholt, 22, was drafted seventh overall by the Cardinals in the 2024 MLB Amateur Draft.
Through 29 games at Low-A Palm Beach, Wetherholt slashed .295/.400/.405 with 20 RBI, showing strong promise for his eventual role in the organization. While Wetherholt was drafted as a shortstop, he played most of his college career with West Virginia at third base. He was moved to shortstop in his final year due to concerns with his arm strength.
In the long term, the Cardinals could look to move Wetherholt back to third. With the departure of star Nolan Arenado appearing imminent, there will be an organizational need at that position. Wetherholt projects to be in the major leagues by 2026. However, having received a non-roster invite to spring training, he could conceivably play for the Cardinals as soon as 2025.
While Padilla is still a young and raw prospect, organizational roadblocks can often stunt such a player’s development. Yet, with great players, teams figure out where to put them, and Padilla seems to be headed in that direction.
The Cardinals also possess the fifth overall pick in the upcoming draft.
Photo Credit: © Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
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