St. Louis Cardinals switch-hitting outfielder Dylan Carlson could become a hot commodity as the trade deadline nears.
Last season, Dylan Carlson's name was mixed with many other young St. Louis Cardinals prospects when it was believed the team was in play to land Juan Soto from the Washington Nationals. Fans later found out that the president of baseball operations, John Mozeliak, told Carlson he shouldn't be worried about being traded.
It will be curious to see if we hear that Carlson gets the same message at this trade deadline.
The Cardinals entered the All-Star break in last place in the NL Central with a 38-52 record, 11.5 games back of the Cincinnati Reds. It's been a rough season, so could making trades help the team climb out of last place? Something needs to happen to turn things around for the Cardinals.
Carlson was once the top prospect in the organization. Since his 2020 debut, he's struggled with health issues and shifts to his hitting style. This season he's hitting .241/.342/.373 with an OPS of .715. He has five doubles, one triple, five home runs, 20 runs, and 20 RBI. He plays anywhere in the outfield but has the most success in center field.
Let's discuss the type of player the Cardinals should target in any deal for Carlson.
Cardinals should target a player like Robby Snelling, LHP Padres
Robby Snelling could be a player for the Cardinals to target. The lefty pitcher was drafted 39th overall by the San Diego Padres in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Robert McQueen High School in Reno, Nevada.
This season he's 6-1 with a 1.73 ERA over 13 games started in 62.1 innings. He's struck out 68 batters, is just 19 years old, only a year removed from high school. That's pretty amazing for the young man, and seeing what he can accomplish will be fun.
This would be an excellent pitcher type for the Cardinals. He's a lefty who is already throwing multiple innings and throwing strikes at 19 years old. He would be a great addition to the Cardinals because while they do need pitching now, they will need to continue to have depth at the position. Snelling fits the profile of the type of pitcher the Cardinals need.
Cardinals should target a player like Blaze Jordan, 1B/3B Boston
Blaze Jordan is another good player the Cards could set their sights on. Jordan is a corner infielder the Boston Red Sox drafted in the third round of the 2020 MLB Draft. He was selected out of DeSoto Central High School in Southaven, Mississippi, the same high school Braves third baseman Austin Riley attended.
The Cardinals are lucky to have Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt at their corner infield slots. They have moved some talented corner infielders to different positions to get them playing time. If Jordan were to break out and show off his offense, teams could find a place for him.
Jordan is currently playing for Greenville in the South Atlantic League. He's slashing .324/.385/.533 with an OPS of .918. He's hit 22 doubles, one triple, and 12 home runs. He has 48 runs and 55 RBI.
Jordan is from an area with many Cardinals fans so he would be close to friends and family. He's a talented young hitter who could be a fun addition to the organization. The Red Sox could use a switch-hitting outfielder that Carlson could be for them.
Cardinals should target a player like Ky Bush, LHP Angels
Mike Trout is on the injured list recovering from surgery to repair a left hamate fracture in his hand. The Angels could use a versatile outfielder while Trout does recover.
If the Cardinals were to trade Carlson to the Angels, they should target lefty pitcher Ky Bush. Bush was drafted in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft from Saint Mary's College of California. He plays in the Southern League for the Angels minor league squad, Rocket City Trash Pandas.
Bush is 1-3 this season with a 9.30 ERA over six games started. He's struck out 30 batters over 20.1 innings. Bush's record is not excellent, but he has the potential to grow into a good pitcher. The dream is obviously to get Shohei Ohtani, but it doesn't seem to be in the cards this season.
Endy Rodriguez, super utility, c/2b/of Pirates should be avoided
A super utility is always a player to target, but Cardinals fans do not want to see Carlson going to NL Central rivals.
Endy Rodriguez is also a switch hitter like Carlson. He's currently playing for AAA Indianapolis. He's hitting .258/.342/.390 with an OPS of .732. He has 14 doubles, three triples, and five home runs. He has 34 walks and four stolen bases.
Rodriguez is the type of player you want to get, but it would not be ideal for the Cardinals to send a player who was once the top talent in the organization to a division rival. It would be frustrating to see this happen.