Some players need a change of scenery. Tyler O'Neill may just be one of those players and could help the Cardinals nab some high-level prospects.
After an offseason filled with optimism, Cardinals outfielder O'Neill has had a frustrating start to his season.
O'Neill completely changed his offseason program, focusing more on staying healthy while implementing more plyometrics to generate speed. Leading up to him playing for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic, he changed positions to center field. O'Neill won two Gold Gloves while playing left field. The team believed the position change wouldn't be drastic.
Once the regular season began, O'Neill got off to a slow start. There was even an incident where O'Neill was called out by manager Oli Marmol over a perceived lack of hustle while rounding third base while it was raining. O'Neill took exception to being called out publicly as he's always been one to hustle. He believed the issue should have been handled man-to-man outside the eye of the media. Marmol doubled down on the criticism with John Mozeliak, president of baseball operations, agreeing with his manager that O'Neill needed to step up.
O'Neill did try to hustle, but that didn't allow him to miss out on the one thing he hoped to do this season, get injured. O'Neill has been relegated to the 60-day injured list with lower back issues.
This week, O'Neill has improved as he is on a rehabilitation stint with AAA Memphis. It will be interesting to see if he can return to the Cardinals after the All-Star break.
After the range of issues he's been through to start the season, it's believed O'Neill is on the hot seat for a possible trade. Which players should the Cardinals target to make a deal to bolster their roster for the future?
Cardinals trade targets: 3. Will Warren, RHP Yankees
Warren was drafted in the eighth round of the 2021 MLB Draft by the Yankees out of Southern Louisiana University.
Warren is 7-3 in 14 games this season between AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and AA Somerset. He has a 3.50 ERA over 64.1 innings. He has struck out 77 batters and walked 28.
While the Cardinals prioritize getting a top-of-the-line starting pitcher, Warren may not be what fans are clamoring to get. Still, he certainly has the potential to have what the Cardinals need for the remainder of this season and beyond.
Warren is an ideal target for the Cardinals.
Cardinals trade targets: 2. Richard Fitts, RHP Yankees
Fitts was the Yankees' sixth-round draft pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, drafted out of Auburn University.
Fitts has spent this season in the AA Somerset squad. He's pitched in 15 games and has a 4-5 record over 83.1 innings. He has 92 strikeouts and 20 walks throughout this season.
Fitts also falls into the not Major League-ready category, but he's an excellent candidate for the Cardinals to try to obtain for the future. The Cardinals have several promising pitchers in their minor league system, but as the Cardinals have found out in recent seasons, a team can never have enough pitching.
Fitts would be another intriguing target for the Cardinals.
Cardinals trade targets: 1. Dylan Lesko RHP, Padres
Lesko was the Padres' first-round draft pick, 15th overall, in the 2022 MLB Draft. The Padres selected the right-handed arm out of Buford High School in Georgia.
Lesko is a Top-3 prospect in the Padres organization, pitching Rookie ball in the Arizona Complex League. Lesko is getting acclimated to the ways of Major League Baseball while developing in the Padres system.
He's currently 0-1 in three starts with a hefty 10.80 ERA over 3.1 innings of work. He has four earned runs, six strikeouts, and two walks.
Lesko is 19 and still growing. He would be a great addition to the Cardinals system as he continues to develop. Lesko would be a nice piece in a more significant deal that could return a power bat looking for a change.
Cardinals should avoid Ryan Pepiot, RHP Dodgers
Pepiot is a 25-year-old right-handed pitcher drafted by the Dodgers in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Butler University.
Pepiot has become a long relief type arm for the Dodgers, which the Cardinals don't need at this time. They seek out power arms that can go multiple innings and throw strikes. Pepiot bas picked in nine games, starting seven of them. He's 3-0 over 36.1 innings, throwing 42 strikeouts.
Pepiot has seemingly ingrained himself into the Dodgers pitching system, and it wouldn't be fair to him to take him out of that system and toss him into the situation the Cardinals have at this time especially considering their need for a starter who is an innings-eating strike thrower.