Central STL News

On September 4, 2025, MLB Pipeline released its projections for the top prospects in each Major League Baseball organization heading into Opening Day 2027. The list highlights how much has changed in prospect rankings over recent months due to player development, graduations to the majors, the results of the 2025 Draft, and various trades. Eighteen of the thirty players named are different from those chosen earlier in February.

Of note, eight of these players are already considered their club's top prospect, and twenty feature among MLB’s Top 100 Prospects. Shortstops continue to dominate farm systems, accounting for half of all selections.

For the St. Louis Cardinals, catcher Rainiel Rodriguez is projected as the club’s No. 1 prospect in 2027. Rodriguez’s offensive production at age 18 stands out; his 147 wRC+ for Single-A Palm Beach surpasses that of Julio Rodríguez and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at a similar age and level. According to MLB Pipeline: "His power does the talking here, backed by an exceptional ability to lift and pull the ball with loud exit velos at such a young age. There are some defensive questions behind the plate, but even at first base, Rodriguez’s bat is looking incredibly valuable already and could be even more so by his age-20 campaign in ‘27."

Other notable names across organizations include shortstops Leo De Vries (No. 3 overall) for Oakland and Jesús Made (No. 5) for Milwaukee—both highly ranked among all prospects—and several recent draftees who have quickly climbed their respective team lists.

MLB Pipeline continues to provide comprehensive coverage on minor league talent with updated stats, videos, podcasts, and rankings available through their platform.

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