2. Carson Kelly, C
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 7/14/1994 (23)
2017 teams/levels played for: AAA Memphis Redbirds, MLB St. Louis Cardinals
2017 Stats: Minors: .283/.375/.459, 280 PA, 10 HR, 33/40 BB/K; Majors: .174/.240/.217, 5/11 BB/K
Info: Tabbed out of high school in the 2nd round, Kelly was a 3rd baseman known for his bat over his glove before the St. Louis Cardinals moved him to catcher. He responded by delving into the position change with fire and dedicating his body and his mind to the craft, becoming one of the better-reputed defensive catchers in all of the minor leagues.
Kelly’s bat is behind his glove, but it’s certainly no liability. He has excellent strike zone judgement, and that allows him to use his quick wrists to hunt out the pitch he wants to drive. He has a line drive stroke, so he hits more doubles than home runs, but it’s still solid, loud contact.
Defensively, Kelly has excellent hands and textbook footwork. He has very good instincts on when to move and when to reach on pitches, blocking very well, and then using his plus arm to control the run game.
His elite defense will give Kelly the chance to spend a lot of 2018 as Yadi Molina’s backup for the St. Louis Cardinals, but the Cardinals did choose to send him down to AAA, and that could be best for his development in order to give him everyday playing time.
1. Alex Reyes, RHP
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 8/29/1994 (23)
2017 teams/levels played for: none
2017 Stats: none
Info: Reyes was a high school ballplayer in New Jersey who was fairly nondescript before he spent a year living with family in the Dominican, where he was spotted throwing a big fastball and that led to a $950,000 bonus from the St. Louis Cardinals in 2012.
Reyes spent his year of rehab focusing on fitness and nutrition and is notably stronger and leaner as well this spring
Reyes’ big fastball has been his calling card ever since, reaching triple digits as a teenager and even showing 101 in the major leagues in his debut in 2016. It’s not just his top end velocity, though, as he averages 97 MPH with his fastball and can hold that velocity past the sixth inning, rare velocity that deep in a game.
He’s not all heat, though, as he features a hammer curve around 80 MPH and his change sits around 90, giving him three solid velocity points in his major pitches, all of which play at plus at least at times. Reyes was also working with a slider in the minors in 2016 when he was starting and struggled with locating the pitch but had very good break on it.
Reyes has always been a max-effort guy through his delivery, which has made it difficult for him to throw his plus pitches for strikes consistently, even though he’s tallied plenty of strikeouts because of how difficult it is to square up any of their stuff.
While missing all of 2017 due to Tommy John surgery in spring of 2017, Reyes spent his year of rehab focusing on fitness and nutrition and is notably stronger and leaner as well this spring. The St. Louis Cardinals will be taking things easy with Reyes this year, likely either having him spend his time in AAA or the bullpen.
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