St. Louis Cardinals Complete 2021 MLB Draft

SELECTIONS INCLUDE 12 PITCHERS, 4 INFIELDERS, 4 OUTFIELDERS & A CATCHER

ST. LOUIS, Mo., July 13, 2021–The St. Louis Cardinals concluded their 2021 Major League Baseball Draft, selecting 21 players over the three-day event.  The Cardinals selected 18 collegians and three high school preps.  The players represented 12 states with six players hailing from California with New Jersey next with three players.  The Cardinals selections by position included 12 pitchers, a catcher, four infielders and four outfielders.  Of the 12 pitchers, eight are right-handed and four are left-handers.

Highlights from Day 3 of the draft included players who were previously drafted including LHP Alex Cornwell (15^th round) previously selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 37^th Round of 2017 and outfielder Elijah Cabell (17^th round) previously drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 14^th Round of the 2018 Draft.

Cabell hit 29 home runs over three seasons at Florida State University including an iconic blast against Pittsburgh on February 28 of this season that traveled 489 feet, which by comparison, would tie for the longest home run ever hit at Busch Stadium III.  He ranked T-48^th in NCAA Division 1 in home runs (15) and home runs per game (0.30).

Switch-hitting shortstop Mack Chambers’ (11^th round) father Mack Chambers II was an infielder previously drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 42^nd round of the 1992 draft and who played three professional seasons in the minor leagues.  The senior Chambers would coach the younger Chambers at Seminole State Community College before he continued his playing career at the University of New Mexico.  Chambers batted .404 with 8 HR with 64 RBI in his freshman year at Seminole State, and .472 under his father during his sophomore season.

The Cardinals lone catcher drafted Aaron McKeithan (16^th round) transferred from the State College of Florida to UNC-Charlotte after a decorated high school career at T.C. Roberson High School, where he helped lead the team to a 2017 4A State Championship.  T.C. Roberson High School is famous for being the school which the movie “Remember the Titans” was based.  .  McKeithan’s head coach at UNC-Charlotte was Robert Woodard, a former University of North Carolina pitcher and St. Louis Cardinals draft pick (46^th round, 2006, did not sign), who was coached by Cardinals manager Mike Shildt at “On Deck” training facility during his high school years.

Left-handed pitcher Hayes Heinecke (HEIN-eh-kee) (13^th round) had an outstanding freshman season at Wofford College leading the Southern Conference with 10 wins and ranking 14^th in NCAA Division 1.  The southpaw finished his collegiate career with a 15-7 record and a 2.98 ERA, striking out 163 batters over 157 innings pitched.  Heinecke is the first player drafted by the Cardinals from Wofford since Tim Wallace was selected in the 2^nd round of the 1982 draft, one round after Todd Worrell.

Right-handed pitcher Andre Granillo (14^th round) is currently playing for Cotuit in the Cape Cod League where he is averaging 13.9 strikeouts/9 IP in the prestigious collegiate development league with a save.

First Baseman Thomas Francisco (19^th round) is the second straight East Carolina University selection by the Cardinals, joining Alec Burleson in 2020.  Francisco played three seasons at ECU batting .348 with 18 HR and 81 RBI, while helping the Pirates to two NCAA Regional Championships.  A three-sport athlete in high school, earning four letters in baseball playing for his father, Mark, a former baseball player at the University of Virginia-Wise.  He also scored 1,000 points while earning four varsity letters in basketball and played as a freshman safety in football collecting three interceptions.  He was valedictorian of his high school class and went on to be listed on the Academic Honor Roll at ECU twice.

The lone high school pick on Day 3 was third baseman Xavier Casserilla (cass-er-REE-ah) (20^th round), a Wichita State University commit out of Haslet, Texas, a northern suburb of Fort Worth.  Casserilla was a First Team District 4-6A selection in 2021.  The prep slugger batted .375 his junior season and was 2-0 with a 1.16 ERA on the mound showcasing a fastball that topped at 96 miles per hour.  In the classroom, Casserilla had a 4.0 grade point average.

Players drafted this week with alumni connections to the Cardinals include Cornwell who attended USC, the same college as Assistant General Manager and Director of Scouting Randy Flores, Andrew Marrero (18^th round) who attended the University of Connecticut, the alma mater of Assistant General Manager Mosies Rodriguez and the first round pick Michael McGreevy, who attended the same high school (San Clemente HS) as Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting, Tyler Hadzinsky and college (UC-Santa Barbara) as Manager of Player Development, Tony Ferreira.

1. LOUIS CARDINALS 2021 MLB DRAFT – FINAL RECAP

       Rd.,    Player (overall pick)   Pos.      B-T      Ht     Wt.      School     Hometown

1. Michael McGreevy (18) RHP      R-R     6-5     215      University of California-Santa Barbara     San Clemente, Calif.

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2. Joshua Báez (54)              OF        R-R     6-4     220      Dexter Southfield (Mass.) High School                  Boston, Mass.

      CB B.    Ryan Holgate (70)            OF        L-L      6-2     193      University of Arizona      Davis, Calif.

3. Austin Love (90)              RHP      R-R     6-3     232      University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill                  Salisbury, N.C.
4. Zane Mills (120)              RHP      R-R     6-4     220      Washington State University                                 Portland, Ore.
5. Gordon Graceffo (150)   RHP      R-R     6-4     210      Villanova University                                 Cranford, N.J.
6. Alfredo Ruiz (181)           LHP       L-L      6-0     200      California State University-Long Beach         Santa Fe Springs, Calif.
7. Alec Willis (211)              RHP      R-R     6-6     220      Regis Jesuit (Colo.) High School                                            Aurora, Colo.
8. Mike Antico (241)            OF        L-R     5-10    200      University of Texas         Colts Neck, N.J.
9. Trent Baker (271)           RHP      R-R     6-3     240      Angelo State (Texas) University                             Georgetown, Texas
10. Osvaldo Tovalin (301)      3B        L-R      6-2     225      Azusa Pacific University                              Chula Vista, Calif.

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11. Mack Chambers (331)      SS        S-R      6-0     180      University of New Mexico      Broken Arrow, Okla.
12. Chris Gerard (361)          LHP       R-L     5-10    175      Virginia Polytechnic Institute    Wayne, N.J.
13. Hayes Heinecke (391)     LHP       L-L      6-0     210      Wofford University                               Fayetteville, Ga.
14. Andre Granillo (421)       RHP      R-R     6-4     245      University of California-Riverside                                Hemet, Calif.
15. Alex Cornwell (451)        LHP       L-L      6-0     200      University of Southern California                                La Cañada, Calif.
16. Aaron McKeithan (481)    C         R-R     6-1     220      University of North Carolina-Charlotte                      Arden, N.C.
17. Elijah Cabell (511)            OF        R-R     6-2     225      Florida State University                               Winter Park, Fla.
18. Andrew Marrero (541)   RHP      R-R    5-10    196      University of Connecticut                                          New Haven, Conn.
19. Thomas Francisco (571)   1B        L-R      6-0     211      East Carolina University                                 Abingdon, Va.
20. Xavier Casserilla (601)      3B        R-R     6-0     215      V.R. Eaton (Texas) High School                                            Haslet, Texas