A group of four players headlined by LHP Liam Doyle, Keith Law of The Athletic loved what the Cardinals did on day 1 of the MLB Draft.
MLB Draft Analyst Applauds Cardinals Day 1 Selections originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Highlighted by No. 5 overall pick LHP Liam Doyle out of Tennessee, the Cardinals made four selections on Day 1 of the MLB Draft.
After taking Doyle in the first round, St. Louis selected 18-year-old outfielder Ryan Mitchell at No. 55 overall. Just based on those two selections alone, Keith Law of The Athletic named the Cardinals as his favorite Day 1 class.
"I think the St. Louis Cardinals had my favorite Day 1 group based on their top two picks," Law wrote.
"They took my top pitcher, Liam Doyle, at No. 5. He has one of the best fastballs in the draft class, a deceptive delivery, and a second-plus pitch in the splitter. He dominated early against bad competition, then continued to perform well in the SEC."
"The Cardinals followed up that pick with Ryan Mitchell at No. 55, getting what I thought was a first-round bat in need of a new position, a strong kid who makes excellent swing decisions and might come into some power."
St. Louis took another pitcher out of Tennessee with the 72nd pick, selecting RHP Tanner Franklin. In 38 2/3 innings pitched for the Vols in 2025, Franklin posted a 4.89 ERA with 52 strikeouts. His arsenal is highlighted by a fastball that can reach triple digits.
The Cardinals rounded out day 1 by taking Jack Gurevitch at No. 89 overall. A 21-year-old first baseman from the University of San Diego, Gurevitch showcased a ton of power this past season, posting a 1.167 OPS with 17 homers and 35 extra-base hits.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Baseball
