Cardinals Round Out First Day of Draft with Power Pitcher, Two Lefty Bats originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

After selecting left-handed pitcher Liam Doyle with the No. 5 pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, the St. Louis Cardinals made three more selections on day one at Nos. 55, 72 and 89.

Ryan Mitchell – Round 2, Pick No. 55

With their second pick in the draft, the Cardinals drafted 18-year-old Ryan Mitchell out of Houston High School in Germantown, Tennessee.

The left-handed hitting middle infielder is known for his disciplined approach at the plate with “advanced feel for the barrel and a willingness to use the entire field,” according to an MLB Pipeline scouting report.

The current-Georgia Tech commit has the ability to compete at the minor league level which should prove helpful in the Cardinals’ pursuit of signing the draftee, but it’s likely that Mitchell will move away from his regular shortstop position due to average throwing strength in the field and an already-present organizational logjam in the position. The team could move him to second base or potentially center field.

MLB Pipeline Scouting Grades: Hit: 60, Power: 50, Run: 55, Arm: 50, Field: 50, Overall: 50

Tanner Franklin – Competitive Balance Round B, Pick No. 72

The Cardinals drafted their second pitcher with their third day-one pick, selecting Doyle’s teammate out of Tennessee, right-handed reliever Tanner Franklin.

Franklin, 21, is known for being a two-pitch flame thrower out of the ‘pen. With a fastball that reaches 102 mph and a 90-mph cutter, the hard-throwing righty had one of the best swing-and-miss rates among NCAA Division I.

While his stuff can fly, Franklin has shown inconsistencies on the bump at the college level, struggling with pitch command inside and outside the zone.

With a ceiling of becoming a legitimate closer at the MLB level, though, it’s not an outlandish move for the Cardinals to take a chance on a reliever like Franklin.

MLB Pipeline Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70, Cutter: 50, Control: 50, Overall: 45

Jack Gurevitch – Round 3, Pick No. 89

The team wrapped up day one of draft festivities with another infielder in first baseman Jack Gurevitch out of the University of San Diego.

Gurevitch, 21, is another prospect who has a high ceiling with the capability of becoming a great left-handed hitter. With high exit velocities in college, there is some belief among MLB scouts that the six-foot first baseman has more power to develop that hasn’t been shown yet.

With a hard swing comes aggressiveness, which can lead to chasing on too many pitches out of the zone – something Gurevitch has struggled with in college.

MLB Pipeline Scouting Grades: Hit: 55, Power: 45, Run: 45, Arm: 50, Field: 45, Overall: 45

Related: Cardinals Select Liam Doyle With Fifth Overall Pick in MLB Draft

Related: Cardinals Announce Injury News After Loss to Braves

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.