By Rob Rains
Much has been written and said this season about how the Cardinals have more of a “pitch to contact” staff than a staff of “swing and miss” pitchers.
With their first pick in the amateur draft on Sunday night, they made a move to do something about it.
The Cardinals used the fifth overall choice in the draft, their highest selection in 27 years, on lefthanded pitcher Liam Doyle from Tennessee whose fastball sits in the upper 90s and touches 100 miles per hour.
Among other qualities, Doyle misses bats.
This season, as a junior at Tennessee, Doyle struck out 164 of the 385 batters he faced, a 42.3 strikeout percentage. His average of 15.5 strikeouts per nine innings was the top mark in Division 1.
“When we saw that he could be in play, as that board unfolded, everyone was excited,” said Cardinals assistant general manager and director of scouting Randy Flores. “He really turned a corner this year. He just exploded.”
Even though the Cardinals only had to wait for four teams to make their picks before it was their turn, the start of the draft was unsettled from the start, with Washington opened the draft by selecting Oklahoma high school shortstop Eli Willits, who was thought to be a top target of the Cardinals.
Ethan Holliday, the son of former Cardinal Matt Holliday, and another Oklahoma prep star, went to the Rockies with the fourth overall pick, leaving the Cardinals a choice between Doyle and other college pitchers.
“He has a very unique fastball,” Flores said. “Not only is the shape unique but the velocity is just a level above his peers … His range of outcomes includes an extremely high floor in our opinion with a ceiling that is through the roof.”
Flores said Doyle pitched much of this season with a severe blister on his finger but battled through that injury, displaying his intensity and competitiveness.
“It was a deteriorating blister,” Flores said. “He never missed a start. There are pictures of him with his finger bloodied up … I think his strength and his toughness, his competitiveness combined with that engine he has is something special.”
Doyle said in a conference call with St. Louis media that his competitiveness has always been part of his game.
“I feel like I’ve kind of always had that edge to me, that underdog mentality being where I am from,” said Doyle, who grew up in New Hampshire. “Baseball talent here’s not always as high as other parts of the country. … The competition has always fueled me.”
Doyle said he believes his transformation this year started in the weight room at Tennessee and taking better care of his body.
“I needed to lose some weight when I got to Tennessee and really make sure I was in shape so I just had fun with it when I was in the gym and made it part of my everyday routine,” Doyle said. “Made sure I got in a good routine with everything I was doing. It was really beneficial to me and it really helped me on the field this year.”
Tennessee was the third college in as many years for Doyle. He pitched at Coastal Carolina as a freshman and at Mississippi as a sophomore. Doyle turned 21 last month.
“The fact that he is able to miss bats with a couple of different pitches, really gets good separation on his fastball and split, I think bodes well for his long-term chance as a starter.
“Acquiring swing and miss, acquiring 101 with that unique fastball profile on the free agent market is very expensive.”
This was the first time in franchise history the Cardinals picked inside the top 10 in consecutive years after selecting shortstop JJ Wetherholt with the seventh overall pick last year.
With the draft condensed to only two days this year, Doyle was the first of four day one picks for the Cardinals. One of their other picks on Sunday night was one of Doyle’s Tennessee teammates, righthander reliever Tanner Franklin, who also was clocked at more than 100 mph this season. He was the 72nd overall pick in the draft, with the Cardinals’ competitive balance selection. Franklin transferred to Tennessee this year after pitching for two years at Kennesaw State in Georgia.
“Tanner’s also a super competitive guy,” Doyle said. “I feel that’s all you get when you get Tennessee guys, He knows how to come out of the bullpen and really shut things down.”
Tennessee is coached by Tony Vitello, a native of St. Louis.
Their other two selections on Sunday night were a high school player, Ryan Mitchell, from Germantown, Tenn., in the second round, the 55th overall pick. Mitchell played shortstop in high school but was announced by the Cardinals as an outfielder. He is committed to Georgia Tech. He was named the Gatorade player of the year from Tennessee this year.
The Cardinals’ final pick on Sunday night was first baseman Jack Gurevitch from the University of San Diego in the third round, the 89th overall pick in the draft.
Rounds four through 10 will be conducted on Monday.
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Photo of Liam Doyle by The Associated Press
