The Cardinals Complete 2024 MLB Draft

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS COMPLETE 2024 MLB DRAFT

Day Three Selections Include 5 Pitchers, 4 Infielders & 1 Outfielder

ST. LOUIS, Mo., July 16, 2024 – The St. Louis Cardinals concluded their 2024 Major League Baseball Draft this evening, selecting 10 players on the final day and 19 players total over the three-day event.  The Cardinals selected 18 collegiate players and one high school prep player in this year’s draft.  The players represented 14 different states and two countries, including two each from Florida, Arizona and New Jersey, and one born in Canada and Puerto Rico.  The Cardinals selections by position included nine pitchers, six infielders, two outfielders and two catchers.  Of the nine pitchers, three are left-handed.

The 2024 draft marks the second consecutive year has St. Louis selected college players with 18 of its 19 picks.  The deadline for drafted players to sign with their respective clubs is Thursday, August 1, at 4 PM CT.

SS Jon Jon Gazdar         11^th Round (321^st overall)          Austin Peay State University

• Bats: Right            Throws: Right                    Hometown: Walnut Creek, California
• Height: 5’11”       Weight: 180 lb.                 Age: 22 years old (March 3, 2002)
• Finished his two seasons at Austin Peay slashing .359/.443/.570 with 45 doubles, 16 home runs, 90 RBI, and 106 runs scored in 113 games.
• Batted .405 with 1.151 OPS, 13 HR, 55 RBI during 2024 season, ranking 10^th in NCAA D1 in batting average.
• Career 55:34 strikeout to walk ratio at Austin Peay.
• Transferred from Chabot (Calif.) College after freshman season, where he appeared in 38 games, batting .325 with 12 doubles, 22 RBI, and 33 runs scored with 18 stolen bases.
• Has two brothers who played college baseball.  Christian who played at Chapman (Calif.) and Brandon played at Los Medanos College (Calif.) and is now a professional golfer.

OF Ian Petrutz              12^th Round (351^st overall)          University of Alabama

• Bats: Left               Throws: Left                       Hometown: Mantua, New Jersey
• Height: 6’0”         Weight: 210 lb.                 Age: 21 years old (August 26, 2002)
• Combined to bat .302 with 29 HR and 131 RBI over 149 games in Division 1 baseball.
• Hit .321, with 14 doubles, one triple, 6 home runs, 40 RBI across 57 games during 2024 season and named to the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll.
• Led Alabama with a .351 average in SEC play that ranked seventh among league bats.
• Transferred to Alabama for his junior year after playing his freshman and sophomore seasons at the University of Maryland.
• Earned a spot on the 2022 NCAA College Park Regional All-Tournament Team, hitting a home run in all three games.
• Rated as the No. 2 outfielder in New Jersey coming out of high school by Perfect Game and Prep Baseball.

RHP Nolan Sparks         13^th Round (381^st overall)          University of Rochester (NY)

• Bats: Right            Throws: Right                    Hometown: Aurora, Colorado
• Height: 5’10”       Weight: 195 lb.                 Age: 21 years old (August 12, 2002)
• Senior sign who started all four years for the Yellowjackets had a career record of 19-5, 3.06 ERA over 38 starts (43 app.) 209.0 IP, 248 SO, .234 opponent average.
• Senior season ranked 30^th in Division III ERA (2.25) and 49^th in strikeouts (80) and named D3baseball.com Fourth-Team All-American and CSC First-Team Academic All-American.
• Graduates as Rochester’s all-time leader in strikeouts, tied for second in starts, ranked fourth in wins, seventh in innings pitched.
• Two-time Liberty League Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-Liberty League (2023-24).
• Class Valedictorian and 1^st Team Academic All-State at Cherokee Trail High School (CO).

RHP Mason Burns         14^th Round (411^th overall)          Western Kentucky University

• Bats: Right            Throws: Right                    Hometown: Bloomington, Illinois
• Height: 6’3”         Weight: 215 lb.                 Age: 22 years old (April 4, 2002)
• Senior sign was 3-3, with a 4.00 ERA and 52 strikeouts over 36.0 innings (28 app.) in 2024.
• Ranked 2^nd in NCAA Division 1 with 15 saves in 2024, breaking the school single-season record and finished 2^nd all-time in school history with 19 saves.
• Named to the NCBWA All-American Third Team following 2024 season.
• Played his first two seasons of college baseball at Illinois State University, appearing in nine games.
• Lettered in baseball, golf, and swimming at Normal Community High School (IL).

RHP Sam Brodersen          15^th Round (441^st overall)                   Louisiana Tech University

• Bats: Right            Throws: Right                    Hometown: Orlando, Florida
• Height: 6’1”         Weight: 200 lb.                 Age: 21 years old (July 31, 2003)
• 2024 First Team All-Conference USA Pitcher posting an 8-1 record with a 3.05 ERA over 33 appearances with one save.
• Struck out 15.42 strikeouts/9 IP his senior season with 96 SO over 56.0 innings.
• Transferred to Louisiana Tech after three seasons at Wingate University (NC).
• Won the 2021 Division II National Championship as a freshman with Wingate (first in the school’s history), throwing 5.0 innings of no-hit ball to close out the game and earn the win over Central Missouri.
• Attended the same high school as former Cardinals LHP Austin Gomber (West Orange HS).

3B Deniel Ortiz             16^th Round (471^st overall)          Walters State Community College (TN)

• Bats: Right            Throws: Right                    Hometown: Lynn, Massachusetts
• Height: 6’1”         Weight: 230 lb.                 Age: 19 years old (August 24, 2004)
• Batted .391 with a 1.319 OPS, 13, doubles, 18 HR, 61 RBI as a 19-year-old sophomore, led the conference in RBI, OBP (.532), walks (48) and runs (71).
• Named 2024 Tennessee Community College Athletic Association (TCCAA) Player of the Year and a NJCAA Baseball Third Team All-American.
• For his career, batted .387 with a .535 OBP, 34 HR, 116 RBI, 147 runs, and 91 walks in 117 games.
• 2023 Appalachian League All-Star leading the league with 10 home runs for Kingsport, also won the Appalachian League Home Run Derby.
• Played for State College in the 2024 MLB Draft League and ranked 3^rd in the league in walks (23) and 5^th in on-base percentage (.423).
• Played baseball at Lynn Classical (freshman season) and St. Mary’s (sophomore and junior seasons) high schools in Massachusetts before transferring to Redan High School in Stone Mountain, Georgia.
• Born in Caguas, Puerto Rico; the same birthplace as Alex & Joey Cora and Francisco Lindor. Moved to Lynn when he was 12 years old.

RHP Brandt Thompson        17^th Round (501^st overall)      Missouri State University

• Bats: Right            Throws: Right                    Hometown: Eden Prairie, Minnesota
• Height: 5’9”         Weight: 180 lb.                 Age: 22 years old (July 4, 2002)
• Combined to go 11-7, 3.61 ERA with 159 strikeouts in 162 innings pitched for the Bears over two seasons.
• Led the Missouri Valley Conference with a 1.16 WHIP in 2024, while ranking second in ERA (3.78) and third in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.41) and opponent average (.234).
• Two-time All-MVC First Team selection. First Bears player to achieve that feat in consecutive seasons since former Cardinals 2013 ninth round draft pick RHP Nick Petree (2012-13).
• Two-time Dave Dickensheet Missouri State Pitcher of the Year (2023, 2024) .
• Transferred from North Iowa Area CC after two seasons, ranked 8^th in school history with 112 strikeouts.
• Father, Nate, played tennis at Gustavus Adolphus (MN) College.

SS Christian Martin          18^th Round (531^st overall)                   Virginia Tech

• Bats: Left               Throws: Right                    Hometown: Amherst, Virginia
• Height: 5’10”       Weight: 185 lb.                 Age: 21 years old (January 16, 2003)
• Slashed .321/.448/.482, with 28 doubles, five triples, 10 homers, 65 RBI, 106 runs over his three-year college career for the Hokies.
• Played two seasons for Falmouth (2023-24) in the Cape Cod League and competed in 30 games batting .208 (20-96) with 15 RBI.
• Four-year starting shortstop at Amherst High School and named the 2021 News & Advance All-Area Baseball Player of the Year batting .563.  Also competed on the wrestling team.

SS Brendan Lawson       19^th Round (561^st overall)          P27 Academy (SC)

• Bats: Left               Throws: Right                    Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• Height: 6’3”         Weight: 205 lb.                 Age: 18 years old (December 7, 2005)
• Ranked as the top Canadian prospect (no. 57 overall) entering 2024 by Perfect Game.
• Signed his letter of intent to play at the University of Florida.
• Played for Trenton Thunder in the 2024 MLB Draft League (.344 AVG., 11-32; 2 RBI; 12:10 BB:K ratio; .533 OBP).
• Played with the Ontario Blue Jays of the Canadian Premier Baseball League.

LHP Owen Rice             20^th Round (591^st overall)          University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

• Bats: Left               Throws: Left                       Hometown: East Troy, Wisconsin
• Height: 6’6”         Weight: 230 lb.                 Age: 21 years old (March 29, 2003)
• Averaged 13.9 strikeouts/9 IP during his 2024 season at Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
• Transferred from McHenry County College (IL) following the 2022 season.
• Played summer ball with Burlington in the Prospect League.
• Four-year varsity letter winner at East Troy High School.

2024 FIRST-YEAR PLAYER DRAFT – FINAL RECAP

— STL —

After the initial pick, this was kind of a let down from a normally strong drafting team. 1 high schooler and 1 JuCo/CC player is disappointing; those are usually the guys with most upside late in the draft. It’s also why you take college seniors and high floor/low ceiling on the later part of day 2; the slot savings are used for the high schoolers taken late.

As for day 3 players…

Gazdar was a Sr. at Austin Peay. He’s a contact first hitter that doesn’t have much power. He’s got a good swing and has had success in wood bat leagues. Average speed. He’s a versatile defender and projects as a utility guy.

Petrutz was a Jr. at Alabama. He’s an on base guy with limited power. No real word on potential.

Sparks was a Sr. at Rochester. His numbers were against D-III competition, so it’ll be curious to see how he fares as a professional. The Cardinals noted increases in velocity and spin over his final college season.

Burns was a Sr. at Western Kentucky. No really scouting info.

Brodersen was a Sr. at Louisiana Tech. He’s got a mid-90s fastball that touches 97 and a plus slider. The issue is he struggles with control. If it’s fixable, this could be a nice sleeper pick.

Ortiz was in his second year at Walters St CC. He’s had success in wood bat summer leagues, against older competition. Showed good exit velocity, so power could develop more than it already has.

Thompson was a Sr. at Missouri St. Pitched well in Northwood League, but no word on velocity and command/control.

Martin was a Jr. at Virginia Tech. Not much on swing. Struggled to hit in Cape Cod league, so wood bats could be an issue.

Lawson could be a player, but his commitment to Florida is pretty strong and the Cardinals would have to overwhelm him to bypass that commitment, which he pretty much summed up in the below tweet. He was ranked one of the top prep players out of Canada coming into the draft. He’s got a unique batting stance, with his hands positioned above his head; it hasn’t impacted his bat speed or ability to hit. Below average speed. Projects as a 3B or LF in the long run.

Rice was a Jr. at Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He’s got good strikeout and walk numbers, but he got beat around in Prospect League back in 2022.

Check back later today for the Cardinals and MLB Draft Trackers.