Cardinals select 30 players on final day of MLB Draft

ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Cardinals continued boosting their farm system on the final day of the 2019 MLB Draft, selecting 30 players.

In total, the Cardinals selected 40 players during the three-day draft: 32 collegiate players and eight from high schools and prep academies. The list includes 24 pitchers (six left-handers and 18 right-handers), five catchers, five infielders and six outfielders.

Players came from 17 different states, Canada and the U.S. Virgin Islands. California was the most represented state with nine players selected, followed by Florida (six), Missouri (three), Texas (three) and Pennsylvania (three).

Three draftees are still involved in collegiate postseason play this weekend in the NCAA Super Regionals, including RHP Jack Ralston (seventh round) of UCLA, RHP Logan Gragg (eighth round) of Oklahoma State and LHP Jack Owen (22nd round) of Auburn.

The Cardinals drafted three players with local ties from the state of Missouri, all from the St. Louis metro area. The local selections include RHP Cameron Dulle (30th round), a University of Missouri and Oakville high school product; RHP Anthony Green (33rd round), who played at Jefferson College, and C Kurtis Byrne (38th round) from Christian Brothers College high school.

Several draftees came with exemplary athletic and academic accolades.  RHP Scott Politz (29th round) was First Team All-Ivy League as a pitcher; RHP Michael YaSenka (17th round) tied the Eastern Illinois University single-season school record with 100 strikeouts; INF Cash Rugely (40th round) was named the “Jay Tolman Outstanding Defensive Player” in the JUCO World Series and was also the Region XIV Eastern Conference Player of the Year; RHP Adrian Mardueno (20th round) was a First Team All-Mountain West Conference relief pitcher who ranked 20th in NCAA Division I with a 1.93 ERA; INF Brylie Ware (23rd round) won the 2016 NJCAA Triple Crown (.589, 29 HR, 122 RBI, 120 runs, 121 hits) while at Neosho Community College before transferring to Oklahoma, and C Aaron Antonini (18th round) led Conference USA with 24 caught stealing.

Seven players selected on Wednesday have college commitments: OF Patrick Romeri (12th round) who had signed with Villanova, RHP Tyler Statler (14th round) had signed with Southeast Missouri State, RHP Thomas Hart (16th round) has signed with Howard College, RHP Alex McFarlane (25th round) had signed with the University of Miami (FL), OF Chris Newell (37th round) had signed with Virginia, C Kurtis Byrne (38th round) had signed with Texas Christian University and INF T.J. McKenzie (39th round) had signed with Vanderbilt.

These are the 30 players selected by the Cardinals on Wednesday: