The St. Louis Cardinals have faith in their in-house players. The MLB club was not active in free agency after losing outfielder Jason Heyward to the Chicago Cubs, but rumors indicate one of their young players is ready to succeed the All-Star outfielder.
During the 2015 MLB season, the Cardinals utilized a few of their young prospect outfielders, specifically Stephen Piscotty and Randal Grichuk. On top of the two being ready for major-league action, the team was likely also prepping for down the road as Heyward's future was uncertain and Matt Holliday's contract could allow him to hit free agency after 2016.
As a result, both youngsters stepped up and put up good numbers during their 2015 campaigns. Piscotty, who's mostly experienced in right field, could be the man to succeed Heyward in right field.
"[The Cardinals'] intent all along was to end this offseason with a young right fielder in place to serve as an immediate impact piece and a long-term fit for the core," writes Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com.
"They thought it could be Heyward. Now, they're excited it's Stephen Piscotty."
"The Cardinals have bet big on a pair of young outfielders, opting to give Randal Grichuk and Piscotty a shot to stick as everyday players, instead of reacting to Heyward's departure with a strong pursuit of Justin Upton, Yoenis Cespedes or Alex Gordon."
Piscotty, 25, hit .305/.359/.494 with 29 runs scored, 7 home runs and 39 RBI in 63 games last season with St. Louis.
Grichuk was primarily a right fielder during his time in the Cardinals' farm system, but in 103 games in 2015, the 24-year-old logged just 13 in right field compared to 49 in left and 37 in center. He's currently listed in center field on the team's depth chart, which makes sense due to the departures of Peter Bourjos and Jon Jay this offseason.
The Cardinals were linked to a number of the high-profie free-agent outfielders in rumors this offseason, including Upton, Cespedes, Gordon, Dexter Fowler and Chris Davis (also a first baseman), but general manager John Mozeliak decided not to spend. He'll apparently invest his faith in Piscotty and Grichuk, with Piscotty carrying a ton of responsibility having to fill the shoes of Heyward.
"The Cardinals continue to contend that, contrary to Heyward's unflattering portrayal, they have some intriguing young talent of their own," adds Langosch. "And it was, ironically, with Heyward's departure that the Cardinals now have the opportunity to put it on display."
Piscotty was ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the Cardinals' organization at the mid-point of the 2015 season, as he excelled on both sides of the ball in the minors.
Based on what he accomplished in 63 MLB games, the team feels like he's ready to make a big enough impact to effectively replace Heyward.
