Cardinals go college route for Day 2 haul

ST. LOUIS -- After making their first four picks on Thursday, the Cardinals continued to add talent to the organization with eight picks on Day 2. The club went college heavy, too, choosing five college position players and another two college pitchers. The lone high school selection came in the fifth round, when the Cardinals took an 18-year-old outfielder out of Mississippi.
"When we were able to lock the arms we did, then we were able to, when looking at our board, if it was a tie, we edged one way," said scouting director Randy Flores, noting the run on college position players after the club drafted three college pitchers with their final two picks on Thursday and first on Friday. "Each of those picks there was a comfort level that that was the right pick at the right time for the right value."
The club's Friday selections followed those of high school shortstop Delvin Perez (No. 23), high school outfielder Dylan Carlson (No. 33), college right-hander Dakota Hudson (No. 34) and college right-hander Connor Jones (No. 70) on Day 1.
Track every Cardinals pick from Day 2 of the 2016 MLB Draft, which consisted of Rounds 3-10.
The Draft concludes on Saturday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at 11 a.m. CT.
:: Complete 2016 Draft coverage ::
Here is a look at the players selected on Friday:
Round 3 (106th overall), Zac Gallen, RHP, University of North Carolina
Ranked 78th on MLB.com's Top 200 prospect list, Gallen features a three-pitch repertoire that includes a low-90s fastball, cutter and changeup. Scouts describe his fastball as generating a "good downhill plane" and believe that his changeup could be a plus pitch if he throws it more. He is likely to do so, too, in a Cardinals organization that preaches changeup usage to its Minor League pitchers.
Gallen, who went undrafted out of high school, solidified a spot in UNC's weekend rotation as a freshman and moved into the Friday night starter role this year. He logged a team-high 90 2/3 innings and finished his junior year with a 5-6 record and 2.68 ERA. Gallen struck out 95 and walked 21 in those 13 starts.
While he may not have the upside to be considered a frontline starter, Gallen projects to be a middle-of-rotation arm in the big leagues.

Round 4 (136th overall), Jeremy Martinez, C, University of Southern California
The Cardinals made Martinez their first catching selection in this Draft class. Martinez was ranked 137th on MLB.com's Top 200 prospect list after a strong junior campaign at USC and profiles more as an offensive backstop than a defensively minded one. In 56 games this season, he led the Trojans with a .563 slugging percentage and batted .376 with a .460 on-base percentage.
Flores has a unique connection to Martinez, too, as Flores served as an assistant coach for USC during Martinez's freshman year. Flores later watched Martinez from the broadcast booth.
Martinez turned down the chance to go pro three years ago when the Cubs made him a 37th-round selection. He didn't have a standout season at USC until this year, and Martinez likely also benefited from the fact that this Draft pool was lacking in elite college catchers. Though the right-handed hitter, who is 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, is not fleet-footed, scouts took notice of his advanced approach at the plate. In his junior season, he drew more walks (19) than strikeouts (12).

Round 5 (166th overall), Walker Robbins, OF, George County (Miss.) High School Robbins was a two-way player in high school, though the Cardinals telegraphed their immediate plans for him when they announced that they were drafting him as an outfielder. He also played first base for George County High School, which finished as state runner-ups each of the last two seasons.
• Rockin' Robbins: Prep slugger good fit for Cards
As a senior, Robbins hit .477 at the plate and went 8-2 with a 0.67 ERA on the mound. He threw two no-hitters. Robbins signed a national letter of intent to play at Mississippi State University, but said on Friday that he intends to forgo that to sign with the Cardinals.
Robbins, listed 93rd on MLB.com's Top 200 prospect list, bats left-handed and has shown an ability to use all parts of the field. He hasn't tapped into much power yet, though scouts believe that could come as he matures. He throws a low 90s fastball, and that should translate into above-average arm strength from the outfield.

Round 6 (196th overall), Tommy Edman, SS, Stanford University
The switch-hitting Edman played both middle-infield positions at Stanford, where he was a standout defensive player. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound junior doesn't hit for much power, but he did post a .286 average and .358 on-base percentage this season. A year ago, Edman, a San Diego native, led Stanford's team in RBIs, doubles and multi-hit games. Edman is a math and computational science major, and he enjoyed his college career highlight in 2014 when his walk-off home run sent Stanford into the Super Regionals.

Round 7 (226th overall), Andrew Knizner, C, North Carolina State University
Before he converted to catcher, Knizner was considered one of the best offensive third basemen in college baseball as a freshman. He hit .330 and drove in 47 runs during that 2014 season. But his offensive numbers have tailed off since he took on the new defensive position. In his junior season with the Wolfpack, Knizner hit .292/.359/.388 with six homers and 30 RBIs. The right-handed hitter, ranked 195th on MLB.com's Top 200 Draft prospect list, does make consistent contact and projects to add power as he develops. The Cardinals plan to develop him, at least initially, as a backstop.

Round 8 (256th overall), Sam Tewes, RHP, Wichita State University
The Cardinals took Tewes despite the fact that he won't be able to pitch until 2017. A right elbow injury limited Tewes to five starts in 2015 and four this season. He eventually had to undergo Tommy John surgery, which was performed by Dr. James Andrews on March 31. Tewes made his final appearance of the 2016 season on March 11, when he recorded one out before leaving the game. In 14 2/3 season innings, Tewes posted a 7.36 ERA, walked eight and struck out 18. In his only healthy season at Wichita State, Tewes went 8-3 with a 3.27 ERA in 15 starts as a freshman.
"It was someone who our scouts really, really liked when he was healthy," Flores said. "We're hoping that he returns to health again and that we can like him in a Cardinal uniform."
Round 9 (286th overall), Matt Fiedler, OF, University of Minnesota
Fiedler is the second two-way player the Cardinals drafted on Friday, and like they will with Robbins, the organization plans to put Fiedler in the field. Fiedler, a right-handed hitter, was named the Big Ten Player of the Year in his junior season and became the first Golden Gopher since Dave Winfield to record a win, hit a home run and steal a base in the same game when he did so on March 18. Fiedler pitched on Fridays, served as the team's designated hitter on Saturdays and played the outfield on Sundays. He was also the team's regular three-hole hitter, a spot from which he hit .366/.411/.525 with 21 extra-base hits, 39 RBIs and stole 14 bases.
Round 10 (316th overall), Danny Hudzina, 3B, Western Kentucky University
Hudzina is a college senior selection who hit .408/.470/.564 for the Hilltoppers in 2016. He tallied 24 extra-base hits, including 18 doubles, and drove in 32 a year after being named a second-team All-Conference USA selection. Hudzina transferred to Western Kentucky after playing two seasons at Palm Beach Community College, where he hit .299 as a freshman and .323 as a sophomore. By taking a college senior with their final pick on Day 2, the Cardinals should be able to save some bonus pool money with this sign.