17th-rounder Cabell brings raw power

After the Cardinals were mostly done filling out their pitching pipeline on Day 3 of the 2021 MLB Draft (each of their picks between Rounds 12-15 was a college arm), they picked up an outfield bat in Elijah Cabell from Florida State in the 17th round at No. 511 overall.

• Coverage from Draft Day 1 & Day 2

St. Louis’ second-round pick, Joshua Baez, was seen as the big, raw-power bat for most of the Draft, but Cabell could be the one pick that gives Baez a run for his money.

Check out his home run against Pittsburgh on Feb. 28:

Just in the above example alone, Cabell showcases a potential power few sluggers possess, especially at the college level. At the time that Cabell hit that long ball, only seven times in the Statcast era (since 2015) had there been home runs hit at both 114 mph and 489 feet by Major League hitters. The list included the Yankees’ sluggers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton and the Rangers’ power lefty -- and 2021 Home Run Derby participant -- Joey Gallo.

Cabell, a former 14th-round pick by the Brewers in 2018, has what evaluators consider to be some of the best raw power in his class. Though he was a career .245 hitter in college, Cabell slugged .511 and hit 29 home runs over his three years with the Seminoles (including 15 in 2021).

“If you pull up highlight reels, there's just an immense gift that he has to make hard contact,” Cardinals assistant general manager and director of scouting Randy Flores said. “His work ethic -- people raved that he's a grinder, that he's someone who's looking for the next edge and the next development. We're really excited for player development to get their hands on him and get the professional reps to take advantage and maximize the real gift he has of hitting the baseball very hard.”

Cabell dropping three rounds from where he was picked out of high school likely has to do with his swing-and-miss tendencies. When he gets the barrel on the ball, it often leaves the yard. But as his 78 strikeouts in 159 at-bats this season show, hitting for contact isn’t necessarily his forte.

“I would imagine the easy look is ... there's some swing-and-miss there. There's a strikeout rate, and it's consistent,” Flores said when asked why Cabell was available in the 17th round. “We won't shy away from that. He doesn't shy away from that.”

Knocking down his strikeout rate will certainly be a focus for Cabell if he signs with St. Louis rather than return to school. Since he's a 17th-round pick with eligibility remaining, work will have to be done to convince him to head to the Minors rather than give it another year in college.

However, considering the Cardinals’ history with power sluggers -- Mark McGwire, anyone? -- Cabell’s power potential already has some looking at his selection as a perfect fit.

“There's something in this young man that we were drawn to, to give an opportunity, and now we'll see what he does with that opportunity,” Flores said.