Matheny would prefer Cards don't draft son

ST. LOUIS -- On a day when his son, Tate, was playing just a few miles west of Busch Stadium against Saint Louis University's baseball team, manager Mike Matheny reiterated his preference that the Cardinals not select the oldest of his five children in next month's First-Year Player Draft.

Since being a 23rd-round Draft pick by the Cardinals in 2012, Tate Matheny has increased his Draft stock with three standout seasons at Missouri State University. In MLBPipeline.com's latest list of Top 100 Draft prospects, Tate Matheny is listed at No. 95.

Mike Matheny, a former first-round pick, has talked extensively with his son about the process and also about the shadow he'd be shrouded in should he end up in the Cardinals' organization. It is for that reason that the manager has requested the organization pass on the outfielder.

"People are going to be on him already, no matter where he goes," Mike Matheny said. "But in this organization it would be all about me and less about him, and he's done this all on his own. I haven't taken one swing for him or caught one ball.

"The second part of that is it really puts our organization in a tough spot. When you start talking about our instructors and our coaches and managers, I just don't feel like it's fair. I've expressed that to the organization and they understand and get it. Tate gets it. So with that being said, the organization can do whatever it wants. But I think they appreciate the fact that I'm doing what's right for everybody involved."

Mike Matheny said he came to the decision after seeing how players Chris Duncan (son of longtime pitching coach Dave Duncan) and Cody McKay (son of longtime coach Dave McKay) were affected by playing for an organization in which their fathers coached.

Matheny's second eldest son, Luke, could also be drafted next month, though the family expects Luke to honor his letter of intent with Oklahoma State University.