The Cardinals, who have taken future big-league pitchers Shelby Miller, Michael Wacha and Marco Gonzales with the 19th selection in the first round of baseball’s amateur free-agent draft, chose University of Kentucky junior lefthander Zack Thompson at No. 19 Monday night in the 2019 draft.
The 6-foot-3 Thompson, who has had to overcome some shoulder and elbow issues, was 6-1 with Kentucky this season. Scouts have tracked his fastball as one that averages in the low-90s but can hit 96 and he also has a good slider and curveball.
Thompson is an Indiana high schooler who was an 11th round pick by Tampa Bay in 2016 but he failed his post-draft physical with a shoulder problem.