With the 2025 MLB Draft set for July 13–14 during the All-Star break in Atlanta, the St. Louis Cardinals find themselves in a rare position: holding the fifth overall pick after winning the draft lottery. A few weeks back, I profiled Kyson Witherspoon, a righty from Oklahoma, based on a projection from Keith Law. After that article, readers offered up more suggestions—and today’s spotlight is on another college arm: LSU’s Kade Anderson.
While I couldn’t track down every comment that mentioned Anderson, I want to thank Roy for his email recommendation and shout out Zach Junda, a fellow contributor at Viva El Birdos and LSU Tigers writer for And the Valley Shook.
Anderson has consistently stood out in college baseball, leading the SEC in strikeouts and solidifying himself as one of the top pitchers in the draft class. Kiley McDaniel even projects him going No. 3 overall to Seattle in a recent mock draft. But if he somehow falls to No. 5, he’d be a strong fit for a Cardinals team that’s leaned heavily toward college arms in recent drafts.
The left-hander pairs solid velocity—his fastball sits in the mid-90s and can touch 97—with advanced command and strong secondary pitches. That includes a sharp curveball, an improving slider, and a deceptive changeup. His ability to mix and sequence pitches effectively has made him one of the toughest college pitchers to face this year.
Over his college career, Anderson has logged a 3.68 ERA with 204 strikeouts in just over 121 innings. Scouts praise his maturity, mound presence, and ability to deliver under pressure. Compared to someone like Witherspoon, who relies more on raw power and flash, Anderson brings polish, control, and strategic finesse to the table. His clean mechanics also help reduce stress on his arm—an important factor for long-term durability.
Here’s a breakdown of his arsenal:
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Fastball (60 grade): Sits 94–96 mph with late life. Great command and plays well on both sides of the plate.
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Curveball (50): High-spin pitch with sharp drop; particularly effective against lefties.
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Slider (55): A developing pitch with potential, used more sparingly but shows good late break.
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Changeup (55): An out-pitch with late fade, helping to disrupt timing and keep right-handers guessing.
Injury history is a note—he had Tommy John surgery as a high school senior—but it hasn’t affected his stock much among scouts. His overall makeup, polish, and SEC track record position him as a high-floor, high-ceiling option.
If the Cardinals continue their pattern of valuing experienced college arms, Anderson fits perfectly. However, if they pivot—like Jim Callis’s mock suggesting they could pick high school shortstop Eli Willits—there are still plenty of directions they could go. I’ll be exploring Willits in a future post.
What do you think—has Anderson earned your attention? Or are there other names on your radar?
Happy Sunday, and keep the draft chatter coming!
