Keith Law has some guess in his mock draft.
Ever since the St. Louis Cardinals secured the fifth overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft—their highest selection since taking J.D. Drew at No. 5 in 1998—I’ve been wondering who they might choose with such a valuable opportunity. Whenever given the chance, it’s been a question I’ve asked. Now, with mock drafts beginning to surface, including Keith Law’s recent projections in The Athletic, I finally have a name: Kyson Witherspoon.
Kyson Witherspoon, a right-handed pitcher from the University of Oklahoma, has put together an impressive collegiate career. Standing at 6’2” and 206 pounds, he has developed into a reliable arm for the Sooners. In the 2024 season, he posted a 3.71 ERA over 80 innings, striking out 90 batters while walking 40. His ability to generate strikeouts while maintaining control has made him a standout prospect.
In 2025, Witherspoon has taken another step forward, recording a 2.45 ERA across 77 innings, with 104 strikeouts and only 19 walks. His strikeout rate has improved significantly, showing his ability to dominate hitters at the collegiate level. His performance in conference play has been particularly strong. Kyson Witherspoon’s 2.12 ERA ranks first in the conference and ninth nationally. The pitching staff for the Sooners as a whole rank 26th in the country with a 4.31 team ERA. There pitchers have struck out 463 batters on the year and have 22 double-digit strikeout games on the season. Witherspoon leads the staff with four double-digit K games. His combination of size, control, and strikeout ability makes him an interesting pick for the Cardinals, who seem to have favored polished college pitchers.
Or at least anecdotally it feels like the Cardinals have leaned toward drafting college pitchers in the first round, with notable picks like Michael Wacha (2012), Marco Gonzales (2013), and Dakota Hudson (2016). This strategy often provides more immediate impact at the major league level, as college pitchers tend to be more polished than their high school counterparts. Especially for a team picking later on in the draft. Law theorizes their strategy will be to pick the best pitcher available at 5 if Ethan Holliday has been picked, which seems pretty likely.
Witherspoon’s profile aligns with the Cardinals trend to pick polished college starters that are closer to Major League ready. His 2025 season stats suggest he could be one of the more refined college arms available. He is the type of pitcher that if continues to develop, he could be fast-tracked to the majors, much like previous Cardinals first-round picks such as Michael Wacha.
Kyson Witherspoon has a solid pitch repertoire for college junior. He primarily relies on three pitches:
Fastball (Grade: 60) – His best offering, generating plenty of swings and misses. He can elevate it effectively to right-handed hitters, inducing strikeouts and weak contact.
Slider (Grade: 55) – A strong secondary pitch that sometimes morphs into a cutter. It is his best swing and miss pitch and helps him keep hitters off balance.
Changeup (Grade: 45) – His least developed pitch, struggling with command and effectiveness. If he can refine it, it could become a valuable third offering.
Witherspoon’s ability to locate his fastball and slider makes him a tough matchup, though improving his command will be key to his success at the next level.
So, after all these words, the Cardinals may not even select Kyson Witherspoon. As Keith Law pointed out, it’s still early in the mock draft process—these predictions are educated guesses, and even the first overall pick remains uncertain. But for me, part of the fun is simply learning about these prospects.
As someone who doesn’t closely follow college baseball or amateur scouting, mock drafts provide a gateway into that world. They help me familiarize myself with players I wouldn’t otherwise know, giving me a chance to learn more about them and their potential fit with the Cardinals.
Even if Witherspoon isn’t the pick, analyzing him—and why someone like Law believes he could be—offers valuable insight into the Cardinals’ draft strategy. And this 2025 could be pivotal for the Cardinals, given their transition year and the need to build a strong foundation for the future. A high draft pick offers them a rare opportunity to secure a top-tier talent who could shape their rotation for years to come. If Witherspoon, or a pitcher like him ends up being their selection, he could fit well into their long-term pitching plans.
The mock drafts are certainly something I plan to keep an eye on — I am just too curious! And as I learn more about the possible candidates, I can share my newfound knowledge with you. If you have any thoughts about players the Cardinals should pick, let’s see them — maybe we can focus in on some of these players in future posts.
Happy Sunday!