Nick Plummer said he was surprised when the Cardinals chose him in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft Monday night. He wasn’t alone.
The Cardinals have been in a pattern of choosing college players, particularly college pitchers, with their top draft pick in recent years.
But with the 23rd pick Monday, they went not only for a high school player in Plummer but a high school center fielder.
They followed by taking a high school pitcher, Jake Woodford, a righthander from Plant High in Tampa, Fla., with the 39th selection.
He was their “competitive balance” pick after the first round.