JUPITER, Fla. -- It's a matter of when, not if, Jack Flaherty will start in the big leagues. Barring injury to another arm, the 22-year-old's chances to crack the Opening Day roster are slim, despite the swing-and-miss stuff he has flashed this spring. But Cardinals officials view him as the next man up, often interchanging him in conversations with the recovering Alex Reyes.
This a great problem to have as a club. Reyes and Flaherty are the organization's top two prospects, according to MLB Pipeline.
Thursday offered a glimpse of why.