ST. LOUIS • As mentioned in the runup to the draft this past week, there were going to be plenty of catchers for the Cardinals to choose from early in this draft, and they each brought a different mix of skills to the position.
Matt Thaiss was the hitter. Chris Okey had a well-rounded game. Will Smith had proven adept at handling a high-caliber rotation.
Three catchers went before the Cardinals' second pick on Day 1.
Eleven went before pick No. 100, including seven college catchers.
The Cardinals grabbed the eighth.
USC grad Randy Flores, with the 136th pick of the 2016 MLB Draft, selected Jeremy Martinez, the backstop for the USC Trojans.