The St. Louis Cardinals didn’t have to search far to find their 30th round pick, selecting Matt Vierling from nearby CBC High School. The 6’4, 195lb outfielder helped the Cadets to the Missouri Class 5A state championship this season–hitting .451 with 3 HRs and 32 RBIs. He also stole 10 bases.
“He deserves to be drafted on his merits,” said Correa on selecting a hometown kid. “He’s an athlete. To be honest, we’re a little confused about whether he’s a better pitching prospect or position player prospect. He’s really talented, projectable and he’s going to have a great career ahead of him.”
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On the mound, the right-handed Vierling went 8-0 with a 2.07 ERA in 44.0 innings pitched. He hurled a complete game and struck out 56 batters while walking 31.
So what position will Vierling play?
“That’s going to be up to him,” answered Correa, who must deal with the more immediate question of whether or not Vierling is willing to forego college to begin his professional baseball career.
“He’s a strong commitment to Notre Dame, we’re aware of that,” said Correa.
Speaking Wednesday night on KMOX radio, Vierling expressed that earning a degree from Notre Dame would mean a lot to both himself and his family but “growing up a Cardinals fan–it’s a dream” to be drafted by St. Louis.
It was an honor to play with and under the guys I did throughout my 4 years with @cadetbaseball. Glad I ended my career with a win! #Champs
— Matt Vierling (@matt_vierling) June 6, 2015
photo credit: Matt Vierling
