Cardinals Landed Next Robbie Ray, Per MLB Analyst

The St. Louis Cardinals had the No. 5 pick in the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft and used it to select left-handed flamethrower Liam Doyle out of Tennessee.

He has been widely considered to be one of the premiere pitchers in this draft class and the fact that he was available at No. 5 was a shock. The Cardinals didn't let him slip further and now the club has a lefty in the organization who could blow through the minors quickly.

He's a talented guy and Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter graded the move as a "B" and compared Doyle to Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray.

"First Round (No. 5 Overall): Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee," Reuter said. "MLB Comp: Robbie Ray. After flashing swing-and-miss stuff at Coastal Carolina (56.1 IP, 4.15 ERA, 69 K) and Ole Miss (55.0 IP, 5.73 ERA, 84 K), Doyle joined his third team when he transferred to Tennessee where he was college baseball's biggest breakout star. Leaning heavily on a high-octane fastball that touches 100 mph and blows hitters away up the zone, he posted a 3.20 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 164 strikeouts in 95.2 innings.

"A max-effort delivery and his lagging secondary stuff raises some legitimate reliever questions, but a fastball like his from the left side does not come along often. Grade: B. The predraft expectation was that Doyle would be gone and the Cardinals would be picking between Jamie Arnold or someone from the prep shortstop class. Instead they get the most overpowering pitcher in college baseball this year, though there is some risk here."