2011 MLB Mock Draft: Will Cardinals Luck out with Right-Hander Taylor Guerrieri?

2011 MLB Mock Draft Has Taylor Guerrieri Falling to Cardinals at No. 22

Spring Valley High School (S.C.) right-hander Taylor Guerrieri may have the best fastball-curveball combo in this year's draft class.

He throws 92-97 mph regularly and has a knee-buckling curve perhaps only rivaled be prep star Archie Bradley.

His biggest concerns are his command (he can sometimes leave fastballs up in the zone) and his lack of a third pitch. However, very few high school stars have a solid third pitch so early.

There are also potentially off-the-field concerns, some speculating that his switch between high schools had to do with some personal issues, but that seems like nitpicking to me. The biggest concern is the placement of his pitches.

Keith Law of ESPN has Guerrieri as the 11th-best prospect in this year's draft class, which should have the St. Louis Cardinals jumping for joy if he lands to them at No. 22 as Law predicts (Law originally had him going to the New York Mets at No. 13).

The Cardinals no doubt need a quality arm out of the farm system, given Adam Wainwright's recent troublesome injury, Chris Carpenter's age and the fact that Jake Westbrook just isn't working out (and, really, can we expect Kyle Lohse to keep this up?).

If Guerrieri falls to the Cards at No. 22, I find it hard to believe they'd pass him up.

For more 2011 MLB Draft coverage, including updated MLB Draft results and MLB Draft grades, stay tuned to Bleacher Report.

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