Why Cardinals 25-Year-Old Lefty Could Soon Be On The Move

Should the Cardinals use a 40-man roster spot on this pitcher?

Jul 29, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; A detailed view of a hat and glove in the dugout of the St. Louis Cardinals in the game against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park. The Cardinals defeated the Marlins 11-6. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Every team is facing some tough decisions this week, and the St. Louis Cardinals are right in that mix.

With Tuesday's deadline approaching fast, the Cardinals must choose which of their eligible prospects to protect from the Rule 5 draft, which will take place next month at the winter meetings. As of Monday, the Cardinals have 37 players on the roster, which essentially equates to three free spaces.

Not every prospect needs to be protected, but the Cardinals still have some intriguing ones to sort through, and a pair of top prospect analysts believe a former third-round pick could be in jeopardy.

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Will Cardinals protect Pete Hansen in Rule 5 Draft?

Jun 20, 2021; Omaha, Nebraska, USA; Texas Longhorns pitcher Pete Hansen (33) pitches in the eighth inning against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

On Sunday, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com chose the "toughest Rule 5 decision" for each team, and for the Cardinals, they named left-handed pitcher Pete Hansen, who is not currently on the site's Top 30 list for St. Louis prospects.

"Hansen can't push his fastball past 92 mph, but he effectively mixes three secondary pitches (low-80s changeup and slider, mid-70s curveball) and throws strikes. The 2022 third-rounder from Texas compiled a 3.93 ERA and a 123/37 K/BB ratio in 137 1/3 innings at Double-A," wrote Mayo and Callis.

Hansen, 25, is an interesting case of ceiling versus floor. The Cardinals wouldn't expect him to become a star, especially right away, but could he be a capable No. 5 starter in relatively short order? St. Louis' rotation is quite thin heading into the year, so it might be nice to have him in the mix.

But teams love upside, so would the Cardinals be worried enough about another club taking Hansen and keeping him on its active roster for the entire season to use up one of their 40-man spots on a pitcher without any Triple-A experience?

These are the small decisions that wind up mattering down the road, so the Cardinals have to think long and hard about where Hansen fits as they sort through their Rule 5 strategy.

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