The Cardinals have made a habit lately of hoarding pitching in the draft, and their latest signing fits right into that pattern. St. Louis locked up UCLA right-hander Cal Randall for $501,300, exactly full slot value for the No. 146 overall pick, according to Jim Callis. No negotiating, no games — just cutting a check and moving him into the system.
5th-rder Cal Randall signs w/@Cardinals for $501,300 (full slot 146 value). @UCLABaseball RHP, rated as one of best relievers & best fastball in @MLBDraft. Up to 100 mph with low release, extension & carry. Should get to St. Louis quickly.
What makes Randall worth full price in the 5th round is the arm talent. He's a 6-foot-4, 210-pound reliever who was sitting 95-98 mph and touching triple digits out of UCLA's bullpen, with a low arm slot that generates the kind of extension and carry scouts drool over. One evaluator reportedly called his fastball shape close to as good as it gets. That's not hype for a mid-round pick — that's a legitimate carrying tool.
The production backs it up. In his final college season Randall worked 31 innings, struck out 57 hitters, saved 14 games and picked up 3 wins, closing games for a Big Ten program and earning Third Team All-Big Ten honors along the way. That's a reliever who was already getting the ball in the highest-leverage spots against college competition.
Because he's essentially a bullpen-ready arm with one plus-plus pitch already, evaluators have pegged Randall as the likeliest member of the Cardinals' entire 2026 draft class to reach the majors first. Teams don't often get to add a potential up-mph relief arm this far into the draft without paying overslot money to lure him away from other options — the fact St. Louis got it done at exactly slot suggests Randall wanted to turn pro and start the clock.
For a Cardinals org that's been retooling its pitching pipeline, adding a power arm who profiles as a near-term bullpen piece is exactly the kind of low-cost, quick-turnaround value teams chase on Day 2 of the draft. Randall won't need much refinement — he needs innings, and the Cardinals are betting those innings start showing up in the big leagues sooner rather than later.