St. Louis Cardinals 2026 Draft Pick: 1-32 (CMP A) RHP Tegan Kuhns

A 6’3 190-pound right-handed pitcher out of the University of Tennessee, Tegan Kuhns will continue the established pipeline of Volunteer pitchers with BIG fastballs after the Cardinals selected Liam Doyle and Tanner Franklin a year ago. A mild surprise opting for a pitcher over prep SS Taj Marchand, who the Cardinals were tied to a bit leading up to the draft. Hard to criticize, though, when stockpiling pitching “you can never have enough!”

Kuhns spins the ball very well, producing good carry on a fastball that parks at 93-96 mph and peaks at 98 and downer break on an upper-70s curveball. Both are plus offerings and they can become more formidable if they add more power as he continues to fill out his 6-foot-3 frame. He has struggled to find a reliable third pitch, scrapping his upper-80s cutter while still struggling to land his mid-80s changeup or low-80s slider for strikes.

Kuhns has the ingredients to pitch in the front half of a rotation. He’s doing a better of job of repeating his athletic delivery as he gets stronger, which also could help him develop a more dependable third option. He battled his control and command for much of his freshman season but pounded the zone on the Cape and has continued to do so this spring.

Kuhns spins the ball very well, producing good carry on a fastball that parks at 93-96 mph and peaks at 98 and downer break on an upper-70s curveball. Both are plus offerings and they can become more formidable if they add more power as he continues to fill out his 6-foot-3 frame. He has struggled to find a reliable third pitch, scrapping his upper-80s cutter while still struggling to land his mid-80s changeup or low-80s slider for strikes.

Kuhns has the ingredients to pitch in the front half of a rotation. He’s doing a better of job of repeating his athletic delivery as he gets stronger, which also could help him develop a more dependable third option. He battled his control and command for much of his freshman season but pounded the zone on the Cape and has continued to do so this spring.

(grades and blurb via MLB Pipeline)