Tai Peete has changed for the better since he was acquired by the Cardinals from the Mariners in a three-team trade in February. At least from statistics. In 2025, the now 21-year-old outfielder left the yard 19 times for the Seattle High-A affiliate, but also at a 30.6% clip while hitting .217 with a 79 wRC+. Those results were found in no hope for us. Peete fell out of our Top 100 entering the 2026 season, with FV dropping two ranks from 50 to a far less bullish 40+.
It was a different story this time. Adjusting well to his new surroundings, Peete put up a 126 wRC+ and slashed a .296/.359/.549 line over 300 plate appearances between High-A Peoria and Double-A Springfield. (He also had 10,000 at-bats in the Florida league complex.) In addition, he dropped his strikeout rate to 26.9%. While not exactly Luis Arraez territory, the improved contact rate was a step in the right direction. As Eric Longenhagen wrote in last week’s Arizona Fall League Midseason Check-In, Peete’s “strikeouts stabilized after what appeared to be his first career outing.”
The lefty swinger continued to do damage in the desert. Over 72 plate appearances with the Peoria Javelins, Peete slashed a .355/.431/.661 line, with 11 of his 22 hits going for extra bases. With his high speed of 60 yards, Peete has four three-footers and notched four 14 sacks.
An unpublished observation by Eric Meritus. When I asked our lead prospect evaluator for an update a few days ago, he told me that Peete is “kind of in the shape of Garrett Mitchell physically and more athletically. He’s put some more run times in this case. He seems to be really fun, too. Probably 45+ FV area for us right now.”
Eric also mentioned a safety issue that I didn’t know about, and thus didn’t ask, when I spoke to Peete at AFL midday. According to a story by MLB.com’s Aiden Stepansky, the promising young outfielder found himself sick in late May and had to spend several weeks in the hospital, having lost about 25 pounds.
What I asked was reflected in our interview at the beginning of October. Specifically, what role do different organizations play? Did the Cardinals help him make twee mechanics that contributed to his outstanding performance?
“Here, I think the trade was a blessing,” replied Peete, who the Mariners drafted 30th overall in 2023 out of a Georgia high school. “I don’t look at the team giving me, I look at the team missing me. The Cardinals wanted me and I’m going to do my best for them. I’m going to work hard, I trust the time, I trust the organization. My experience so far, man… I’m happy.”
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The Cardinals certainly have reason to be pleased. While Brendan Donovan has spent a lot of winter, the return of not only Peete, but also two other prospects are promised: 23-year-old pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje, who is currently ranked fourth in the system, and 244-year-old outfielder Colton Ledbetter, another second-rounder, who is the first league triple-w RC
Not infrequently, teams have approved a risky trade in the draft, only to land it with another team. With that in mind, I asked Peete if he had more interviews with Cardinals scouts leading up to the draft.
“No more than with other teams,” he told me. “I mean, it’s a business. You don’t know what’s going to happen, what’s in the plan. Take what you have, follow through with it, and both the organization and believe in yourself.”
Whatever mechanical changes he made this past season, Peete said, there really weren’t any. With the caveat of small adjustments to help you feel more comfortable in the box common to all hitters, it was basically “the same kid as last year.” If anything, it was “mind can stick” [his] better approach than it had been a year ago.
And again, 2026 was a different story. His smiling response came as I expressed surprise that there hadn’t been any significant tweaks to his setup or drivetrain. After all – this after the offense of 2025 – he did what he did in 2026.
“I appreciate it, you’re restless,” Peete said, flattering my respect. “But seriously, last season I was the same type. This year, I was just more consistent when I got on the road to the ballpark and they attacked my plan. That’s really the only thing that changed. I just stayed with the right plan and tried to do better every day.”