July 18, 2022
The Cardinals have selected Hansen with the 97th overall pick in the 2022 first-year player draft.
ANALYSIS
The left-hander lands with St. Louis after a productive three-year collegiate run with Texas. After going unchosen in 2021 despite being draft-eligible, Hansen put himself on the radar this spring by getting excellent results against hitters from both sides of the plate thanks to his high-70s-to-low-80s slider and a low-to-mid-70s curveball. While he lacks a premium fastball, the success he gets from his breaking pitch helps his heater play up a bit and keep hitters off balance. The 22-year-old could move through the minors quickly and profiles as a potential back-end rotation arm.