#27 - OF Travis Honeyman
Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Arm: 45 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40
Background: The Cardinals drafted Honeyman in the 3rd round of the 2023 MLB Draft, making him their second-highest pick in that class, following outfielder Chase Davis in the first round. Prior to the 2023 season, Honeyman was a projected first-round pick. Despite putting up similar offensive numbers to his standout 2022 campaign, he slipped in the draft due to medicals, specifically a shoulder injury that sidelined him from May through the end of the season.
Scouting Report: Since joining the Cardinals organization in 2023, Honeyman has been limited to just 20 games, all of which came at DH. He was placed on the IL the day the FCL season kicked off but returned later that month to make his professional debut for the FCL Cardinals. It took him just six games to show he was too advanced for rookie ball, recording 11 hits in just 17 at-bats. Honeyman then spent a 14-game stretch with the Palm Beach Cardinals, where he flashed the tools that made him such an exciting get in the 3rd round. He showed an advanced feel for making contact against all pitch types, giving confidence in how his hit tool will translate at the higher levels.
At the end of the stretch, he was once again placed on the IL and was unable to return for the rest of the season. Although it’s hard to draw meaningful conclusions from a 14-game sample, Honeyman’s exit velocities were a bit underwhelming. He posted a hard-hit rate of just 21.4%, with both his average and 90th percentile exit velocities coming in well below average. Those numbers were night-and-day different from what he showcased at Boston College, albeit with metal bats. In his junior season, he recorded a 90th percentile exit velocity of 105.3 MPH and connected on 95+ mph batted balls 46% of the time. If his exit velocities in 2025 trend closer to his college days, Honeyman will still need to loft the ball to his pull side to tap into average game power. He showed the ability to leverage that at Boston College, so I’m eager to see how his power production translates in pro ball. I do believe there’s more impact in there with Honeyman’s wiry 6’2”, 190-pound frame, and while injuries likely played a role in his poor quality of contact, I also think he’s someone who would greatly benefit from a bat speed program.
Honeyman was an aggressive swinger throughout his college tenure, and that remained the case during his short time in pro ball in 2024. His chase rate was dangerously high, sitting close to 38%. Honeyman has never shown the patience to produce above-average swing decisions, but he will need to refine his approach to maximize his offensive profile. Defensively, Honeyman played all three outfield positions in college but spent most of his time in the corners. Scouts seem to be split on his long-term defensive outlook. While the athleticism appears to be there to handle center field, I wonder if injuries will push him toward a long-term corner outfield profile. I do think that proving he can man down center will help his case to be a fourth-outfielder type. Honeyman is an above-average runner who, albeit not the most explosive, generates above-average home-to-first times for a right-handed batter. His throwing arm is generally considered fringe-average, though we had not seen him play the field in 2024.
Future: Honeyman’s spot in the top 30 is hanging by a thread, largely due to his third-round pedigree, and he will need to stay on the field and prove himself in 2025. He profiles as the kind of hitter who could move quickly through a system and potentially make up for lost development time. It’s tough to project what his future holds at this point but the lack of impact in his offensive profile doesn’t bode well for his chances of becoming a starting-caliber corner outfielder. All eyes will be on Honeyman in 2025 as he aims to finally stay healthy and take steps forward in his development.
