The St. Louis Cardinals continued their aggressive push to restock the farm system Saturday, selecting Etowah High School (Ga.) outfielder Trevor Condon with the 13th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 MLB Draft.
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound left-handed hitting, right-handed throwing center fielder was ranked as high as No. 13 on MLB Pipeline’s final draft board and consistently projected as a first-round talent thanks to elite speed, advanced bat-to-ball skills, and an electric personality that scouts and coaches describe as a “battery.”
Condon, an 18-year-old from Woodstock, Ga., put together a monster senior season for the Eagles. He hit .504 with nine home runs, 17 doubles, 42 RBI and 15 stolen bases across 36 games, helping Etowah reach the Georgia Class 6A state final. Those numbers earned him Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year honors. He was a Tennessee commit but is expected to forgo college after hearing his name called early.
Scouting Report
Tools (MLB Pipeline grades): Hit 60 | Power 45 | Run 70 | Arm 55 | Field 60 | Overall 55
Condon’s carrying tool is his elite speed. He owns a 70-grade run tool — one of the best in the entire draft class — and has been clocked as low as the 3.9-second range home-to-first when fully extended. As a 16-year-old he ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash. He has trained with a track coach since age 12, emphasizing hill work for explosiveness. That speed translates on the bases (he projects as a 30-steal threat) and in center field, where he covers massive ground with long, efficient strides and takes aggressive routes.
At the plate, Condon generates loud contact from a left-handed swing that features a slight toe-tap load and good hip rotation. He has excellent barrel control and adjustability, routinely barreling quality velocity (he has squared up 96 mph heat). Exit velocities have peaked over 106 mph, with bat speeds north of 81 mph. The hit tool is widely considered above-average to plus (60 grade), and he makes a ton of contact with low swing-and-miss rates. Power is currently more gap-oriented (45 raw), but he has begun lifting the ball more consistently this spring after previously being ground-ball heavy. Most scouts project him to eventually get to average game power as he adds strength.
Defensively, Condon is a true center fielder who should stick there long-term. His range is plus thanks to the wheels, and his arm grades as above-average (he has been clocked into the mid-90s in workouts). He plays with urgency and flair — teammates nicknamed the flapping hoodie under his jersey his “cape.”
The swing has some moving parts and timing mechanisms that will need refinement against professional pitching, and his frame is on the smaller side, which creates some questions about power development and durability. But the track record of hit-and-run tools plus premium athleticism makes him a high-floor, high-ceiling package.
Personality and Intangibles
What separates Condon is the juice he brings every day. Multiple evaluators and Tennessee coach Tony Vitello have called him a “battery” — fully charged, confident, and capable of flipping a team’s energy with a single play. He plays with constant intensity and emotion, loves the big moment, and views “pressure as a privilege.”
“He is a battery,” Vitello said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s his rookie year… he’s going to let his presence be known.”
Condon rose from unranked prospect status through sheer work ethic. He has a small, grounded support system and a personal motivation: a tattoo reading “This is for those who can’t” honors a friend’s brother battling FOXG1 syndrome. He has spoken openly about wanting to leave a Hall of Fame legacy and impact younger players.
Comparisons often land on Pete Crow-Armstrong (speed, defense, energy), Brett Gardner (grit and table-setting ability), or even Lenny Dykstra. Condon himself doesn’t claim to model his game after anyone specific — he has spent years refining his own swing in front of a mirror.
Fit with the Cardinals
The Cardinals entered the draft with the most Day 1 picks of any club (seven selections, including competitive balance rounds acquired in the Brendan Donovan trade). Taking Condon at 13 gives them a high-upside position player who can fly through the lower minors and eventually provide impact at the top of a lineup or as a dynamic center fielder.
St. Louis has emphasized athleticism and high-character talent in recent drafts. Condon checks every box: premium tools, advanced instincts, and the kind of personality that fits the Cardinal Way. He should move quickly once signed and begin his pro career in the complex league or short-season ball this summer.
For a Cardinals organization still building around young position players and looking for difference-makers who can change games with their legs and energy, Trevor Condon feels like a classic Redbird pick — toolsy, competitive, and ready to bring the heat.
Welcome to the system, Trevor. The battery is charged.
