The Cardinals missed the MLB Postseason in 2023 and 2024. However, St. Louis has still been relatively successful over the last decade, as their 2023 campaign was the only one that the Cardinals finished below .500. And in the last 10 years, the Cardinals made the playoffs six times. Much of their past — and future — success has been tied to the MLB Draft. Here’s a look at the St. Louis Cardinals’ best and worst MLB Draft picks over the last decade.
Best Cardinals Draft Picks of the Last 10 Years
| Name | Position | Year Drafted | Round | Career bWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Flaherty | P | 2014 | 1 | 13.2 |
| Austin Gomber | P | 2014 | 4 | 5.0 |
| Harrison Bader | OF | 2015 | 3 | 13.0 |
| Paul DeJong | SS | 2015 | 4 | 13.6 |
| Ryan Helsley | P | 2015 | 5 | 7.2 |
| Zac Gallen | P | 2016 | 3 | 19.7 |
| Tommy Edman | INF/OF | 2016 | 6 | 17.9 |
| Brendan Donovan | INF/OF | 2018 | 7 | 8.6 |
| Lars Nootbaar | OF | 2018 | 8 | 7.5 |
| Masyn Winn | SS | 2020 | 2 | 4.4 |
The Cardinals were blessed with successful MLB Drafts for much of the 2010s, which helped St. Louis stay competitive throughout the decade. St. Louis grabbed six players with 10+ bWAR in the Majors, plus other big names, as well.
St. Louis did well with their two first-round picks in 2014, picking Florida State hurler Luke Weaver and high school pitcher Jack Flaherty. Weaver was used to net the Cardinals Paul Goldschmidt. Flaherty, meanwhile, gave the Cardinals quality innings for years. He finished fourth in the NL Cy Young vote in 2019, a year he struck out 231 over 196.1 IP.
One year later, the Cardinals picked Harrison Bader and Paul DeJong. Both raced up to the Majors, as the duo made their MLB debut in 2017. In a sense, the two personified the ‘Cardinals way’ of playing baseball. Bader was an excellent defensive center fielder for St. Louis, as he won a Gold Glove in 2021 and posted a .729 OPS with the team.
DeJong was a good defender in his own right and recorded two 25+ home run campaigns with St. Louis.
Additionally, the Cardinals plucked Ryan Helsley in the fifth round of the 2015 MLB Draft. Helsley emerged as a high-end middle reliever for the Cardinals in the 2010s. He moved into the closer’s role a few years later.
The Cardinals’ best work, though, might have been in 2016. Not only did St. Louis grab a flamethrower in Jordan Hicks in the third round but also Zac Gallen and Tommy Edman. Both Gallen (UNC) and Edman (Stanford) were college draft picks. Gallen was the Tar Heels’ ace in 2016, while Edman was an undersized infielder who showed good speed and hit tool but little power.
Needless to say, both worked out. Gallen, traded to the Marlins in the Marcell Ozuna trade, became a standout starter. Edman became a toolsy infielder/outfielder and 2024 NLCS MVP.
St. Louis did a terrific job of having trust in players from smaller, non-power schools. DeJong came out of Illinois State University, while Helsley came from Northeastern State University in Oklahoma. Brendan Donovan, a good utilityman for the Cardinals, was picked out of South Alabama.
Worst Cardinals Draft Picks of the Last 10 Years
| Name | Position | Year Drafted | Round | Career bWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Plummer | OF | 2015 | 1 | -0.1 |
| Bryce Denton | 3B | 2015 | 2 | Never played in MLB |
| Delvin Perez | SS | 2016 | 1 | Never played in MLB |
| Connor Jones | P | 2016 | 2 | Never played in MLB |
| Griffin Roberts | P | 2018 | 1 | Never played in MLB |
| Luken Baker | 1B | 2018 | 2 | -0.6 |
| Tre Fletcher | OF | 2019 | 2 | Never played in MLB |
The Cardinals, overall, did a strong job at finding MLB talent in the first round. From 2024-21, just two players (Griffin Roberts & Delvin Perez) drafted in the top round by St. Louis didn’t make it to the Majors.
Yes, not all players taken by the Cards turned out to be stars. Jake Woodford, not on this list, had a successful run as a reliever in 2021-22 with the team. Nick Plummer, drafted out of a Michigan high school in 2025, accumulated just 31 MLB plate appearances. All of those came with the Mets in 2022.
Perhaps the most notable whiff was in 2016 when the Cardinals picked Delvin Perez. Perez was a potential top-15 pick who oozed with raw upside. He fell to the Cardinals at #23 — thanks to a positive PED test — but showcased very little power in the Minors. That was a reported concern from some evaluators, as MLB.com noted in 2018 that there was concern he wouldn’t add the necessary strength to hit at the pro level.
Perez hit .247/.321/.321 (.642 OPS) over seven MiLB seasons. He capped out at Triple-A.
Draft picks who did not sign are included in these lists. bWAR figures as of October 2024.