Cardinals Mock Draft Lands Standout LSU Outfielder in St. Louis at No. 13

One thing that is going to be exciting during the summer for the St. Louis Cardinals is the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft.

First and foremost, Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom has been known throughout his professional career in front offices for his ability to build an elite farm system. He's armed with the No. 13 overall pick in the first round of the draft. On top of the club's typical picks, St. Louis also acquired two Competitive Balance Round B picks. They are picks No. 68 and No. 72. On top of these picks, the Cardinals have No. 13, No. 32 as a Competitive Balance Round A pick, and No. 50 in the second round. That's a lot of ammo for Bloom to add legit pieces at the top of the farm system.

The 2026 MLB Draft will begin on July 11 and it will be here before we know it. The MLB Draft is arguably the most difficult to predict of the major North American professional sports leagues. At least with the NBA and NFL the first few picks are pretty much guaranteed. That's not the case in Major League Baseball, for the most part. At this point in the year, it's fun and good to learn about as many prospects as you can, because you never know who will drop in the team's lap. We're at a point in the year where mock drafts are popping up all over the place as well. On Thursday, MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo shared a mock draft one month out from the draft and predicted that the Cardinals will nab LSU outfielder Derek Curiel at No. 13.

Who Will The Cardinals Pick At No. 13?

Apr 28, 2026; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Louisiana State Tigers outfielder Derek Curiel (6) walks against the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at Alex Box Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

"No. 13. Cardinals: Derek Curiel, OF, Louisiana State (No. 12)," Mayo wrote. "It’s mostly college names coming up here for the Cardinals, with Curiel getting the nod over Reese or Virginia outfielder AJ Gracia. They could also consider a college pitcher like Coastal Carolina’s Cameron Flukey. The one exception to the college talk could be Grindlinger."

Curiel is a 21-year-old outfielder who has gotten playing time in left field and center field in his time at LSU so far. So far this season, he has played in 58 games and is slashing .353/.431/.526 with a .957 OPS, six homers, 46 RBIs, 18 doubles, and 13 stolen bases. Last year, he played in 68 games and slashed .345/.470/.519 with a .990 OPS, seven homers, 55 RBIs, 53 walks, and 20 doubles.

Jordan Walker is the right fielder of the future. He has proven that. No. 3 prospect Joshua Báez is going to get a shot at some point this season. He is playing too well down in Triple-A not to. It's early, but he could be a long-term piece for the club. Nathan Church and Lars Nootbaar both have big roles right now. Nootbaar's future is a bit up in the air with trade rumors. Church has had a very solid season so far. Victor Scott II recently was demoted to Tripe-A. With Nootbaar specifically up in the air, it certainly wouldn't hurt to add another elite outfield prospect and see if they can find another long-term piece.

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