Cardinals Projected To Select Star Shortstop From Wake Forest In MLB Draft

St. Louis has the fifth pick in the 2025 MLB Draft.

Mar 6, 2019; Tampa, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals hat and gloves lay in the dugout at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have won a key series against the Milwaukee Brewers, improving to 12-15 on the season and even gaining ground on the first place Chicago Cubs in the National League Central.

St. Louis goes for a sweep on Sunday.

Last offseason in the Draft Lottery, the Cardinals were awarded the fifth pick for 2025. Last year, they had the seventh pick and took infielder J.J. Wetherholt in the first round.

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report put together a mock draft recently. Reuter predicted that with their first pick in the 2025 draft, the Cardinals would select shortstop Marek Houston out of Wake Forest.

"Houston won the starting shortstop job at Wake Forest as a true freshman on the strength of his glove, and his offensive game has caught up to his defense during his three years on campus. He is hitting .344/.453/.595 with 11 doubles, 10 home runs, 48 RBI and 16 steals in 42 games, and his well-rounded game and high floor make him a safe bet to go off the board inside the top 10," Reuter wrote.

Houston's bat is certainly to be admired. St. Louis does have a bit of a logjam in the infield at both the Major League and minor league levels, so it might be hard to find a spot for Houston.

However, both Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras will have just two years left on their contracts entering 2026, so Houston and other young prospects could have more of a runway in a couple of years.

We'll see who St. Louis takes in the first round this year.

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