Cardinals Predicted to Land High-Potential Outfield Prospect

The Cardinals need to strike gold in the 2026 MLB Draft if they want to continue trending up.

Sep 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of the hat and glove of St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (not pictured) before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have hovered right around .500 for the last few seasons. They've continued to try to win, but they haven't been close to being a true contender in a few years. As a result, they finally opted for a rebuild this offseason, which they kicked off by trading Brendan Donovan, Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray, and Willson Contreras.

These deals, paired with solid drafting over the last few years, have formed one of the better farm systems in all of baseball. The Cardinals' farm system is likely a top 10 unit in the game after being one of the worst farm systems in the league for a few years.

They need to add more talent to the farm system in the coming months.

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report recently put together a mock draft for the first round of the 2026 MLB Draft. At pick No. 13, Reuter predicted the Cardinals would land Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress to bolster their outfield depth in a big way.

Drew Burress would be a huge addition for the Cardinals

May 31, 2025; Oxford, MS, USA; Georgia Tech Yellowjackets outfielder Drew Burress (8) slides into third base during the first inning against the Murray State Racers. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

"After slugging 44 home runs and showing elite on-base skills during his first two seasons at Georgia Tech, Burress entered the spring as one of the top bats on the board," Reuter wrote. "He is hitting .333/.472/.589 this spring, but that represents a 104-point dip in his slugging percentage, and he has just seven home runs in 35 games. He is still a first-round lock, but the downturn in over-the-fence production moves him 5-10 spots down the board."

This would be a huge addition for the Cardinals, who are already struggling with outfield depth. They need to add an outfielder, and Burress is the kind of prospect who could be fast-tracked to the big leagues within a year or two of being drafted.

Burress is an elite prospect with all five tools in his game. He's slashing .333/.472/.589 with an OPS over 1.000 in what some would consider a "down year" for him. If that's a down year, the Cardinals need to be all over the idea of adding him.

Burress was widely seen as a top-five to top-10 prospect in the coming draft class for most of the year. If he's available at pick No. 13 for the Cardinals, they need to bring him in. The Cardinals benefited from JJ Wetherholt falling to them a few years ago. This year, they could benefit from Burress falling to them, too.