Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Prediction Pointing Toward New Phenom Shortstop

The Cardinals are just a few days away from a big addition...
Patrick McAvoy|
Apr 24, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; A view of St. Louis Cardinals players hats and gloves in the dugout during a game with the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-Imagn Images
Apr 24, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; A view of St. Louis Cardinals players hats and gloves in the dugout during a game with the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-Imagn Images | David Kohl-Imagn Images

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St. Louis Cardinals

What’s next for the St. Louis Cardinals?

Most of the buzz around the Cardinals has been about the upcoming Major League Baseball trade deadline, but that’s not going to be the only opportunity for the Cardinals to add significant talent.

The 2025 MLB Draft is less than two weeks away and the Cardinals fortunately landed the No. 5 pick. Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo predicted that the Cardinals are going to take high school shortstop Eli Willits out of Oklahoma.

"No. 5. Cardinals — Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Okla.) HS," Collazo said. "There could be a run on high school shortstops starting here, and Willits is consistently the top name of the group after Holliday and a common link to the Cardinals. If he doesn’t go here, he has real landing spots with the (Pittsburgh Pirates), (Miami Marlins), and (Toronto Blue Jays). This also sounds like a potential landing spot for Arnold, giving the draft a real chance to see three college lefties taken in the first five picks."

As mock drafts have started popping up left and right, Willits has been a popular name thrown around for St. Louis. He's one of the top overall prospects and landing a high school shortstop certainly doesn't hurt. It would give the team years to get him ready for the big leagues and if you are good at shortstop, typically, you're a very solid athlete and have an easier time adjusting to other positions.

The Cardinals are set at shortstop right now in the majors with Masyn Winn, but Willits would be a big get at No. 5.

More MLB: Insider Has Statement About Cardinals' Trade Deadline Plans

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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University. After quickly rising as one of the most productive writers on the site, he expanded his reach to write for Baseball Essential, a national baseball site in Sports Illustrated Media Group. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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