Cardinals Have Shot At Organization-Altering Selection

The St. Louis Cardinals have had back-to-back high first round draft picks and that trend has a chance of continuing.

St. Louis selected infielder JJ Wetherholt with the No. 7 pick in the first round of the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft. Now, he’s one step away from making the jump to the big leagues. There’s even a chance that he is promoted before the 2025 season comes to an end.

Wetherholt looks like a superstar down in the minors. He has played 26 games with the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds and is slashing .310/.403/.670 with nine homers, 17 RBIs, seven doubles, and 25 runs scored. Overall, he's played in 88 games this year and has 16 home runs, 51 RBIs, 17 stolen bases, 21 doubles, and a .303/.419/.529 slash line.

This season, the Cardinals arguably struck gold and selected left-handed pitcher Liam Doyle with the No. 5 overall pick.

He hasn't pitched professionally yet, but the pick surprised because many didn't expect Doyle to be available at No. 5.

Will the Cardinals bring in another star-level prospect?

St. Louis Cardinals hat — 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

"No. 5. Cardinals: Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee (No. 8)," MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo said about the pick. "One of the most dominant pitchers on the college scene this year while doing it in the ultra-competitive SEC, Doyle becomes the second of the college southpaws to come off the board. He does it with a bit of an unorthodox delivery and four pitches that are at least above average, helping him to lead all D-I pitchers in strikeout rate (15.4 per nine innings) in his third school in three years."

Now, the Cardinals have a chance at another high selection with Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporting that the Cardinals are eligible for a top 6 lottery pick despite some confusion out there.

"The Cardinals are eligible for a lottery (top six pick) in 2026 if they do not make the playoffs," Goold said. "Again, the Cardinals ARE eligible for a lottery pick (top six) if they do not make the playoffs.
That is double-checked with MLB, the CBA, and the Cardinals, and I circled back on that just to be sure today. Hope that helps. I do not know where the confusion began but it's possibly related to the Cardinals have access to the lottery in consecutive years. They did not get lottery picks (top six) in consecutive years, however as they "lost" the lottery in 2024 and picked 7th. They "won" the lottery in 2025 to pick 5th. Top six picks are considered lottery picks.

"The CBA spells that out, and if the confusion comes from payor/payee stuff, then I get it. Cardinals are not a payor. So they are not limited to one lottery pick. They are entering payee for the first time this season and that would change their status."

It hasn't been the year the Cardinals wanted to have, but if it results in another prospect at Wetherholt or Doyle's level, maybe it will be worth it.

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