For the past six years, the St. Louis Cardinals have struggled to scout and retain talent effectively. I first noticed this issue during the 2020 World Series, when the Tampa Bay Rays faced the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the Rays’ starting lineup, I saw American League Championship Series MVP Randy Arozarena in left field.

Upon investigation, I learned Arozarena played in the Cardinals’ organization, primarily in the minors, appearing in only 19 games in 2019 with 23 at-bats. In 2020, the Cardinals traded him to the Rays for Matthew Liberatore (LHP), Edgardo Rodriguez (C), and a Competitive Balance Round B draft pick. The trade seemed promising initially, but Arozarena exploded with the Rays that same year, powering their World Series run.

Remarkably, history repeated itself in the 2023 World Series, when the Texas Rangers faced the Arizona Diamondbacks. In right field for the Rangers stood American League Championship Series MVP Adolis Garcia, another former Cardinal who played just 21 games in 2018. In 2019, the Cardinals traded him to the Rangers for cash considerations.

In 2024, John Mozeliak traded Tommy Edman to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-player deal, acquiring Tommy Pham and Erick Fedde. Pham did not re-sign with the Cardinals after the season, and the team designated Fedde for assignment.

Has Mozeliak lost his ability to scout talent? Time will reveal the answer. When the Cardinals traded Ryan Helsley, their star closer, to the Mets, my first thought was that the team would become World Series-bound. Looking ahead, whichever team acquires Nolan Arenado next offseason might win the next World Series.

The Cardinals’ struggles are evident in their Triple-A call-ups under managers Mike Shildt (2018–2021) and Oliver Marmol (2022–present). Below are key players each manager promoted from Triple-A, with their current status highlighting the team’s talent retention issues:

Many other call-ups from these periods, such as Lane Thomas (traded to the Nationals) and Zack Thompson (no longer with the Cardinals), have also left the organization, underscoring inconsistent talent evaluation.

To move forward, the Cardinals must prioritize reliable starting pitchers. Early in the 2025 season, strong offensive output masked the rotation’s weaknesses, creating a false sense of success. When the bats cooled, losses mounted due to subpar pitching.

The current rotation needs improvement. The Cardinals have relied too heavily on Miles Mikolas and Matthew Liberatore, with ERAs of 5.17 and 4.08, respectively. On a positive note, Michael McGreevy shows great promise and could become a star in a few years.

I remain optimistic about the future. Will we win the World Series next year? Probably not, but what I look forward to is breaking this cycle of mediocrity the Cardinals have endured for the last six years. The DeWitt family has responded to fan concerns, appointing Chaim Bloom as the new president of baseball operations for the 2026 season. With new leadership, the Cardinals have a chance to rebuild the success of the 2010s and return to their years of glory.