List of St. Louis Cardinals first-round draft picks

The St. Louis Cardinals are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in St. Louis, Missouri. They play in the National League Central division. Since the institution of MLB's Rule 4 Draft, the Cardinals have selected 77 players in the first round. Officially known as the "First-Year Player Draft",[1] the Rule 4 Draft is MLB's primary mechanism for assigning amateur baseball players from high schools, colleges, and other amateur baseball clubs to its teams. The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings, with the team possessing the worst record receiving the first pick.[1] In addition, teams which lost free agents in the previous off-season may be awarded compensatory or supplementary picks.[2]

Todd Worrell (1982) is the only Cardinals first-round draft pick to win the Rookie of the Year Award.

Of the 77 players picked in the first round by St. Louis, 39 have been pitchers, the most of any position; 30 of them were right-handed, while nine were left-handed. Eight outfielders, ten third basemen, six shortstops, six first basemen, five catchers, and two second basemen were taken as well. The team also drafted one player, Leron Lee (1966), who played as an infielder.[3] 16 of the players came from high schools or universities in the state of California, and Texas and Arizona follow with seven and six players. The Cardinals have not drafted any players from their home state of Missouri.[3]

Three of the Cardinals' draft picks have won World Series rings with the team. Braden Looper (1996) and Chris Duncan (1999) were both members of the major league roster when the Cardinals won the 2006 World Series.[4] Lance Lynn was with the 2011 World Series winners. None of the Cardinals' first-round picks have won the Cy Young Award. Todd Worrell (1982) is the only first-round pick of the Cardinals to earn the MLB Rookie of the Year award with the team, winning it in 1986.[5] The Cardinals have never held the first overall pick in the draft, and have only held a top five pick three times. The highest pick the Cardinals have held was the third overall pick, which they used on Looper in 1996.[3]

The Cardinals have made 18 selections in the supplemental round of the draft and 27 compensatory picks since the institution of the First-Year Player Draft in 1965.[3] These additional picks are provided when a team loses a particularly valuable free agent in the previous off-season,[2][6][V] or, more recently, if a team fails to sign a draft pick from the previous year.[7] As the Cardinals have signed all of their first-round picks, they have never been awarded a supplementary pick under this provision.

Key

YearEach year links to an article about that year's Major League Baseball Draft.
PositionIndicates the secondary/collegiate position at which the player was drafted, rather than the professional position the player may have gone on to play
PickIndicates the number of the pick
*Player did not sign with the Cardinals
§Indicates a supplemental pick
'06Player was a member of the Cardinals' 2006 championship team
'11Player was a member of the Cardinals' 2011 championship team

Picks

Ted Simmons (1967) made six all-star appearances with the Cardinals.
Brian Jordan (1988) was the Cardinals' first supplemental draft pick.
Braden Looper (1996) was drafted third by the Cardinals, their highest draft selection in team history.
Adam Kennedy (1997) is one of the nineteen first-round draft picks from California, more than any other state.
Lance Lynn (2008) is the Cardinals' most recent first-round draft pick to win a World Series.
Jordan Walker (2020) is the Cardinals' most recent first-round draft pick to make his MLB debut.
YearNamePositionSchool (location)PickRef
1965Joe DiFabioRight-handed pitcherDelta State University
(Cleveland, Mississippi)
20[8]
1966Leron LeeInfielderGrant High School
(Sacramento, California)
7[9]
1967Ted SimmonsCatcherSouthfield High School
(Southfield, Michigan)
10[10]
1968James HairstonOutfielderRoth High School
(Dayton, Ohio)
19[11]
1969Charles MinottLeft-handed pitcherRoyal Oak High School
(Covina, California)
20[12]
1970Jim BrowningRight-handed pitcherEmma Sansom High School
(Gadsden, Alabama)
11[13]
1971Ed KurpielFirst basemanArchbishop Molloy High School
(Hollis, New York)
8[14]
1972Dan LarsonRight-handed pitcherAlhambra High School
(Alhambra, California)
21[15]
1973Joe EdelenThird basemanGracemont High School
(Gracemont, Oklahoma)
12[16]
1974Garry TempletonShortstopSanta Ana Valley High School
(Santa Ana, California)
13[17]
1975David JohnsonLeft-handed pitcherGaylord High School
(Gaylord, Michigan)
16[18]
1976Leon DurhamFirst basemanWoodward High School
(Cincinnati, Ohio)
15[19]
1977Terry KennedyCatcherFlorida State University
(Tallahassee, Florida)
6[20]
1978Bob HicksFirst basemanGonzalez Tate High School
(Pensacola, Florida)
15[21]
1979Andy Van SlykeOutfielderNew Hartford High School
(New Hartford, New York)
6[22]
1980Don CollinsRight-handed pitcherHomer L. Ferguson High School
(Newport News, Virginia)
15[23]
1981Bob MeachamShortstopSan Diego State University
(San Diego, California)
8[24]
1982Todd WorrellRight-handed pitcherBiola University
(La Mirada, California)
21[25]
1983Jim LindemanThird basemanBradley University
(Peoria, Illinois)
24[26]
1984Mike DunneRight-handed pitcherBradley University
(Peoria, Illinois)
7[27]
1985Joe MagraneLeft-handed pitcherUniversity of Arizona
(Tucson, Arizona)
18[28]
1986Luis AliceaSecond basemanFlorida State University
(Tallahassee, Florida)
23[29]
1987Cris CarpenterRight-handed pitcherUniversity of Georgia
(Athens, Georgia)
14[30]
1988John EricksRight-handed pitcherUniversity of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
(Urbana, Illinois)
22[a][31]
1988Brad DuVallRight-handed pitcherVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
(Blacksburg, Virginia)
23[31]
1988Brian JordanOutfielderUniversity of Richmond
(Richmond, Virginia)
30§[b][31]
1989Paul ColemanOutfielderFrankston High School
(Frankston, Texas)
6[32]
1990Donovan OsborneLeft-handed pitcherUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas
(Paradise, Nevada)
13[33]
1990Aaron HolbertShortstopDavid Starr Jordan High School
(Long Beach, California)
18[c][33]
1990Paul EllisCatcherUniversity of California, Los Angeles
(Los Angeles, California)
30§[d][33]
1991Dmitri YoungThird basemanRio Mesa High School
(Camarillo, California)
4[34]
1991Allen WatsonLeft-handed pitcherNew York Institute of Technology
(Brooklyn, New York)
21[e][34]
1991Brian BarberRight-handed pitcherDr. Phillips High School
(Orlando, Florida)
22[f][34]
1991Tom McKinnonRight-handed pitcherDavid Starr Jordan High School
(Long Beach, California)
28§[g][34]
1991Dan CholowskyThird basemanUniversity of California, Berkeley
(Berkeley, California)
39§[h][34]
1992Sean LoweRight-handed pitcherArizona State University
(Tempe, Arizona)
15[35]
1993Alan BenesRight-handed pitcherCreighton University
(Omaha, Nebraska)
16[36]
1994Bret WagnerLeft-handed pitcherWake Forest University
(Winston-Salem, North Carolina)
19[37]
1995Matt MorrisRight-handed pitcherSeton Hall University
(South Orange, New Jersey)
12[38]
1995Chris HaasThird basemanSt. Mary High School
(Paducah, Kentucky)
29§[i][38]
1996Braden Looper '06Right-handed pitcherWichita State University
(Wichita, Kansas)
3[39]
1997Adam KennedyShortstopCalifornia State University, Northridge
(Northridge, California)
20[40]
1998J. D. DrewOutfielderFlorida State University
(Tallahassee, Florida)
5[41]
1998Ben DigginsFirst basemanBradshaw High School
(Dewey, Arizona)
32§[j][41]
1999Chance CapleRight-handed pitcherTexas A&M University
(College Station, Texas)
30[k][42]
1999Nick StocksRight-handed pitcherFlorida State University
(Tallahassee, Florida)
36§[l][42]
1999Chris Duncan '06First basemanCanyon del Oro High School
(Tucson, Arizona)
46§[m][42]
2000Shaun BoydOutfielderVista High School
(Vista, California)
13[43]
2000Blake WilliamsRight-handed pitcherSouthwest Texas State University
(San Marcos, Texas)
24[n][43]
2001Justin PopeRight-handed pitcherUniversity of Central Florida
(Orlando, Florida)
28[44]
2002no first-round pick[o][3]
2003Daric BartonCatcherMarina High School
(Huntington Beach, California)
28[45]
2004Chris LambertRight-handed pitcherBoston College
(Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts)
19[46]
2005Colby RasmusOutfielderRussell County High School
(Seale, Alabama)
28[p][47]
2005Tyler GreeneShortstopGeorgia Institute of Technology
(Atlanta, Georgia)
30[47]
2005Mark McCormickRight-handed pitcherBaylor University
(Waco, Texas)
43§[q][47]
2005Tyler HerronRight-handed pitcherWellington Community High School
(Wellington, Florida)
46§[r][47]
2006Adam OttavinoRight-handed pitcherNortheastern University
(Boston, Massachusetts)
30[48]
2006Chris PerezRight-handed pitcherUniversity of Miami
(Coral Gables, Florida)
42§[s][48]
2007Pete KozmaShortstopOwasso High School
(Owasso, Oklahoma)
18[49]
2007Clay MortensenRight-handed pitcherGonzaga University
(Spokane, Washington)
36§[t][49]
2008Brett WallaceFirst basemanArizona State University
(Tempe, Arizona)
13[50]
2008Lance Lynn '11Right-handed pitcherUniversity of Mississippi
(Oxford, Mississippi)
39§[u][50]
2009Shelby MillerRight-handed pitcherBrownwood High School
(Brownwood, Texas)
19[51]
2010Zack CoxThird basemanUniversity of Arkansas
(Fayetteville, Arkansas)
25[52]
2010Seth BlairRight-handed pitcherArizona State University
(Tempe, Arizona)
46§[v][52]
2010Tyrell JenkinsRight-handed pitcherHenderson High School
(Henderson, Texas)
50§[w][52]
2011Kolten WongSecond basemanUniversity of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
(Honolulu, Hawaii)
22[53]
2012Michael WachaRight-Handed pitcherTexas A&M University
(College Station, Texas)
19[x][54]
2012James RamseyOutfielderFlorida State University
(Tallahassee, Florida)
23[54]
2012Stephen PiscottyThird basemanStanford University
(Palo Alto, California)
36§[y][54]
2012Patrick WisdomThird basemanSaint Mary's College of California
(Moraga, California)
52§[z][54]
2012Steve BeanCatcherRockwall High School
(Rockwall, Texas)
59§[aa][54]
2013Marco GonzalesLeft-Handed pitcherGonzaga University
(Spokane, Washington)
19[55]
2013Rob KaminskyLeft-Handed pitcherSt. Joseph Regional High School
(Montvale, New Jersey)
28[ab][55]
2014Luke WeaverRight-handed pitcherFlorida State University
(Tallahassee, Florida)
27
2014Jack FlahertyRight-Handed pitcherHarvard-Westlake School
(Los Angeles, California)
34§[ac]
2015Nick PlummerOutfielderBrother Rice High School
(Bloomfield Township, Michigan)
23
2015Jake WoodfordRight-Handed pitcherH.B. Plant High School
(Tampa, Florida)
39§[]
2016Delvin PérezShortstopInternational Baseball Academy
(Ceiba, Puerto Rico)
23
2016Dylan CarlsonOutfielderElk Grove High School
(Elk Grove, California)
33§[ad]
2016Dakota HudsonRight-handed pitcherMississippi State University
(Mississippi State, Mississippi)
34§[ae]
2017no first-round pick
2018Nolan GormanThird basemanSandra Day O'Connor High School
(Phoenix, Arizona)
19
2019Zack ThompsonLeft-handed pitcherUniversity of Kentucky
(Lexington, Kentucky)
19
2020Jordan WalkerThird basemanDecatur High School
(Decatur, Georgia)
21
2021Michael McGreevyRight-handed pitcherUC Santa Barbara
(Isla Vista, California)
18
2022Cooper HjerpeLeft-handed pitcherOregon State University
(Corvallis, Oregon)
22
2023Chase DavisOutfielderUniversity of Arizona
(Tucson, Arizona)
21

See also

Footnotes

  • V Through the 2012 draft, free agents were evaluated by the Elias Sports Bureau and rated "Type A", "Type B", or not compensation-eligible. If a team offered arbitration to a player but that player refused and subsequently signed with another team, the original team was able to receive additional draft picks. If a "Type A" free agent left in this way, his previous team received a supplemental pick and a compensatory pick from the team with which he signed. If a "Type B" free agent left in this way, his previous team received only a supplemental pick.[7] Since the 2013 draft, free agents are no longer classified by type; instead, compensatory picks are only awarded if the team offered its free agent a contract worth at least the average of the 125 current richest MLB contracts.[56] However, if the free agent's last team acquired the player in a trade during the last year of his contract, it is ineligible to receive compensatory picks for that player.[57]
  • a The Cardinals gained a compensatory first-round pick in 1988 from the New York Yankees for losing free agent Jack Clark.[58]
  • b The Cardinals gained a supplemental first-round pick in 1988 for losing free agent Jack Clark.[58]
  • c The Cardinals gained a compensatory first-round pick in 1990 from the Boston Red Sox for losing free agent Tony Peña.[59]
  • d The Cardinals gained a supplemental first-round pick in 1990 for losing free agent Tony Peña.[59]
  • e The Cardinals gained a compensatory first-round pick in 1991 from the Toronto Blue Jays for losing free agent Ken Dayley.[60]
  • f The Cardinals gained a compensatory first-round pick in 1991 from the New York Mets for losing free agent Vince Coleman.[60]
  • g The Cardinals gained a supplemental first-round pick in 1991 for losing free agent Vince Coleman.[60]
  • h The Cardinals gained a supplemental first-round pick in 1991 for losing free agent Ken Dayley.[60]
  • i The Cardinals gained a supplemental first-round pick in 1995 for losing free agent Gregg Jefferies.[61]
  • j The Cardinals gained a supplemental first-round pick in 1998 for losing free agent Dennis Eckersley.[62]
  • k The Cardinals gained a compensatory first-round pick in 1999 from the Atlanta Braves for losing free agent Brian Jordan.[63]
  • l The Cardinals gained a supplemental first-round pick in 1999 for losing free agent Brian Jordan.[63]
  • m The Cardinals gained a supplemental first-round pick in 1999 for losing free agent Delino DeShields.[63]
  • n The Cardinals gained a compensatory first-round pick in 2000 from the Texas Rangers for losing free agent Darren Oliver.[64]
  • o The Cardinals lost their first-round pick in 2002 to the Oakland Athletics as compensation for signing free agent Jason Isringhausen.[65]
  • p The Cardinals gained a compensatory first-round pick in 2005 from the Boston Red Sox for losing free agent Édgar Rentería.[66]
  • q The Cardinals gained a supplemental first-round pick in 2005 for losing free agent Édgar Rentería.[66]
  • r The Cardinals gained a supplemental first-round pick in 2005 for losing free agent Mike Matheny.[66]
  • s The Cardinals gained a supplemental first-round pick in 2006 for losing free agent Matt Morris.[67]
  • t The Cardinals gained a supplemental first-round pick in 2007 for losing free agent Jeff Suppan.[68]
  • u The Cardinals gained a supplemental first-round pick in 2008 for losing free agent Troy Percival.[69]
  • v The Cardinals gained a supplemental first-round pick in 2010 for losing free agent Mark DeRosa.[70]
  • w The Cardinals gained a supplemental first-round pick in 2010 for losing free agent Joel Piñeiro.[70]
  • x The Cardinals gained a compensatory first-round pick in 2012 from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for losing free agent Albert Pujols.[54]
  • y The Cardinals gained a supplemental first-round pick in 2012 for losing free agent Albert Pujols.[54]
  • z The Cardinals gained a supplemental first-round pick in 2012 for losing free agent Darren Oliver.[54]
  • aa The Cardinals gained a supplemental first-round pick in 2012 for losing free agent Edwin Jackson.[54]
  • ab The Cardinals gained a compensatory first-round pick in 2013 from the Milwaukee Brewers for losing free agent Kyle Lohse.[54]
  • ac The Cardinals gained a compensatory first-round pick in 2014 from the New York Yankees for losing free agent Carlos Beltrán.
  • ad The Cardinals gained a compensatory first-round pick in 2016 from the Chicago Cubs for losing free agent John Lackey.
  • ae The Cardinals gained a compensatory first-round pick in 2016 from the Chicago Cubs for losing free agent Jason Heyward.

References

General references
  • "MLB First-Round Draft Picks". ESPN.com. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
  • "St. Louis Cardinals 1st Round Picks in the MLB June Amateur Draft". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
In-text citations