As we celebrate the calendar flipping to July, there are a couple of things that immediately jump out. First and most importantly, where has the time gone? Much like the game of baseball speeding up, this year is rocketing towards the All-Star break at hyper speed. Please take a moment at some point today and thank Bobby Bonilla for his contributions to the Cardinals (Pujols, Albert) as well as how the game celebrates July 1st as simply the first of his kind. Bonilla wasn’t the only trailblazer associated with St. Louis in 2001, and that’s where the rest of this story takes a turn.
J.D. Drew is remembered for plenty of reasons, but his place in Major League Baseball lore begins before he ever wore the Birds on the Bat cap. Flashback to the summer of 1997 where not yet super-agent Scott Boras didn’t want his client going to the city of flying batteries. Philadelphia has had plenty of success in every sport the last couple of decades but in the late 90’s the Phillies were not well regarded. Drew was taken 2nd overall out of Florida State but had no urgency to sign and flexed his power by traveling far north instead. The St. Paul Saints made waves well before joining affiliated baseball by offering a safe haven for Drew for two campaigns before the Cardinals snapped him up with the fifth pick in 1998.
It has now taken nearly 30 years for St. Louis to be back in that situation although a little bad luck in the Draft last summer may have involuntarily helped after all. As someone who mostly writes about the minor leagues now, it is important to add I would rather not be talking about the Cards selecting in the top 10 for anything. The absolute heater that the organization was on for over two decades with packed crowds at Busch will always be preferred, and that’s why it is so important to get the selection right on July 13th.
Yes, Drew will no longer be alone as a Top 5 pick, but it hopefully is also the last time the BOTB are not competitive (at least while I am still the Preacher). Many changes are about to happen from the top down for St. Louis but not necessarily is that a bad thing. A new boss coming in and making changes is sometimes necessary, and that’s exactly what Chaim Bloom has in front of him. The momentum actually started this time last year when it appeared the Cards would be able to snag a frontline starting pitcher in the 2024 Draft.
But as luck would have it, an even better pick landed at #7 with JJ Wetherholt celebrating a Futures Game selection atop his place as one of the game’s best young hitters. The ping pong balls bounced even better this year and shockingly, St. Louis has another shot at a potential Ace. There are three southpaws in discussion with the top of this year’s class and each would jump right up next to JJ depending on how the four picks directly ahead end up.
Who will join J.D. Drew in the Top 5 club? The clock is ticking and won’t be long until we get the answer!
