The St. Louis Cardinals’ Architects of the Future

The Mathematically Inclined Assistant GM

Credit: Scott Kane-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Girsch will be in his fourth season as the St. Louis Cardinals’ Assistant General Manager, a role in which he helps Mozeliak with Major League player transactions, contract negotiations and player evaluations. Girsch also helps oversee all aspects of Baseball Operations, including amateur and pro scouting, player development, international operations and baseball development.

More importantly, Girsch is the analytics voice in the front office. The St. Louis Cardinals hired him in 2006, the same year it named Jeff Luhnow vice president of scouting and player development. Luhnow initially made Girsch coordinator of amateur scouting, but promoted him to head up the baseball development department two years later. That’s the group that uses analytics to help the St. Louis Cardinals braintrust make personnel decisions.

As Luhnow cleaned out that department on his way to Houston in 2011, the St. Louis Cardinals wisely grabbed Girsch before Luhnow could, promoting Girsch to his current position. No doubt Girsch’s feedback was crucial in Mozeliak’s dealings with Pujols. Subsequent moves like the sneaky 2013 acquisition of Randal Grichuk (above) with Peter Bourjos have Girsch’s fingerprints on them.

Next: The Scouting Director