5 prospects MLB mock drafts keep connecting to Cardinals 13th overall pick

The 2026 MLB Draft is almost upon us, and the St. Louis Cardinals hold not only the 13th overall pick, but a league-high seven selections during the first four rounds on Day 1 of the draft.

The true intrigue of this year's draft for St. Louis is in those seven selections and the number of shots that the Cardinals can take when adding young talent, but we'd all be lying if we said we weren't especially curious to see who that first pick would be. Any time a club picks toward the top of a draft, it's hard not to get excited about what could come of it.

There have been a ton of names linked to the Cardinals by various outlets, so let's take a look at who some of those potential names could be.

Some names that have been linked to the Cardinals in the past but seem unlikely to be there at pick 13 are Kentucky shortstop Tyler Bell and LSU outfielder Derek Gurriel.

Jared Grindlinger (Outfielder/LHP, Hunnigton Beach (CA) HS)

One of the youngest players in the draft after reclassifying from the 2027 class, Jared Grindlinger will be just 17 years old on draft day and boasts two-way potential professionally, although the Cardinals would likely be targeting him as a hitter first. MLB Pipeline, among other outlets, has linked Grindlinger to the Cardinals, and there's a wide belief that they like him a lot.

Grindlinger has excellent contact skills that impress scouts, but the (multi) million-dollar question with him will be whether or not he can grow into more power as he matures physically and develops as a hitter. If he can reach at least above-average power, there is upside in his bat, and that could grow even further if he can exceed that.

The Cardinals could deploy Grindlinger as a two-way player if they drafted him, but he's not as exciting of a prospect on the mound. If they end up selecting Grindlinger on draft night, it would be a really strong selection and a chance at upside at the top of the draft.

AJ Gracia (Outfielder, University of Virginia)

Perhaps the "favorite" to go to the Cardinals among college bats right now, AJ Gracia is one of the most well-rounded hitters in the class, and while he may not have the superstar upside fans want to dream on, he has a whole lot of tools that could result in him being a good ballplayer.

Gracia puts the barrel on the baseball extremely well, rarely striking out and consistently making contact on pitches inside the strike zone, and does so with great in-game power. His exit velocities are not nearly as flashy as you'd like, but that's something the Cardinals would likely hope to improve if he made it to their system.

Overall, Gracia would be a really nice pick and someone who could become an impact bat at a corner outfield spot.

Ryder Helfrick (Catcher, Arkansas)

Before you freak out, remember, in the MLB Draft, picking for need is a terrible idea, and if Helfrick is the best player on the board, he's a great pick for St. Louis. Yes, even if that means adding another catcher.

Many mock drafts now actually have Helfrick landing in the top 10, but he's been linked to the Cardinals, especially by Carlos Collazo of Baseball America. Helfrick boasts tremendous power potential with a below-average hit tool, but considering the strides the Cardinals have made with prospects like Joshua Baez and Jimmy Crooks recently, targeting a player who needs some refinement with the hit tool could work well.

Helfrick does have the upside to stick behind the plate, which only adds to his value, but he does have the athleticism and arm to move to a corner infield or outfield spot at some point if needed.

If Helfrick were selected and did develop, he or another catcher in the organization could move positions, or the Cardinals could use that growing group of catching talent to make trades to acquire things they do need. There is no sense in reaching for another player if Helfrick ends up being the better talent.

Sawyer Strosnider (Outfielder, Texas Christian University)

Keith Law of The Athletic recently connected the Cardinals to Sawyer Strosnider, a 21-year-old outfielder with plus power, speed, and arm to go along with above-average outfield defense. Like Helfrick, if the Cardinals can help clean up some of the swing and miss, Strosnider has a very, very high ceiling.

Strosnider has a beautiful swing and excellent bat speed, and when he gets ahold of a baseball, it flies out of the ballpark.

Liam Peterson (RHP, University of Florida)

If the Cardinals went with an arm with their first pick, Liam Peterson feels like a strong fit to be that guy. He easily has some of the best stuff in the class, but his command issues have kept him from becoming a top-end prospect in the class.

His fastball sits at 96 MPH and can touch 100 MPH, much like the kind of fastballs they have been targeting recently under this new regime. While that pitch has incredible swing-and-miss potential, there is genuine concern about his ability to locate it. His slider is an even better offering, sitting in the upper 80s and gets a ton of swing and miss. Even his curveball and changeup have plus upside, but he needs to work hard on command of those pitches as well.

This new player development group seems equipped to take on that challenge, so Keith Law of The Athletic recently connected Peterson to the Cardinals.

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