Early MLB mock draft links Cardinals to 3 fascinating first-round targets

The St. Louis Cardinals have the 13th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft and have six picks in the top 86 selections, giving them plenty of ammunition to add a lot of exciting young talent to their farm system come July.

Once you get past the top five or so talents in this draft, you're going to find a lot of different opinions about various prospects. Coupled with things like signability, potential, and team preference when it comes to high schoolers, college players, and bats vs. arms, draft boards will vary dramatically.

It's still too early to predict what may happen, but it's fun to start looking at some names the Cardinals may consider with the 13th overall pick, which MLB Pipeline just provided three names for fans to keep in mind for St. Louis.

OF Derek Curiel, LSU

In Jonathan Mayo's latest mock draft for MLB Pipeline, he had the Cardinals selecting

Derek Curiel has become a popular name linked to the Cardinals this draft season, and for good reason. He turned 21 years old on May 24th and is in the midst of his second straight highly productive season for LSU.

Curiel has been in the middle of LSU's order this year while manning center field, slashing .353/.431/.526 with six home runs, 46 RBI, and 13 stolen bases in 58 games. Curiel is a left-handed hitter who is a potential plus hitter at the plate, and depending on who you talk to, there is real optimism that Curiel could tap into more in-game power as he matures and develops as a hitter.

RHP Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina

Just a few months ago, Cameron Flukey looked like a surefire top 10 pick according to most outlets, but he's been sidelined for much of the college season with a rib stress fracture, which has caused his draft stock to become polarizing.

Despite being Baseball America's seventh-ranked prospect and MLB Pipeline's 13th overall prospect, Flukey was projected to go 18th overall to the Cincinnati Reds in Mayo's mock draft, but was listed as someone the Cardinals could consider with the 13th overall pick.

Flukey is a 6'6 right-hander who averages 95 mph on his fastball and touches 98 mph with nice ride on the pitch. He throws two breaking balls, a curveball and a gyro slider, and mixes in a change-up mostly to left-handed hitters. It's not hard to see why he'd be one of the first arms off the board. In six starts this year, he's posted a 4.35 ERA while striking out 31.8% of the batters he's faced.

OF/LHP Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach (Calif.) HS

Back in February, Jared Grindlinger reclassified to the 2026 class and will be just a little past his 17th birthday come draft day. Standing at 6'3, Grindlinger has the potential to be an impact professional as a pitcher or a hitter. Mayo shared that the Cardinals were a potential landing spot for Grindlinger, with the route of a position player being more likely than on the mound with St. Louis.

As one of the youngest players in the class with a projectable frame, teams would be betting on his great contact skills and believing he can develop more power after he enters their system. Likely a first baseman or corner outfielder long-term, the bat would need to play for the pick to be worth it, so it's a major bet on your player development, performance, and hitting departments to get the most out of Grindlinger. But if the pick hits, he could be one of the best players in the class.

On the mound, if the Cardinals went that route, the lefty hits the upper 90s with his fastball and has a slider and change-up that could both be above-average pitches. He doesn't feel like an arm the Cardinals would be targeting at 13 overall, but as a hitter, there's a chance they like his profile and upside.

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