Fresh face to take over draft responsibilities for the St. Louis Cardinals

The drafts of the St. Louis Cardinals will fall into new hands in 2026.

The Cardinals have had their share of draft successes over the past nine seasons. From Tommy Edman and Brendan Donovan to Masyn Winn and Alec Burleson, the team under Director of Scouting and later Assistant General Manager Randy Flores has performed quite well in providing the Cardinals with homegrown talent.

But now, Flores will move on to other, more expansive responsibilities, as the Cardinals have promoted Zach Mortimer to the director of amateur scouting, and according to Jim Callis, Mortimer will be in charge of the Cardinals' drafts going forward.

Mortimer has taken over Flores' duties as the person running the Cardinals' drafts.

Despite Flores' successes in the draft, the Cardinals have been unable to find and develop a bona fide star. It appeared that Jordan Walker could turn into that stud, but his massive struggles have left him teetering on the edge of "bust" status. Flores has drafted several supplementary pieces for the Cardinals, but with the team undergoing a full rebuild under Chaim Bloom, finding that superstar to build the next competitive team around is paramount.

The Cardinals' 2025 draft was a drastic pivot from their style of old, where they generally took low-ceiling, surefire major leaguers in the first round. This time, they grabbed Liam Doyle with the fifth overall pick, a fiery right-hander with lethal stuff in his arsenal. Now, as Flores' handpicked replacement under Bloom, expect more aggressive choices on players with high upside early in drafts — a strategy fans are sure to love.

Mortimer was a writer for Baseball Prospectus in 2013 before taking over as a scout for the Cardinals and later being promoted to regional and then national cross-checker. Now that he is in charge of drafting, expect all of Cardinals Nation to have its eyes on Mortimer in 2026 as he incorporates his own style into the Cardinals' selection process.

Although the Cardinals might not supply a riveting product on the field in 2026, there is more reason to be excited about a draft under Bloom's and Mortimer's direction. After an unlucky fall to pick number 13 in the 2026 draft, it is imperative that Mortimer's first selection be a successful one so the Cardinals can get back on the right track.