Cardinals poised to pick between polar opposites in final MLB Mock Drafts

The St. Louis Cardinals' main focus is the current major league roster and figuring out which lane they want to take as they toe the line between playoff contention and retooling. While John Mozeliak is likely focusing on the current Cardinals, Assistant General Manager Randy Flores is locked in to the MLB Draft that will take place over All-Star Weekend.

The Cardinals were awarded the fifth overall pick in the draft lottery in December, and this will be the last time they will select in the lottery spots for a while. The decision that the team makes at that spot, then, holds even more weight as ownership looks to make the right choice before an overhaul in the front office. MLB and college experts have been spitting out mock drafts for months, but the rumored selections become more clear as the day gets closer. That has been the case for the Cardinals as well, as they have seen two familiar names on their mock draft boards in recent weeks.

The Cardinals may have to choose between prep shortstop Eli Willits and Florida State pitcher Jamie Arnold with the fifth overall pick.

The current chatter around the draft experts shows multiple college arms coming off the board quickly before getting to the Cardinals at number five. Some boards see Ethan Holliday, another son of former Cardinal Matt Holliday, going first overall, but most have him gone before Flores gets the chance to make a selection. While names have been bounced around and moved up and down the top 10, the Cardinals always seemed to have to choose between an established college arm or a toolsy and projectable high school hitter. Lately, these two choices have been settled on two players: prep shortstop Eli Willits and Florida State lefty Jamie Arnold.

Eli Willits: Shortstop, Fort Cobb-Broxton High School (Oklahoma)

One thing to remember about the MLB Draft is that when compared to other sports, a first-round selection is likely years away from making an impact at the major league level and current roster needs may not drive the choice. That being said, shortstop Eli Willits has been showing up often as a lottery selection and lately has been mocked to the Cardinals multiple times.

Willits is 17 years old, the youngest player in the draft, and there are some who believe that the shortstop could eventually become the best overall talent selected this year. He comes into the draft with a 60 overall scouting grade (20 to 80 scale) by both MLB.com and Baseball America. Willits is a switch-hitter and has a nice line-drive swing from both sides of the plate, but better as a lefty, while being projected to stick at shortstop when he turns pro. He is complimented for his extreme athleticism and comes from a baseball family, as his older brother is the starting shortstop at Oklahoma (where Eli is committed to play), and he is the son of Reggie Willits, the former MLB outfielder.

The Cardinals obviously have Masyn Winn entrenched at shortstop, and he appears as if he is going to be sticking there for a long time. With Willits only being 17, it would be impressive if he could push through the minor leagues and make his debut in his early 20s. At that point, the Cardinals could have a discussion about his position, but if he were to be selected by St. Louis, they would likely have him work at short for the first couple of years. Interestingly, MLB.com also states that he profiles well as a center fielder if needed because of his speed and athleticism. That could be intriguing to the Cardinals as they look to refill their minor league outfield depth.

Jamie Arnold: Left-handed pitcher, Florida State University

Arnold soared into national headlines thanks to his incredible 2024 season, where he finished third in the country in strikeouts and posted a 2.98 ERA as a sophomore at Florida State. He was looked at as the best pitching talent coming into this season, but he was unable to replicate his stellar sophomore season. He was still great, however, as he posted an identical ERA and had a 33.9% strikeout rate while walking 27 batters on the season.

On the mound, Arnold boasts a fastball that has touched 97mph but usually sits in the mid-90s while also featuring a pro-level slider and a decent changeup. His breaking ball is in the mid-80s and is a 65-grade pitch that he can use as his swing-and-miss offering. The changeup is decent, but he will need more time to work on the pitch in the minors before he becomes the rotation arm he is projected to be. He stands at 6'1 and tips the scales at 165 pounds, so he will probably need to beef up a little bit as he works to stay healthy through the grind of a full professional season.

Because of his build and his plus slider, Arnold has drawn comparisons to Chris Sale, something that has helped to keep him mentioned as a top pitcher in the draft. The southpaw will be 21 years old when he is selected and has already shown an ability to command the strike zone. Unlike Willits, Arnold's age and position may make him ready to move through the minors at a faster rate than a position player. He could possibly take the Quinn Mathews path at the pros, as the Cardinals' prospect reached Triple-A this season after being drafted in the 2023 season. Mathews did not pitch in affiliated baseball after his selection in an attempt to keep him healthy, so if the Cardinals were to take Arnold, they could follow that same idea of thinking.

Whomever the Cardinals take at the number five spot, the pick could be a look into how Chaim Bloom and company view the future of the organization. It is believed that while Mozeliak will be involved, Bloom and Flores will have most of the say for this selection.