5 prominent (and 5 obscure) Cardinals who have hit .300

Immaculate Grid has taken off over the past few months, attracting millions of players and expanding to include multiple sports. Nothing is more satisfying than going nine for nine and getting the best possible rarity score while doing so! We want to prepare our readers to dominate the Immaculate Grid every day, so be on the lookout for stories that provide grid tips, like this one.

Today, we're going to discuss 10 Cardinals who have hit at least .300 in a season with the team. The interesting part about this category is that Immaculate Grid does not require these players to hit .300 in a "qualified season." This means a player can record one hit in one at-bat, not play the rest of the season, and fill that space in the grid. And, as we'll see later, that has happened.

This list will contain both obvious picks, such as Albert Pujols, and what I call "deep dives." While the obvious picks here may net you rarity scores of roughly 10-20%, the "deep dives" could net scores below 1%. The score refers to the percentage of players who selected that player. Thus, Albert Pujols, an internationally known player who is seen as a lock for Cooperstown is exponentially more likely to be selected than a random reliever who went one for one in 2019. While both are correct, Pujols is likely to run your total rarity score (the score of all nine picks added together) up to a much higher number.

For the purpose of this list, we'll stick to recent history, meaning we will only discuss players who have achieved this feat since 2000. Future articles may cover other eras of Cardinal baseball, giving you even more ammunition to attack the Immaculate Grid!

1) Albert Pujols

I've mentioned his name plenty of times already, but "The Machine" deserves the recognition. Undoubtedly the greatest Cardinal of the 21st century, Pujols hit .300 every season from 2001-2010. Over that stretch, he hit .331 with 408 homers and captured three MVP awards. He struck out just 646 times and drew 914 walks, posting an on-base percentage of .426.

During his first stint with St. Louis, he played 11 total seasons and finished outside the top five in MVP voting just one time, when he finished ninth in 2007. The Machine received his nickname due to his incredible level of consistency.

Deep Dive: In 2008, which many consider Pujols' best season, a 31-year-old middle infielder named Aaron Miles also broke the .300 mark. Miles hit .317 in what can easily be considered the best offensive season of his brief career. Several years earlier, Miles also broke .300 with the Chicago White Sox, though the sample size was much smaller.

3) Matt Carpenter

Matt Carpenter was quietly one of the NL's best offensive players throughout the 2010s. He was an on-base machine, and anchored the Cardinals' lineup, often from the leadoff spot, for 10 glorious seasons. Between 2012 and 2018, Carpenter smashed 135 homers and 263 doubles. He hit .275 and carried an on-base percentage of .377 over that seven-season stretch. He was, according to OPS+, roughly 31% better than a league-average hitter over that span.

Even with such an impressive offensive resume, Carpenter only hit .300 twice in his career. This is likely due to his overly selective approach at the plate, which allowed him to rack up walks and pad his on-base percentage, even while sacrificing some hits. He hit .318 in 2013, which was probably his best season as a Cardinal. That year, Carpenter finished fourth in MVP voting and led all of baseball with 199 hits and 55 doubles. He also surpassed the .300 mark in 2022 in a wild season with the Yankees.

Deep Dive: While Carpenter was establishing himself as an offensive star in 2013, three other lineup fixtures were also putting together .300 seasons of their own. They included Matt Holliday, Yadier Molina, and Allen Craig. Craig was in his final full season as a Cardinal. He was nothing short of incredible. He would finish 19th in MVP voting and captured the lone all-star selection of his career. Craig, who would hit .315 that season, was putting together his third consecutive season with an average above .300 with the Cardinals.

After a 2014 midseason trade to Boston, Craig's career ended abruptly. Just as quickly as he'd burst onto the scene in 2011, Craig was out of major league baseball by mid-2015. He would never again reach the majors. Craig was an integral part of both the 2011 team and the 2013 team and was known for his ability to come up clutch in big moments. He also caught the last out of the 2011 World Series, clinching it for the Cardinals.

4) Yadier Molina

Younger fans likely remember Molina as a defensive-minded catcher. His bat lost most of its potency late in his career, though his otherworldly defense and strong arm kept him relevant past his 40th birthday. They probably don't remember that "Yadi" was one also of the game's best offensive catchers for a significant portion of his career. Molina was always well-regarded for his defense, and during the first few seasons of his incredible career, it seemed that he would always swing a weaker bat.

That is until Molina broke out offensively. Six years into his career, the future hall of famer began to flourish at the plate. By 2009, Molina was a league-average hitter, already an accomplishment for a catcher, who generally is not known for their offense. Over the eight-year period between 2011 and 2018, Molina was one of baseball's best offensive catchers. He hit .292 with a .776 OPS in that span. In 2012 and 2013, Molina narrowly missed out on a pair of MVP awards, finishing fourth and third, respectively. He actually eclipsed .300 five times in his career, reaching the mark in 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2016.

Deep Dive: While Molina was busy making a push for the 2012 NL MVP award, another lesser-known Cardinal was also in the middle of a .300 season. His name is Pete Kozma. Kozma would hit .333 in 2012, albeit in extremely limited opportunities. Though the young shortstop never made it as a regular, his legendary performance in game 5 of the 2012 NLDS against the Nationals will always have a place in Cardinal lore. Kozma smoked a go-ahead, two-run single down the right field line to claim the Cardinals' first lead of the day, capping an incredible comeback and toppling the seemingly-invincible Nationals.

5) Tommy Edman

Edman made his debut during the 2019 season and replaced a struggling Matt Carpenter at third base. He was immediately impactful and earned the nickname Tommy Two Bags during his strong rookie campaign. The toolsy infielder hit .304 with a .850 OPS in 92 games. He deserved much more attention in the NL Rookie of the Year voting than he received. 2019 was easily Edman's best year with the Cardinals, and he hasn't reached the .300 mark in another season with St. Louis but has proven to be an elite defender at six positions, including shortstop and center field. This, along with his elite baserunning, has made Edman a productive regular over the last few seasons. Edman's time in St. Louis will be remembered fondly.

Edman rounds out our list, though there are other more obvious answers that could have filled this spot. these include Jim Edmonds, who hit .300 three times as a Cardinal, Lance Berkman, who hit .301 for the 2011 squad, and Paul Goldschmidt, who hit .317 during his 2022 NL MVP campaign. Instead, I selected Edman, and that's because the 2019 Cardinals featured five .300 hitters, four of which qualify as ultimate deep dives.

Deep Dive: As Edman was breaking out in 2019, four other Cardinals were busy putting together .300 seasons of their own. However, these weren't the usual suspects. None could be considered regulars or even established offensive players. They were role players, and none received more than 44 plate appearances. They were, starting with the lowest average, Randy Arozarena, Lane Thomas, Ryan Helsley, and John Brebbia. Arozarena would be traded just after the season concluded, and Thomas dealt with injuries before being traded to the Nationals in exchange for John Lester at the 2021 trade deadline. In 2019, few imagined that Helsley could eventually become a true lockdown closer.

The last name, John Brebbia, is likely the least recognizable. 2019 represented his third consecutive productive season with the Cardinals, though it would also be his last. Brebbia missed all of 2020 and resurfaced in 2021 as a Giant. After struggling in his first season in San Francisco, Brebbia reclaimed his old form and has been excellent over the previous two seasons. He's definitely somebody the Cardinals wish they'd held on to. In 2019 though, the reliever went one for one, finishing the year with a perfect 1.000 batting average and a 2.000 OPS. It remains the only hit of his career.