9 former Cardinals that could win their first World Series in 2023

There are a handful of former Cardinal players and coaches who appeared for either the Diamondbacks or the Rangers this season.
Championship Series - Texas Rangers v Houston Astros - Game Seven
Championship Series - Texas Rangers v Houston Astros - Game Seven / Carmen Mandato/GettyImages
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Texas Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia

The reigning ALCS MVP used to be a prospect in the Cardinals system, everybody seems to know that by now.

Garcia was signed by the Cardinals in 2017 and started the season in Double-A. After a strong season in Memphis in 2018, he was called up for the stretch run as the Cardinals were trying to get into the playoffs. He was used mostly as a pinch runner, as he only had 17 at-bats in 21 games, recording 2 hits and 1 RBI. He is known mostly for losing his footing rounding 3rd base representing the tying run in a late-season bout against the Brewers. It was a huge blow at the time to the Cardinals' playoff chances.

He never got called up to the Cardinals in 2019 despite hitting 32 home runs and driving in 96 with Memphis that year. After the season he was then DFA'd before being shipped to Texas. Garcia was also DFA'd at one point by the Rangers but nobody took him, so he went back to Texas and he has become a superstar.

In the last 3 seasons, he has been an All-Star twice, he's driven in at least 90 runs in every season and is now shattering records in his first postseason. After driving in 15 runs in the ALCS against the Astros, he became the first player in MLB history to drive in that many runs in a single series, and he's now 4 wins away from helping Texas win their first-ever World Series.