Ranking the St. Louis Cardinals' best draft classes of the last decade

Number 3: 2015 Draft Class

Notable Names: 1) Nick Plummer; 2) Jake Woodford; 3) Harrison Bader; 4) Jordan Hicks; 5) Paul Dejong; 6) Ryan Helsley; 7) Matt Vierling

First-round pick Nick Plummer never made it to the big leagues with the Redbirds and his release was disappointing, but this was overall a great draft class.

Jake Woodford, perpetually overlooked, wasn’t pitching great before his injury this year (and who was?) but he has been a solid contributor who probably should have been given a chance to start in years past.  Harrison Bader was the electric face of the franchise until he wasn’t, but his trade for Jordan Montgomery helped save last season and Montgomery will likely be flipped again this year. 

Jordan Hicks and Ryan Helsley have become bullpen mainstays, flamethrowing their way to closing roles.  It will be interesting to see if either are still on the team after this year’s trade deadline.

And while Paul DeJong became the target of online vitriol, it’s hard to be anything but impressed with the value the team received from its fourth-round pick, especially in light of his mini-renaissance this year.

This class could rise even further in future rankings, as Montgomery, Hicks, Helsley, and DeJong may bring in future prospects before all is said and done.