The top 5 first-round Cardinals draft picks of all time

The first round of the MLB draft starts this Sunday, July 13th, and the Cardinals will select 5th overall. The St. Louis Cardinals haven't had a first round draft pick this high since 1998!

This weekend's MLB draft will hopefully bring some future stars to the Cardinals organization. In anticipation of the draft, lets take a look back at the top 5 first round selections the team has made over the years.

Honorable Mention: Garry Templeton (13th overall - 1974)

Templeton was a key contributor to the Cardinals for six seasons from 1976-1981. The shortstop made two All-Star games and even earned MVP votes some years. But that's not why he gets honorable mention! Any Cardinals fan familiar with Templeton knows he was the key piece of the trade that brought over Ozzie Smith from the Padres. While Templeton didn't make the cut, the impact of his selection and eventual trade is greater than any of the top 5.

#5 - Lance Lynn (39th overall - 2008)

Modern pitchers do not have the longevity of the starters from generations prior. For today's pitchers, though, Lance Lynn surpassing 2,000 innings in a career is an accomplishment. Lynn started in a relief role for the Cards during their 2001 title season. It didn't take long for him to secure a rotation spot and establish himself as a reliable arm for the Cards from 2012-2017. Lynn made an All-Star team and was a high strikeout guy over his career.

#4 - Brian Jordan (30th overall - 1988)

The two sport star eventually settled on baseball and never looked back! Before signing a contract to exclusively play baseball with St. Louis, Jordan was an exceptional safety for the Atlanta Falcons. Jordan was a fantastic defensive right fielder and explosive 5-tool player for the Cardinals from 1992-1998. He finished 8th in the MVP voting in 1996 and hit .291 with 81 homers over his seven years with the Cards.

#3 - Andy Van Slyke (6th overall - 1979)

Van Slyke was a promising outfielder for the Cardinals from 1983-1986. With Willie McGee manning center, Andy saw most of his time in right field. His most impactful years came after St. Louis traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The trade happened on April 1st, and he initially thought it was an April Fool's joke! On the Pirates, Van Slyke formed a tremendous outfield trio with Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla. He finished his career with 3 all-star appearances and 5 consecutive Gold Glove awards. One the Cardinals probably wished they hadn't let get away!

#2 - J.D. Drew (5th overall - 1998)

One of the most hyped prospects ever for the Cardinals, Drew had a lot to live up to. He was originally drafted in 1997 by the Phillies #2 overall, but held out and went back into the draft the following season. From 1998-2003, Drew played RF primarily and provided plenty of offense. In 2001, the slugger slashed .323/.414/.613 with 27 homers. Manager Tony La Russa thought Drew only gave about "75 percent" effort, and the Cardinals eventually traded him to the Braves. While Drew went on to have a monster season in Atlanta, the Cards didn't lose him for nothing — they acquired Adam Wainwright in the deal!

#1 - Ted Simmons (10th overall - 1967)

The only Hall of Famer on the list, Simmons was a great hitting catcher for the Cards from 1968-1980. At the time of his retirement, Simmons was the all-time leader in hits and doubles for catchers. He hit .300 seven different times and crushed 248 career homers. An 8-time all-star selection, his number 23 was retired by the Cardinals in 2021. The switch-hitting backstop was once ranked as the 10th best catcher of all time by historian and statistician Bill James.