Who should be the next face of the franchise for the St. Louis Cardinals?

For decades, the St. Louis Cardinals have had star players be leaders on the team. For over 100 years, there has been at least one future Hall of Famer on the roster. That could change this offseason following the departure of Paul Goldschmidt and the potential trade of Nolan Arenado.

Without a true future Hall of Fame candidate on the roster, who will take over as the Cardinals' face of the franchise?

I would like to nominate Masyn Winn.

Winn was drafted in the second round of the 2020 MLB draft by the Cardinals out of Kingwood High School. Winn, still only 22, is entering his third season in the majors, his second full season. He finished with a .267/.314/.416 slash line and a 102 OPS+. He was worth 4.9 bWAR thanks to his Gold-Glove caliber defense.

From a national award perspective, Winn was a Gold Glove finalist at shortstop in the National League, he was voted as the best defensive shortstop in the National League by Fielding Bible, and he was mentioned with other rookies like Paul Skenes, Jackson Chourio, and Jackson Merrill as the best player in the National League. Winn's defensive magic is what is putting him on national radars, and his personality will only increase his clout as he gets older and more acquainted with more fans.

Fans of the Cardinals are already familiar with Masyn Winn.

The St. Louis Cardinals need to take the next step and make Masyn Winn the face of the franchise.

The Cardinals are shifting to a more homegrown team in the near future. They need several young players to step up and produce for the team, but they also need a star to emerge. That could be Jordan Walker. Perhaps Quinn Mathews or Tink Hence shine when they make it to the big stage. Nolan Gorman could see a reinvigoration on both sides of the ball.

The one name that keeps coming back to me to be the next star of the franchise would be shortstop Masyn Winn.

Winn was a top-50 prospect in all of baseball, he was one of the best rookies in 2024, and he's sure to see continued improvement. Fans across the country love flashy defensive plays, and Winn can provide that on any given night. He is one of the fastest players in the league, and he has the ability to swipe bags whenever he reaches base.

Masyn Winn racked up 4.9 bWAR last year thanks to a .267/.314/.416 slash line and an OPS+ of 102. He hit 15 home runs, stole 11 bases, drove in 57 runners, and had 52 total extra-base hits. That's a solid stat line for a rookie shortstop offensively. Where Winn truly shines is on the defensive side of the game.

In order to ensure Winn remains a key player for the Cardinals in the years to come, the organization should consider locking him down with a long-term extension this offseason. That will keep Winn, still only 22, in St. Louis for at least the next seven or eight years -- the prime of his career.

From Albert Pujols to Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina in just the last two decades, the Cardinals have had several homegrown stars take the reigns of the team. There's a gap in this department for the Cardinals right now, and Masyn Winn should fill it.