The St. Louis Cardinals early-season turnaround was one of the best stories in baseball, until it wasn't. The Cards sit just three games above .500 and are in the NL Wild Card race. Yet, they have lost seven of their last 10 games, including a series against the rival Milwaukee Brewers which got heated. Willson Contreras caused a lot of that drama, in which he got in a heated exchange with Rhys Hoskins and Jose Quintana (who he later forgave for plunking him). Contreras is a key member of the Cards current core, but if they choose to build for the future, they could add a key young piece in this year's draft class.
LSU cemented its place in the College World Series thanks to a memorable ninth-inning comeback against Arkansas. The Razorbacks did plenty to hand the Tigers that coveted title, including multiple errors by players they thought they could count on in such a situation. It was LSU first baseman Jared Jones who had the game-winning hit.
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Jared Jones could be the Cardinals dream MLB Draft pick
Jones won't be a first-round pick most likely due to his position (first base), but he is one of the best power hitters in this year's class. If you don't believe me, just listen to MLB Pipeline:
"The 6-foot-4, 246-pound Jones has plenty of strength and leverage in his right-handed stroke, generating top-of-the-scale raw power and exit velocities. He's doing a better job of understanding that he can hit the ball out of any park from foul pole to foul pole without selling out for home runs. He has reduced his strikeout rate for the second straight season while employing the opposite field more often and doing more damage against breaking balls."
Jones is just 21 years old and will need some fine-tuning in the minor leagues. He's also just barely a top-100 prospect in this year's class per MLB Pipeline, and wasn't listed in ESPN's latest mock draft for the early rounds. That means the Cardinals could feasibly take a flyer on him in the second or third round.
Will the Cardinals move away from Willson Contreras? It's tough to tell
As for Contreras, he is signed through the 2027 season and has a club option for 2028. The Cardinals have already moved him to first base from his native catcher position, and full-time DH could be next if he struggles in the field as he ages. A player like Jones, when he's ready to make it to the majors, could offer a better defensive alternative with the power St. Louis is looking for at first base.
It's a huge what if, and as I mentioned earlier, Contreras has emerged as one of the leaders for this young Cardinals team. However, St. Louis hasn't budged in moving off of Paul Goldschmidt and (eventually) Nolan Arenado, two veterans who spent much of their glory days as Cardinals. Could Contreras be next?