The Cardinals have a big decision to make in a few days…
With all the buzz surrounding the upcoming MLB trade deadline, many seem to be overlooking an important event that comes first: the 2025 MLB Draft.
Set to begin on July 13th, the draft offers the St. Louis Cardinals another shot at securing a potential cornerstone for their future. While not every draft pick pans out, the Cardinals hold the No. 5 overall selection, putting them in a strong position to land top-tier talent.
In 2024, the Cardinals picked JJ Wetherholt at No. 7, and he’s already made strides, recently earning a promotion to Triple-A. The team hasn’t had a pick this high since they drafted JD Drew.
So who might the Cardinals take this year? According to Keith Law of The Athletic, the team could target high school shortstop Eli Willits.
“Eli Willits,” Law stated. “School: Fort Cobb-Broxton High School (Oklahoma), Bats: Both, Throws: Right. The top four players seem fairly locked in, which could help simplify the Cardinals’ decision-making. They may have more negotiating leverage with the remaining pool. Willits, Jamie Arnold, and Kyson Witherspoon appear to be at the top of their board, but they’re unlikely to take Hernandez or any high school pitcher.”
Grabbing a talent like Willits would be a major win. MLB.com ranks him as the No. 5 overall prospect in this draft class.
“Willits comes from a strong baseball background—his father Reggie played in the majors, coached for the Yankees, and is now the associate head coach at Oklahoma, where Eli’s brother Jaxon is also a standout,” MLB.com notes. “Although committed to play at Oklahoma, Eli likely won’t make it to college, having reclassified from the 2026 draft class and projected as a sure-fire early first-rounder.
“He’s often compared to Anthony Volpe, though some say he has better tools at the same stage. At just 17 years and 7 months old on Draft Day, he’ll be one of the youngest top prospects in the 2025 class. He’s already a six-time Class B state champion (three fall, three spring) at Fort Cobb-Broxton.”
Since Willits is coming straight out of high school, the Cardinals would have time to develop him. Although the team already has some promising infielders in the pipeline, adding a player of his caliber would further strengthen their farm system.
