One of the most prestigious franchises in Major League Baseball is the St. Louis Cardinals, who have won 11 World Series titles and 19 National League pennants.
Along the way, they produced All-Stars, Hall of Famers, and even a wizard (we’ll get to that). We’ve whittled down the list of the best players in franchise history to the 10 who best represent the Cardinal Way.
Here is our list of the top 10 St. Louis Cardinals of all time.
10. Yadier Molina, catcher
Yadier Molina is one of the most decorated Cardinals in franchise history. A two-time World Series champ, 10-time All-Star, and nine-time Gold Glove winner, he spent his entire 18-year career with the Cardinals. Molina batted .277 with 176 home runs and 1,022 RBIs.
9. Adam Wainwright, pitcher
Adam Wainwright has been arguably the most successful pitcher the Cardinals have had in the 21st century. He is a World Series champion, a three-time All-Star, a two-time NL wins leader, and won the Gold Glove twice. Wainwright, who retired in 2023, had 200 wins, a 3.53 ERA, and over 2,000 strikeouts.
8. Willie McGee, outfielder
Willie McGee was one of the most clutch hitters in MLB history. McGee is a World Series champion, NL MVP, three-time Glove winner, four-time All-Star, and two-time NL batting champ. McGee’s best year was 1985 when he ranked first in the National League in batting average (.353, the second-highest mark by a switch hitter in NL history), hits (216), and triples (18). He also ranked third in the National League in runs scored (114) and stolen bases (56). McGree retired with a .295 batting average with 75 home runs and over 2,200 hits.
7. Rogers Hornsby, second baseman
Baseball historians know the name Rogers Hornsby very well. Hornsby played for the Cardinals between 1915 and 1926 with a brief return in 1933 and was one of the most prolific hitters in the history of the game. Hornsby is a World Series champion, two-time NL MVP, two-time Triple Crown winner, seven-time NL batting champion, four-time RBI leader, and two-time NL homerun champion. Hornsby was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1942. He ended his career with a .358 batting average, 301 home runs, 2,930 hits, and 1,584 RBIs.
6. Dizzy Dean, pitcher
Dizzy Dean was part of the Gaslight Gang Cardinals of the 1930s. The Cardinals became the de facto southern team because they were the closest team to the Deep South. Dean, who was from Arkansas, helped make the team popular there. Although Dean had an injury-shortened career, he won 150 games and a 3.03 ERA. But he may be best known for winning 30 games in the 1934 season while leading the Cardinals to a World Series championship. His other accolades include NL MVP, four-time All-Star, four-time MLB strikeout leader, and two-time wins leader. Dean was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953.
5. Lou Brock, left fielder
Lou Brock was part of the great Cardinal teams of the 1960s that won titles in 1964 and 1967. Brock’s specialty was stealing bases. He was the National League stolen base champ eight times as well as a six-time All-Star, and Roberto Clemente Award winner. In his career, he batted .293, with 3,023 hits and 938 stolen bases. Brock was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.
4. Ozzie Smith, shortstop
If there ever was a Mr. Cardinal, it was Ozzie Smith. From his backflips to his bright smile, The Wizard of Oz was the face of the franchise in the 1980s. Smith wasn’t a power hitter like some of his Cardinals teammates but he knew how to get on base and how to get home. Smith fit right in perfectly to Whitey Herzog’s “Whitey Ball” where the main objective was to get a runner on base by any means necessary. Smith batted .262 in his career along with 580 stolen bases and over 2,400 hits. Smith’s biggest moment in a Cardinals uniform came in the 1985 National League Championship when he hit the game-winning home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers sending the series to a sixth game. Smith was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002 with 91 percent of the vote.
3. Albert Pujols, first baseman
The Cardinals have had many great hitters but Albert Pujols is among their best. Pujols played the first part of his MLB career in a Cardinals uniform and was one of the best power hitters in baseball history. Pujols had a batting average of .296 and belted 703 home runs in his career. He is also a two-time World Series champion, 11-time All-Star, three-time NL MVP, NL Rookie of the Year, NLCS MVP, two-time Gold Glove winner, and won NL Comeback Player of Year. It’s only a matter of time before Pujols joins other Cardinals in Cooperstown.
2. Bob Gibson, pitcher
One of the most dominant pitchers to ever play the game was the great Bob Gibson. Gibson’s most impressive pitch might have been his fastball. Legend has it that it was once clocked at 103 miles per hour. In 1968, Gibson was almost untouchable as he posted an astounding 1.12 ERA and won the NL MVP while leading the Cardinals to a World Series title. Also in his career, Gibson is a two-time World Series champion, two-time Cy Young Award winner, two-time World Series MVP, a nine-time Gold Glove winner and a nine-time All-Star. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981.
1. Stan “The Man” Musial, outfielder
If there ever was a Mr. Cardinal, it was Stan Musial. Not only was he an ambassador for the Cardinals but also Major League Baseball in general. Musial spent all 18 years of his career in a Cardinals uniform. He started as a pitcher but soon moved to the outfield and became one of the best hitters in baseball. One of his best seasons was in 1943 when he batted .357 while leading the NL in hits (220), doubles (48), triples (20), total bases (347), on-base percentage (.425), and slugging percentage (.562). That season, he also won his first NL MVP award. He won two more MVP awards and is a three-time World Series champion, a 24-time All-Star, a seven-time batting champ, and a two-time RBI champ. Musial was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969.
