It's early, but Cards feel like they nailed '26 Draft

Heading into the 2026 MLB Draft with the most selections of any team (including seven on Day 1), the Cardinals were well-positioned to strengthen one of the top farm systems in baseball.

Early reviews suggest they knocked this Draft out of the park.

Ranked the top Draft class by MLB Pipeline, the Cardinals brought another wave of young talent into their farm system, headlined by 13th overall pick Trevor Condon, an outfielder out of Etowah High School in Woodstock, Ga. Nailing a Draft goes far beyond selecting high in the first round or having the most picks; it requires organizational alignment.

MLB.com spoke with Zach Mortimer, who was promoted this offseason to director of amateur acquisition after over a decade as a scout and crosschecker within the organization. Working under assistant general manager Randy Flores, Mortimer now oversees the Draft process.

“I think the biggest thing for us this year was making sure we were aligned from start to finish,” Mortimer said. “The Draft has become such a collaborative process, and that’s really how we approached it. From scouting to analytics [and] player development, everyone had a seat at the table. There were countless conversations throughout baseball development, and I think those discussions ultimately made us better. Our analytics group played a huge role, but so did the people behind the scenes who continue to build and improve our systems that allow us to work as efficiently as possible.”

Mortimer specifically highlighted assistant director Ty Boyles, who spent countless hours ensuring every piece of information was captured accurately while balancing his own evaluations, and Garrett Greenwood, who helped translate analytics into actionable information. They were among the many people behind the scenes who helped the Draft run smoothly.

Condon became the clearest example of that process. The 18-year-old rose up Draft boards while impressing St. Louis with his character, work ethic and competitive drive. That makeup, paired with four above-average or better tools, according to Pipeline, gives him some of the highest upside in the class and has drawn comparisons to Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.

“Condon is a dynamic player who brings energy and intensity every time he steps on the court.” Mortimer shared. “We are thrilled to add a player with his unique combination of talent, versatility and competitiveness.”

The Cardinals continued adding upside with right-hander Tegan Kuhns, selected 32nd overall out of the University of Tennessee. Like former Volunteers teammates and 2025 Cardinals picks Liam Doyle and Tanner Franklin, Kuhns’ mid-90s fastball headlines his arsenal. Pipeline ranked him as the No. 25 prospect in the class, with the development of his secondary pitches likely determining how high his ceiling can climb as a starter.

Mortimer said the Cardinals do not limit themselves to one type of prospect, but outlier fastball traits have become a recurring theme in their last two Drafts. Their evaluators identify the characteristics they believe can translate, while trusting the player development staff to build the right plan around each individual.

That approach may be especially important for fifth-rounder Cal Randall, a right-hander from UCLA whose 70-grade fastball allowed him to dominate in college without frequently relying on his secondary pitches. His velocity and relief role have invited comparisons to Franklin, but St. Louis will not simply copy and paste Franklin’s development plan onto Randall. They’ll likely give Randall a chance to start before deciding what role best optimizes his specific profile.

“Our player development staff was outstanding as well,” Mortimer said. “They were always willing to provide their perspectives, answer questions, and help us think through how specific players might fit within our organization. Having those conversations throughout the process gave us a much more complete picture.”

The same was true within the scouting department. Mortimer said the Cardinals made a conscious effort to give area scouts and crosscheckers as much context as possible, helping them understand how their evaluations fit into the larger picture and giving everyone ownership in the final board.

“At the end of the day, though, none of this happens without the environment Chaim Bloom and Randy Flores have created,” Mortimer expressed. “They’ve built a culture where people are encouraged to share their opinions, challenge each other respectfully and listen with an open mind. That’s not always easy to accomplish, but it’s one of the strengths of our organization. When everyone is pulling in the same direction, you give yourself the best chance to make good decisions, and I think that’s exactly what we had throughout this year’s Draft.”