Last Updated: August 25th, 2026 by Michael Schatz
For all the attention that is paid to the MLB teams on the East and West Coasts, it's hard to talk about the history of baseball without including the St. Louis Cardinals in a big way.
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We're going to go down a list that only includes position players, not even pitchers, who baseball has benefited from. There will be a myriad of different skills highlighted because the Cardinals have always innovated. I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that this list will be a fun one.
How We Made This List
We took into account a number of different things to create this list. We kept peak performance, longevity, postseason success, and accolades in mind, along with their offensive and defensive numbers. Obviously, this is going to be subjective. You may have your own thoughts on what we've put together. Let us know.
20. Paul Goldschmidt
2019-2024
| Paul Goldschmidt — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2161 |
| AB | 7908 |
| H | 2264 |
| HR | 388 |
| RBI | 1276 |
| SB | 175 |
| AVG | .286 |
| OBP | .376 |
| SLG | .502 |
| OPS | .878 |
| MVP | 1 |
| All-Star selections | 7 |
| Gold Gloves | 4 |
| Silver Sluggers | 5 |
Paul Goldschmidt's time in St. Louis is relatively short compared to his tenure with his original franchise, the Arizona Diamondbacks. However, the only MVP award that Goldy has been honored with was in 2022 as a Cardinal. That season was iconic, as he had a career-best 177 OPS+ thanks to his 35 home runs, 41 doubles, and 115 RBI on a .317 batting average. That season alone is elite enough to be on this list.
19. Mark McGwire
1997-2001
| Mark McGwire — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 1874 |
| AB | 6187 |
| H | 1626 |
| HR | 583 |
| RBI | 1414 |
| SB | 12 |
| AVG | .263 |
| OBP | .394 |
| SLG | .588 |
| OPS | .982 |
| All-Star selections | 12 |
| Gold Gloves | 1 |
| Silver Sluggers | 3 |
| World Series titles | 1 |
| Rookie of the Year | 1 |
Speaking of elite seasons, Mark McGwire helped save baseball with his entertaining, historic season. All I have to remind you is that he had 70 home runs in a season, more than anyone else had up until that point. He brought millions of new fans to this great sport thanks to his great power. It's incredible that he was able to mash 220 home runs in just four and a half seasons in St. Louis.
18. Curt Flood
1958-1969
| Curt Flood — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 1759 |
| AB | 6357 |
| H | 1861 |
| HR | 85 |
| RBI | 636 |
| SB | 88 |
| AVG | .293 |
| OBP | .342 |
| SLG | .389 |
| OPS | .731 |
| All-Star selections | 3 |
| Gold Gloves | 7 |
| World Series titles | 2 |
Now, after talking about the impact of a bat on a baseball, we will pivot to a player's impact on the future of how paperwork is done in this sport. Curt Flood was a great Cardinal. He racked up a .293 career batting average with three All-Star selections and seven Gold Gloves. However, it was his refusal to be traded in 1969 and Supreme Court appeal that eventually led to how free agency works in baseball today.
17. Joe Torre (HOF)
1969-1974
| Joe Torre — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2209 |
| AB | 7874 |
| H | 2342 |
| HR | 252 |
| RBI | 1185 |
| SB | 23 |
| AVG | .297 |
| OBP | .365 |
| SLG | .452 |
| OPS | .817 |
| MVP | 1 |
| All-Star selections | 9 |
| Gold Gloves | 1 |
Torre is in the National Baseball Hall of Fame as a manager. However, there's a case to be made for how he played on the field as well. After receiving five All-Star selections with the Braves organization, he came over to St. Louis and continued his success.
He was a four-time All-Star with the Cardinals, including a 1971 NL MVP award. That highlighted a season in which he led all of baseball with a .363 batting average on 230 hits and 137 RBI.
16. Willie McGee
1982-1999
| Willie McGee — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2201 |
| AB | 7649 |
| H | 2254 |
| HR | 79 |
| RBI | 856 |
| SB | 352 |
| AVG | .295 |
| OBP | .333 |
| SLG | .396 |
| OPS | .729 |
| MVP | 1 |
| All-Star selections | 4 |
| Gold Gloves | 3 |
| Silver Sluggers | 1 |
| World Series titles | 1 |
Now we highlight another Cardinal who had one incredible season. Willie McGee was an exciting speedster throughout his career. He was known as a solid outfielder, evidenced by his three Gold Gloves in a Cardinal uniform.
But it was his 1985 MVP season that stands out like a shining star. He led the league with a .353 batting average on 216 hits and 18 triples. He also stole 56 bases that season. His slender frame bore a heavy weight on his shoulders as a star player at his peak.
15. Red Schoendienst (HOF)
1945-1963
| Red Schoendienst — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2216 |
| AB | 8479 |
| H | 2449 |
| HR | 84 |
| RBI | 773 |
| SB | 89 |
| AVG | .289 |
| OBP | .337 |
| SLG | .387 |
| OPS | .724 |
| All-Star selections | 10 |
| World Series titles | 2 |
For a position that can be so unremarkable at times, second base has seen some of the most impactful Cardinals in franchise history. Red Schoendienst is one of them. He batted .289 in his 15 seasons in St. Louis.
He collected almost 2,000 hits just with the Cardinals while getting almost 2,500 hits in his career overall. His best seasons certainly were in Missouri, as nine out of his 10 All-Star selections came when he was a Cardinal.
14. Jim Edmonds
2000-2007
| Jim Edmonds — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2011 |
| AB | 6858 |
| H | 1949 |
| HR | 393 |
| RBI | 1199 |
| SB | 67 |
| AVG | .284 |
| OBP | .376 |
| SLG | .527 |
| OPS | .903 |
| All-Star selections | 4 |
| Gold Gloves | 8 |
| Silver Sluggers | 1 |
| World Series titles | 1 |
So many kids grew up watching the defensive highlights of Jim Edmonds that I think it has been forgotten how good he was offensively. The power came alive when Edmonds came to St. Louis. He hit 42 home runs in two separate seasons, amassing a total of 241 home runs in just eight years as a Cardinal.
He was able to raise his OPS+ to 132 for his career thanks to his great offensive seasons in St. Louis. That's why I always say Jim Edmonds could be looked at as one of the best players who are not in the Hall of Fame from that era.
13. Frankie Frisch (HOF)
1927-1937
| Frankie Frisch — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2311 |
| AB | 9112 |
| H | 2880 |
| HR | 105 |
| RBI | 1244 |
| SB | 419 |
| AVG | .316 |
| OBP | .369 |
| SLG | .432 |
| OPS | .801 |
| MVP | 1 |
| All-Star selections | 3 |
| World Series titles | 4 |
Frisch is another second baseman who made a big impact on the Cardinals organization. The Hall of Famer was able to win the 1931 NL MVP, and that wasn't even his best season. He had a year where he hit .337 and built up an .858 OPS, which added up to a 9.3 WAR.
He somehow finished second that year. Frisch was able to attain three All-Star selections towards the end of his career. You gotta wonder how many more All-Star selections he could have gotten had it been around in the 1920s.
12. Keith Hernandez
1974-1983
| Keith Hernandez — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2088 |
| AB | 7370 |
| H | 2182 |
| HR | 162 |
| RBI | 1071 |
| SB | 98 |
| AVG | .296 |
| OBP | .384 |
| SLG | .436 |
| OPS | .820 |
| MVP | 1 |
| All-Star selections | 5 |
| Gold Gloves | 11 |
| Silver Sluggers | 2 |
| World Series titles | 2 |
I know much of his legacy belongs in New York, but Keith Hernandez was a key part of the Cardinals franchise for a decade. He won the NL MVP as a Cardinal in 1979 when he led baseball with a .344 batting average and 48 doubles.
He also had Gold Glove defense, as he collected 11 of them over his 17-year career. Hernandez has always entered the conversation of the best players who aren't in the Hall of Fame. St. Louis probably agrees.
11. Ted Simmons (HOF)
1968-1980
| Ted Simmons — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2456 |
| AB | 8680 |
| H | 2472 |
| HR | 248 |
| RBI | 1389 |
| SB | 21 |
| AVG | .285 |
| OBP | .348 |
| SLG | .437 |
| OPS | .785 |
| All-Star selections | 8 |
| Silver Sluggers | 1 |
Now we go back to a Cardinal who is a Hall of Famer. Ted Simmons brought offense to the position that was never seen before in St. Louis. A 127 OPS+ is one of the better accumulations by a catcher in his 13 seasons with the organization. Six of his eight All-Star selections came as a Cardinal, and he regularly got MVP looks as well.
10. Johnny Mize (HOF)
1936-1941
| Johnny Mize — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 1884 |
| AB | 6443 |
| H | 2011 |
| HR | 359 |
| RBI | 1337 |
| SB | 28 |
| AVG | .312 |
| OBP | .397 |
| SLG | .562 |
| OPS | .959 |
| All-Star selections | 10 |
| World Series titles | 5 |
I love to do MLB quizzes from time to time. Sometimes that leads me to guess some of the top sluggers in the 1940s. Johnny Mize always has to be near the top of my mind when that happens. For that era, Mize is one of the great sluggers, and that's part of the reason why he is in the Hall of Fame.
His career was interrupted by World War II, but that was only after he spent six years in St. Louis building up a 1.018 OPS thanks to his 158 home runs and 218 doubles.
9. Enos Slaughter (HOF)
1938-1953
| Enos Slaughter — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2380 |
| AB | 7946 |
| H | 2383 |
| HR | 169 |
| RBI | 1304 |
| SB | 71 |
| AVG | .300 |
| OBP | .382 |
| SLG | .453 |
| OPS | .835 |
| All-Star selections | 10 |
| World Series titles | 4 |
We are sticking around the same era, as it's no secret that the Cardinals had some fantastic teams. Enos Slaughter was a big part of the reason why. He spent 13 years in St. Louis and put together a .305 batting average with over 2,000 hits and 1,100 RBI.
Slaughter had 10 straight All-Star selections that could have been more had there not been World War II in the middle of his career. It's always intriguing to wonder what some players' numbers could look like had there not been such a war that required military service.
8. Joe Medwick (HOF)
1932-1948
| Joe Medwick — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 1984 |
| AB | 7635 |
| H | 2471 |
| HR | 205 |
| RBI | 1383 |
| SB | 42 |
| AVG | .324 |
| OBP | .362 |
| SLG | .505 |
| OPS | .867 |
| MVP | 1 |
| All-Star selections | 10 |
| World Series titles | 1 |
Ducky Joe Medwick was a star in St. Louis. He achieved the coveted Triple Crown in 1937 with his .374 batting average, 31 home runs, and 154 RBI. He led the league in more offensive categories than not, as he easily won the MVP award that year.
He ended up playing 11 years for the Cardinals, maintaining a .335 average with over 1,500 hits and an elite 142 OPS+. The city of St. Louis was spoiled by the lineups their team would put out daily that included this Hall of Famer.
7. Ken Boyer
1955-1965
| Ken Boyer — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2034 |
| AB | 7455 |
| H | 2143 |
| HR | 282 |
| RBI | 1141 |
| SB | 105 |
| AVG | .287 |
| OBP | .349 |
| SLG | .462 |
| OPS | .811 |
| MVP | 1 |
| All-Star selections | 7 |
| Gold Gloves | 5 |
| World Series titles | 1 |
Boyer is one of the more underrated third basemen in history. He has 11 All-Star selections, including a 1964 MVP season. He handled the hot corner well with five Gold Gloves. He accumulated over 2,100 hits in his career and a strong 62.8 career WAR.
Most of those numbers and accolades came during his time with the Cardinals organization, which culminated in a World Series championship that cemented his legacy.
6. Yadier Molina
2004-2022
| Yadier Molina — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2226 |
| AB | 7817 |
| H | 2168 |
| HR | 176 |
| RBI | 1022 |
| SB | 71 |
| AVG | .277 |
| OBP | .327 |
| SLG | .399 |
| OPS | .726 |
| All-Star selections | 10 |
| Gold Gloves | 9 |
| Silver Sluggers | 1 |
| World Series titles | 2 |
Consistency at a high level separates the good from the great. Doing that for 19 years with one team at one of the toughest positions in the sport is why Yadier Molina has earned so much respect from his peers, his coaches, and the fans. He was selected 10 times to be an All-Star with nine Gold Gloves.
The Platinum Glove, which honors the best overall defensive player for each league, did not exist until the middle of Molina's career. He instantly won two of them in his first two chances at it. He ended up winning two more and is the only catcher to be recognized as a Platinum Glove award winner in National League history.
5. Lou Brock (HOF)
1964-1979
| Lou Brock — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2616 |
| AB | 10332 |
| H | 3023 |
| HR | 149 |
| RBI | 900 |
| SB | 938 |
| AVG | .293 |
| OBP | .343 |
| SLG | .410 |
| OPS | .753 |
| All-Star selections | 6 |
| World Series titles | 2 |
I always wonder why trades between rivals become some of the most iconic in a franchise's history. Shouldn't you want to avoid giving your rivals good players? I bet the Cardinals will always be happy that they traded for Lou Brock back in 1964, as he went on to have a Hall of Fame career with them.
His speed exhilarated St. Louis for 16 years as he accumulated 888 of his 938 career stolen bases with the Cards. He couldn't record all of those steals without getting on base, and he did so in a consistent fashion. He has 3,023 career hits, which places him among the elite and an easy pick to be in the Hall of Fame.
4. Ozzie Smith (HOF)
1982-1996
| Ozzie Smith — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2573 |
| AB | 9396 |
| H | 2460 |
| HR | 28 |
| RBI | 793 |
| SB | 580 |
| AVG | .262 |
| OBP | .337 |
| SLG | .328 |
| OPS | .665 |
| All-Star selections | 15 |
| Gold Gloves | 13 |
| Silver Sluggers | 1 |
| World Series titles | 1 |
From a speedster who exhilarated to a Wizard who fascinated. Ozzie Smith did not accumulate a lot of offensive numbers. In fact, his offense is well below average compared to his peers. However, that just means his glove was good enough for him to be selected to the All-Star Game 14 times and eventually the Hall of Fame.
I'm sure if you ask anyone who witnessed it, the defense was dazzling. His 11 Gold Gloves are among the most for a single player. He also was able to maintain his greatness for the better part of his 15 years in St. Louis.
3. Albert Pujols
2001-2011, 2022
| Albert Pujols — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 3080 |
| AB | 11421 |
| H | 3384 |
| HR | 703 |
| RBI | 2218 |
| SB | 117 |
| AVG | .296 |
| OBP | .374 |
| SLG | .544 |
| OPS | .918 |
| MVP | 3 |
| All-Star selections | 11 |
| Gold Gloves | 2 |
| Silver Sluggers | 6 |
| World Series titles | 2 |
| Rookie of the Year | 1 |
Watching Albert Pujols in his 22nd season hit those final home runs to get to 700 in his career was just magical. He was a star the moment he set foot on an MLB field for the first time in 2001.
There are few players in history who have showcased elite power with as much longevity as Albert Pujols had. The 11-time All-Star and three-time MVP led St. Louis to two World Series championships that will be forever cherished by the fan base.
2. Rogers Hornsby (HOF)
1915-1933
| Rogers Hornsby — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2259 |
| AB | 8173 |
| H | 2930 |
| HR | 301 |
| RBI | 1584 |
| SB | 135 |
| AVG | .358 |
| OBP | .434 |
| SLG | .577 |
| OPS | 1.011 |
| World Series titles | 1 |
I know he played other positions on the field, but Rogers Hornsby was so special as the Cardinals' second baseman throughout his 13 years in St. Louis that his production from that position may be unmatched. In 1925, Hornsby won the MVP award while hitting .403 with a 1.245 OPS. That's good for a legendary 210 OPS+.
That wasn't even his best season. He hit over .400 three times in his career while also mashing 39 and 42 home runs in respective seasons. For a second baseman, I don't think there is another who matches up to the lofty numbers of Rogers Hornsby.
1. Stan Musial (HOF)
1941-1963
| Stan Musial — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 3026 |
| AB | 10972 |
| H | 3630 |
| HR | 475 |
| RBI | 1951 |
| SB | 78 |
| AVG | .331 |
| OBP | .417 |
| SLG | .559 |
| OPS | .976 |
| MVP | 3 |
| All-Star selections | 20 |
| World Series titles | 3 |
A player is an all-time great when the name that they are known by is simply "The Man." Stan Musial is undoubtedly at the top of our list. His 22-year career all came in St. Louis. The all-time numbers he put up could have been boosted had there not been World War II, which interrupted his career when he was still in the middle of his 20s.
I'm sure I don't have to tell you that Musial collected three MVP awards while being selected to 20 All-Star Games and led the Cardinals to three World Series titles. Musial is easily the greatest Cardinal ever.
The Conclusion
The greatness of the St. Louis Cardinals franchise spans basically the entirety of MLB history. I think we got a good range of all-time great players on this list. With the way that they are still one of the better franchises currently in baseball, I'm sure there will be more to add to this list in the future.
