The St. Louis Cardinals have many ways they could go in the MLB draft, holding the fifth overall pick.
If Jamie Arnold of Florida State is on the board, the Cardinals selecting him would be the wise decision.
However, according to a recent mock draft from Baseball America, even with Arnold on the board, it’s possible that the Cardinals will go in a different direction.
Baseball America had them selecting Eli Willits, a shortstop out of Oklahoma.
“It sounds like the Cardinals could have a shot at anyone in the draft outside of Ethan Holliday. They might be in a situation where they are hoping someone cuts a deal in front of them and pushes more of their top targets down the board (though, to be fair, every team in the draft hopes for this). In this scenario, Willits feels like the favorite if the team wants to take a hitter, and Jamie Arnold could be the top option if the team would prefer to take a pitcher,” they wrote.
Willits is a high school player and one of the best in the country.
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A Perfect Game All-American in 2024, the Oklahoma commit is currently the eighth-ranked high school player in the nation, according to the service. He throws 91 miles per hour from the infield, runs 6.7 60, and his offensive skill set is what sets him apart from other high school prospects in this draft.
Selecting a high school shortstop from the Cardinals’ perspective might not make the most sense if Arnold is available, especially with their need for arms, but Willits is a very good player and somebody the Cardinals would love to have
