The Cardinals have been playing baseball in St. Louis for well over a century. In that time, the St. Louis Cardinals have won a staggering 11 World Series titles and sent several players to the Hall of Fame. In fact, St. Louis’s 11 championships are the most of any National League (NL) team in history. With such a rich tradition of excellence and winning, the Cardinals have had some truly legendary players come through the organization over the years. So, to honor the winningest NL franchise in Major League Baseball (MLB), we’re breaking down the best Cardinals players of all time.
It’s important to emphasize that the Cardinals are really great at spotting talent and St. Louis fans have been privileged to some all-time great ballplayers. According to a recent study, fans prefer championship teams comprised of homegrown talent as opposed to teams stacked with pricey free agents. Researchers at the University of Kansas surveyed 1,500 Americans. They found that sports fans prefer championship teams comprised of drafted or ‘homegrown’ players as opposed to teams with rosters comprised of expensive free-agent players. Apparently, sports fans appreciate the hard work and dedication it takes to build a championship team from the ground up.
And it’s even better when fans get an opportunity to watch their favorite homegrown players perform in person. In fact, scientists at Anglia Ruskin University say that attending live sporting events in person helps improve well-being and reduce feelings of loneliness. Researchers surveyed more than 7,000 sports fans to find that those fans who attended live events scored better overall in terms of life satisfaction. Overall, sports fans who attend live sporting events say that it helps increase their quality of life and makes them feel more ‘worthwhile.’ Sounds like the perfect reason to head over to Busch Stadium and see a St. Louis Cardinals game this year.
So, which St. Louis athletes are considered to be among the greats? StudyFinds did the research, consulting 10 sports and baseball-oriented websites in an effort to bring you the consensus best Cardinals players in the history of the storied franchise. Our list comprises the five most frequently listed players from across these sites. See one you think we missed? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!
The List: Best Cardinals Players of All Time, According to Fans
1. Stan Musial (1941-1944 & 1946-1963)
Easily topping the list of the best Cardinals players of all time is none other Stan ‘The Man’ Musial. Musial played for over two decades in a St. Louis Cardinals uniform and he’s widely regarded as the best MLB player in franchise history.
“It’s simply impossible to have any sort of conversation about the St. Louis Cardinals without first talking about Stan Musial, who is and probably always will be the best player to ever suit up for the Redbirds. Musial played all 22 of his Major League seasons with St. Louis, slashing an incredible .331/.417/.559. He owns the Cardinals franchise records for games, home runs, RBI, doubles, triples, hits, runs. Musial won three MVP awards, seven batting titles, was an all-star in all but one of his full Major League seasons, and helped the Cardinals win the World Series in 1942, 1944, and 1946,” writes Yardbarker.
Stan Musial won three World Series titles in his first four seasons as a St. Louis Cardinals player. Musial’s career statistics could have been higher, but the young all-star sacrificed one season to serve in World War II. So, not only was Musial a great baseball player, he was a true American icon beloved by millions of MLB fans across the country.
“Even with losing the 1945 season to World War II, Musial is, rather easily, the greatest player in franchise history. Casually a 24-time All-Star, Musial spent his entire career with the Cardinals, winning seven batting titles and three National League MVPs. Musial is the all-time leader among Cardinals in fWAR (126.8), offensive WAR (125.3), hits (3,630), runs scored (1,949), total bases (6,134), singles (2,253), doubles (725), triples (177), home runs (475), extra-base hits (1,377), RBIs (1,951) and extra-base hits (1,377). “Stan The Man” had his No. 6 retired by the Cardinals in 1963, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1969,” furthers Audacy.
You might notice that Musial has more All-Star Game appearances than seasons played in MLB. That’s because there were once two All-Star Games that players could participate in. Still, Musial is the franchise leader in several major statistical categories.
“There are very few offensive categories in which Musial isn’t the Cardinals’ all-time leader. He’s first in hits, runs scored, doubles, triples, home runs, RBI and walks. No one embodies St. Louis baseball better than Stan Musial and no other player comes close to challenging Stan the Man for the No. 1 spot on this list,” adds Bleacher Report.
2. Albert Pujols (2001-2011 & 2022)
The second spot on the list of the best Cardinals players of all time belongs to a living Cardinals legend – Albert Pujols. Pujols is easily one of the best first basemen in MLB history and his Cardinals legacy will live on for generations to come.
“Pujols had one of the greatest 11-year stretches we’ve ever seen during his time with the Cardinals. The 445 home runs that Pujols hit during his time with the Cardinals are the most over that 11-year stretch, and Alex Rodriguez is the only [one] within 70. Pujols did this all while hitting for a higher batting average than Ichiro Suzuki or anyone else in the sport. A three-time National League MVP, Pujols led the Cardinals to two World Series titles during his time with the team, including one in 2011, which turned out to be his final season in St. Louis,” explains Audacy.
Although Pujols did not play his entire career in St. Louis, he bleeds Cardinal red and gave the best years of his career to the fans in St. Louis. But, the St. Louis fans weren’t happy to hear Pujols would be leaving them in favor of joining the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
“He was the leader of two Cardinal World Series champions (2006 and 2011) and won three MVP awards as a Redbird. He hit 445 home runs in 11 seasons with the team and would have become the all-time Cardinal home run leader with 31 more home runs in 2012. His exit was hard to swallow, but he’ll someday be remembered as one of the greatest Cardinals ever to play,” writes Bleacher Report.
That day finally came as Pujols returned for a brief stint with the Cardinals in 2022. It was during this short return to St. Louis that Pujols hit his 700th career home run, solidifying his place among the best Cardinals players of all time and one of the most dominant power-hitters in MLB history.
“During his prime in St. Louis there wasn’t a more dangerous hitter in the sport, as he’d win three MVP awards as a Cardinal and represent them in 10 mid-summer classics. Pujols won the batting title in 2003, two Gold Gloves, six Silver Sluggers, and led the Cardinals to World Series championships in 2006 and 2011. After that ’11 season he left to join the Angels as a free agent, but it was incredibly cool to see him come back to St. Louis and finish his career as a Cardinal in 2022, especially watching him hit his 700th career homer for this franchise. Pujols will be a shoo-in for Cooperstown and you can bet that no Cardinal player will ever wear number five again,” furthers Yardbarker.
3. Rogers Hornsby (1915-1926 & 1933)
Sliding into the third spot on the list of the best Cardinals players of all time is none other than Rogers Hornsby. Hornsby is widely regarded as the best second baseman to ever play professional baseball, making him a lock for one of the best Cardinals players in history.
“Infielder Rogers Hornsby debuted with the Cardinals as a ripe 19-year-old, and at the time it was hard to envision the incredible career he would go on to have. Hornsby won six batting titles with St. Louis, including hitting over .400 thrice. He led the league in homers twice, RBI four times, won two Triple Crowns, and led the National League in doubles four times and triples once. Hornsby’s 13 year slash line as a Cardinal of .359/.427/.568 looks like it has to be a typo. The Texas native helped St. Louis win the World Series in 1926 and he was deservedly inducted into Cooperstown in 1942,” explains Yardbarker.
Hornsby hit over .400 three times during the course of his illustrious career. It’s nearly unheard of for a player to hit .400 in one season, not to mention three. Hornsby is undoubtedly one of the best second basemen in MLB history and one of the top players in Cardinals franchise history.
“Hornsby, one of the greatest second basemen in MLB history, spent 13 seasons with the Cardinals across two stints. Though Hornsby also had huge seasons with the New York Giants and Chicago Cubs, the Cardinals are by far the team that he spent the largest chunk of his career with. Hornsby won the 1925 National League MVP as a member of the Cardinals, and there’s a legitimate argument to be made that said campaign wasn’t even his best with the team,” writes Audacy.
Hornsby preceded his 1925 MVP season with a season that saw him hit a staggering .424. However, Hornsby’s two triple crown awards might be more impressive. Again, it’s nearly unheard of for a player in today’s MLB to win the hitting triple crown, but Hornsby accomplished that feat two different seasons.
“Hornsby won the 1925 National League MVP as a member of the Cardinals, and there’s a legitimate argument to be made that said the campaign wasn’t even his best with the team, as the year before he hit .424. The 13.9 defensive WAR that Hornsby finished his career with is a reminder of how excellent of an infielder he was early in his career. Hornsby won the triple crown twice in his career and batted over. 400 in three separate seasons for the Cardinals,” adds The Grueling Truth.
4. Bob Gibson (1959-1975)
Up next on the list of the best Cardinals players of all time is the greatest pitcher in franchise history – Bob Gibson. Bob Gibson is easily the most decorated pitcher in the Cardinals’ long and storied history and he’s widely regarded as one of the best pitchers in MLB history.
Cardinals Hall of Famer Bob Gibson has died at the age of 84 pic.twitter.com/dtJeqydFR7
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) October 3, 2020
“Gibson spent his 17-season career with the Cardinals, winning the Cy Young Awards in 1968 and 1970, the National League MVP in 1968, and World Series MVP in 1964 and 1967. Gibson won 9 Gold Glove awards in his career making him one of the greatest fielding pitchers of all time,” writes The Grueling Truth.
Gibson is right up there with some of the best pitchers in MLB history in terms of impact on a franchise. But, it was Gibson’s toughness and competitiveness that makes him one of the most revered players in St. Louis history. Gibson gave his team a chance to win every game he started, and that helped make him one of the most beloved athletes in St. Louis sports history.
“Bob Gibson was unquestionably the best pitcher in the history of the St. Louis Cardinals. He’s one of the main reasons the Cardinals won World Series titles in 1964 and 1967, winning the MVP award for each of those series. In his time as a Cardinal, Gibson won 251 games and had an ERA of 2.91 for his career. He was a two-time Cy Young winner, won the 1968 MVP award, won nine Gold Gloves and threw a no-hitter in 1971. Naturally, his jersey is retired and he’s a member of the baseball Hall of Fame,” furthers Bleacher Report.
Simply put, Gibson was a dominant pitcher and he has the hardware to prove it. In all, Gibson pitched for 17 seasons in a Cardinals uniform, won two World Series titles, two Cy Young Awards, two World Series MVPs, an NL MVP, and nine Gold Glove awards. Gibson’s career might not ever be matched by another Cardinals pitcher.
“Gibson spent his entire 17-season career with the Cardinals, winning Cy Young Awards in 1968 and 1970, the National League MVP in 1968 and World Series MVP in 1964 and 1967. Perhaps the most underrated part of the Hall of Famer’s legacy is that he won the Gold Glove Award nine times, making him one of the best fielding pitchers ever. One of the most dominant right-handed pitchers of all-time, Gibson had his No. 45 retired by the Cardinals in 1975 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981,” adds Audacy.
5. Ozzie Smith (1982-1996)
Rounding out the list of the best Cardinals players of all time is legendary shortstop Ozzie Smith. ‘The Wizard of Oz’ debuted for the Cardinals after starting his career with the San Diego Padres. Smith would go on to have one of the most dominant defensive careers of any Cardinals player in history.
“The Wizard of Oz was the best shortstop ever to put on a Cardinal uniform. With his trademark backflips, flashy defense and solid hitting, Smith became one of the most popular Cardinals of all-time. After coming over from the San Diego Padres in 1982, Smith promptly helped the Cardinals win the 1982 World Series. He also made 14 all-star teams as a Redbird and is third on the St. Louis all-time stolen base list with 433 swipes. He played some of the best defense of his era as well, winning 11 Gold Gloves as a Cardinal and 13 overall,” writes Bleacher Report.
Ozzie Smith was known for his theatrical backflips as he ran onto the field and assumed his shortstop position – it was must-see TV. Still, Ozzie Smith deserves his place as one of MLB”s all-time defensive players.
“In total Smith played 1,990 games for the Redbirds, slashing .272/.350/.344 but he was one of the very few players who brought more value on defense than offense. The ‘Wizard of Oz’ earned 11 of his 13 career Gold Glove awards in a Cardinals’ uniform, and represented St. Louis in 14 all-star games. To this day he’s still considered the greatest defensive shortstop in MLB history, and that’s the primary reason he was inducted into the Hall-of-Fame in 2002. The Cardinals retired his number 1 following his retirement in 1996,” writes Yardbarker.
Of course, The Wizard of Oz could hit the baseball, but his real threat offensively was his ability to steal bases. As mentioned, Smith stole 433 bases as a Cardinals player, and he was always a threat to pitchers on the bases.
“Smith is one of the greatest defenders that the sport has ever seen. ‘The Wizard’ won 13 career Gold Glove Awards, 12 as a member of the Cardinals. The 15-time All-Star is the all-time leader in MLB history in defensive WAR, not just at shortstop, but any position. Smith’s No. 2 was retired by the Cardinals in 1996, six years before he was elected to the Hall of Fame,” furthers Audacy.
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Sources:
- Yardbarker
- The Grueling Truth
- Bleacher Report
- Audacy
- Rookie Road
- Not in Hall of Fame
- KSDK
- Baseball Egg
- The Baseball Scholar
- Ainsworth Sports
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What about Lou Brock? Best base stealer outside of Rickey Henderson.