The Cardinals used the 13th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft on high school outfielder Trevor Condon, a Georgia prep standout from Etowah who arrives with a reputation as one of the draft’s best pure hitters.
Condon is 18 and committed to the University of Tennessee, but St. Louis is betting on the upside that comes with his bat-to-ball skills, speed and defense.
He’s known for above-average contact ability and a strong feel for the barrel, traits that make him tough to strike out. If his power grows with time, he has the kind of profile that could turn into a true five-tool outfielder.
The defensive side of his game matters just as much. His speed and glove give him a legitimate shot to stay in center field over the long haul, and that’s part of why he’s viewed as such an intriguing addition to the Cardinals’ system. He’s also drawing comparisons to Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.
Because he’s a prep player, Condon is probably still a long way from helping at the major league level. Even so, the Cardinals are clearly swinging for long-term impact here. They’re also thin in outfield prospects, which only adds to the appeal of taking a player with this kind of ceiling.
And the Cardinals aren’t done. They still have six more picks on Day 1 of the 2026 MLB Draft, giving them plenty of chances to keep adding talent.
In fact, St. Louis came into the day with the most Day 1 selections in the draft, seven total, along with the fifth-highest bonus pool allotment. That gives them real flexibility to target a range of player types as the draft unfolds.
The organization has also had a solid run with first-round picks in recent years, taking Jordan Walker, Michael McGreevy, Cooper Hjerpe, Chase Davis, JJ Wetherholt, and Liam Doyle since 2020.
There’s also a possible twist hanging over all of this: this may be Randy Flores’ final draft with the Cardinals. The Los Angeles Angels recently brought in former Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak to lead a search for their next general manager, and Flores is viewed as an early favorite for that job. Over the last decade, he’s earned plenty of credit for how he’s handled the Cardinals’ draft process.
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Walker has given the front office a reason to feel better about its best bets, while McGreevy looks like the kind of steady arm every staff needs. But the broader picture is less tidy, with injuries clouding Cooper Hjerpes progress and Chase Davis still trying to turn talent into production, leaving the Cardinals to sort through a first-round track record that has produced some wins and enough uncertainty to make the 2026 draft, where they sit at No. 13, feel especially important. [Read more 🡒]