St. Louis Cardinals: 10 Most Valuable Draft Picks Since the Turn of the Century

2. Matt Carpenter, Round 13, 2009

Cardinals career (2011-present): 645 games, 2,695 plate appearances, .287/.376/.460 slash line, 62 homers, 305 RBI, 16.5 rWAR, NL All-Star in 2013 & 2014, Silver Slugger (2B) in 2013

Matt Carpenter dealt with inactivity caused by Tommy John surgery and major weight issues during his college career, so he was by no means a sure thing coming out of TCU, even after he starred on a team that nearly won the College World Series in 2009. As a result, he fell to the 13th round, and he wasn’t really considered a premium prospect at any point during his journey through the Cardinals’ system.

Carpenter thrived throughout his time in the minors, though, and he earned a cameo appearance in the majors by June of 2011. He locked down a regular bench spot with a dominant spring in 2012, and after shining when thrust into postseason action later that year, he was given an opportunity to learn a new position and earn the Cardinals’ starting second base job in 2013. As has been the case throughout Carpenter’s career, he conquered that challenge. Now, three seasons and two All-Star appearances later, Carpenter is statistically one of the greatest leadoff hitters in MLB history, and he’s provided an irreplaceable mix of contact, power, and defensive steadiness since he’s become a regular. He’s been arguably the most important player in the lineup over the past several seasons, and the Cardinals have gotten spectacular value out of him as a 13th-round pick.

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