Arch Authority
Fansided

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

By Patrick Karraker

May 10, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter (13) is greeted after hitting a solo home run in the first inning against Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
May 10, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter (13) is greeted after hitting a solo home run in the first inning against Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
twitterfacebookreddit
Prev
6 of 11
Next
Kevin Siegrist St. Louis Cardinals
May 25, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Kevin Siegrist (46) throws during the eighth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium. The Cubs won the game 9-8. Mandatory Credit: Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports /

6. Kevin Siegrist, Round 41, 2008

Cardinals career (2013-present): 189 games, 15-7 record, 2.68 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 3.3 rWAR

It’s quite literally impossible to make a more dominant entrance to the major leagues than Siegrist did in 2013, when he had a 0.45 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and .128 opponent batting average. He’s had his imperfections since then: 2014 was basically a lost season for him, as a forearm injury and a resulting lack of confidence caused his effectiveness to plummet, and he’s consistently dealt with reverse splits and has been better against righties than lefties.

With that said, Siegrist has now evolved into one of the best lefthanded relievers in the major leagues, and he’s one of the few lefties capable of dominating against hitters on either side of the plate in late-inning, high-leverage situations. The Cardinals’ 100-win season last year wouldn’t have happened without Siegrist’s extreme effectiveness in his team-leading 81 appearances, and it’s hard to imagine where the Cards would be this year if they didn’t have him in the bullpen. For a player who was taken in a round of the draft that doesn’t even exist anymore, Siegrist has been an absolutely spectacular value.

Next: 5. Jason Motte

Home/St. Louis Cardinals