MLB Top 5: St. Louis Cardinals Outfielders

This is the fourth article in a series that looks at the five best players at each position for the St. Louis Cardinals. In this installment are outfielders.

Versatility is a key feature in the list of best Cardinals outfielders. Several stars are able to play at multiple spots in the outfield as well as other places on the field. The greatest collection of talent is found on the left side, which features several Hall of Famers from the days before the first league expansion, as well as a record-setting speedster. Center field boasts tremendous depth and some of the best defensive players in major league history. Right field is the weakest of the three spots, but the position still has several productive players who can tame opposing pitchers.

The Best Outfielders in St. Louis Cardinals History

Left Fielders

Honorable Mentions – James “Tip” O’Neill was one of the first standout players from Canada. His parents owned a hotel, and he used the ballroom to work on his baseball skills. O’Neill was a tailor when he began his organized baseball journey, playing with the National League’s Giants after being “demoted” from New York’s American Association by John Day, who owned both teams. He signed with St. Louis in 1884, going 11-4 for the Browns before being converted to the outfield. After an injury-filled season, O’Neill batted .328 and led the A. A. with 107 RBIs in 1886. The following year, he dominated the league’s stat categories, winning a Triple Crown (thanks to a .435-14-123 stat line) and leading the league in everything but stolen bases (although he finished with 30). In addition to the average and his total of 167 runs, which were both all-time franchise highs, he led the league with 225 hits and became the only player in major league history to lead the league in doubles (52), triples (19) and home runs in the same season. O’Neill’s average dropped 100 points in 1888, but he still led the A. A. with a .335 mark and 177 hits.

He had two more stellar seasons for the Browns with a one-year stint with Chicago of the Player’s League in between. O’Neill joined the Reds in 1892 finishing third in franchise history with a .344 average, eighth in on-base percentage (.406) and tenth in triples (70) to go with 696 runs, 1,091 hits, 185 doubles, 47 homers, 625 RBIs, 118 steals and 1,557 total bases in 783 games. He played in four World’s Series with the Browns, totaling 23 runs, 35 hits, five home runs and 25 RBIs, including 11 against the Giants in 1888. O’Neill suffered a poor season in Cincinnati and never played again, although he was an umpire and scout in Montreal and ran a cigar store, saloon and café. He passed away after suffering a heart attack after stepping off a streetcar in 1915 at age 55 and was one of the original inductees into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983.

Nicknamed “Crab” for his cranky antisocial personality, Jesse Burkett got his start in professional baseball with Indianapolis in1889. When the Hoosiers folded before the following season, he signed with the Giants and split time between the mound and the outfield. Burkett joined the Cleveland Spiders in 1891 and became one of the best hitters in the game. Primarily a singles hitter, he reached 200 hits three times and led the league twice in both that category and batting average by topping the .400 mark twice. When the Spiders folded after the 1898 season, Burkett joined St. Louis, which was named the Perfectos for one year. In that campaign, he had 221 hits and batted .396, the first of three straight seasons batting at least .360 with more than 200 hits. His best year was 1901, when he led the league with a .376 average, a .440 on-base percentage, 142 runs, 226 hits and 306 total bases. Despite playing only three seasons with the franchise (1899-1901), Burkett is the all-time leader in average (.378) and on-base percentage (.444). He played three seasons with the crosstown rival Browns and one with the Boston Americans (later Red Sox), ending his 16-year career in 1905. Following his playing days, Burkett owned and managed a minor league team in Worcester, Mass., coached at Holy Cross and with the Giants and was a scout. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Old Timers Committee in 1946 and passed away due to heart disease in 1953 at age 84. The Little League organization in his adopted hometown now bears his name.

If someone ever creates a show about baseball what-ifs, an episode should be devoted to Austin McHenry, an Ohio native who was a star at the plate and in the field. He joined the Cardinals in 1918 and became a starter two years later. The much-heralded prospect used the extra playing time to settle in as one of the game’s best outfielders, finishing the 1921 season second in the National League batting race (behind teammate Rogers Hornsby) with a .350 average along with 92 runs, 201 hits, 17 home runs and 102 RBIs. McHenry got off to a solid start the following year but began having trouble making plays in the outfield. He said he couldn’t see the ball and thought he was going blind. After nearly a month off, he returned but lasted just four days before he was sent home again. McHenry went to the hospital and doctors discovered a brain tumor that may have developed after being hit in the head by a pitch nearly six years earlier. Doctors were not able to remove the whole tumor, and he was told there was no hope for a full recovery. McHenry was released from the hospital in November 1922 and died less than a week later at just 27 years old.

Enos Slaughter was a star in right field but was one of the best left fielders in baseball during his three-year run at the position (1947-49). After a three-year stint in the Air Force during World War II, he led the league with 130 RBIs as a right fielder in 1946 and gave the Cardinals a title victory by scoring from first on a single in the eighth inning of Game 7. “Country” moved to the other corner outfield spot the following year and continued his solid production. His best year at the position was 1949, when he finished third in the MVP race after batting a career-best .336 with 92 runs, 191 hits, 13 home runs, 96 RBIs and a league-high 13 triples. Slaughter returned to right field in 1950 and spent his final four seasons with St. Louis at that spot.

No matter where Lonnie Smith called home in the major leagues, he was successful. He appeared in five World Series during his 17-year career, winning titles in his first three stops. Smith won with the Phillies in 1980 and was traded to the Cardinals two years later. In his first season, he earned his only All-Star selection and finished as the MVP runner-up after batting .307 with eight home runs and 69 RBIs, and he led the league with 120 runs and set career highs with 182 hits, 35 doubles and 68 stolen bases. He added six runs and nine hits, including four doubles, in a win over the Brewers in the Fall Classic. Smith’s biggest issue was drugs, with multiple incidents of use, including being named in the Pittsburgh drug trials in 1985. Despite this, he had nine hits and four RBIs to help the Royals beat the Cardinals in the World Series that year. Smith appeared in back-to-back championship series appearances with the Braves in 1991-92, but Atlanta fell both times. He batted .270 in 302 games over four seasons with St. Louis (1982-85). Smith spent his final two years with the Pirates and Orioles, retiring in 1994. He came clean about his drug use and a desire to do harm to John Schuerholz, who was general manager with both Kansas City and Atlanta during his time in those cities.

5B Vince Coleman – He was a standout punter and kicker with an offer to play for the Redskins … if he moved to wide receiver. Instead, Coleman chose baseball and was selected by the Cardinals in 1982. He set a minor league stolen base record that stood for 20 years and was called up to St. Louis after three seasons. Coleman reached the big leagues and immediately made an impact, leading the league in steals in each of his first six seasons. He was named National League Rookie of the Year after setting a record for first-year players with 110 stolen bases in 1985. The Cardinals reached the World Series that year, but Coleman did not play after the trap rolled over his leg during the NLCS.

“Vincent Van Go” became the only player to steal more than 100 bases in three straight seasons, leading the league with 109 and setting career highs with 121 runs, 180 hits and 43 RBIs in 1987. He stole six bases in the World Series, but St. Louis fell to Minnesota. While Coleman’s stats declined, he was named an All-Star each of the next two years. He stole 77 bases, and his batting average rose to .292 in 1990, but the team slumped, and he signed with the Mets after the season. Although he continued to steal bases at a prodigious clip, Coleman was inconsistent at the plate and made questionable decisions off the field. His time in New York included sexual assault charges (later dropped) and endangerment after he threw a firecracker into a crowd of fans in Los Angeles, injuring three children. He spent time with four other teams and retired after a failed tryout with the Cardinals in 1998. Coleman finished his six-year St. Louis tenure (1985-90) with a .265 average, 566 runs, 937 hits, 106 doubles, 56 triples, 217 RBIs, 1,200 total bases and 549 steals, which ranks second in franchise history. He worked as a baserunning coach for the White Sox and Giants.

5A Matt Holliday – The Oklahoma native became a star in Colorado, winning the batting title and finishing as the MVP runner-up in 2007, then being named MVP of the NLCS and helping the Rockies reach the only World Series in franchise history. He was traded twice in 2009, first to the Athletics, then the Cardinals, and he helped St. Louis reach the playoffs six times during his eight-year tenure (2009-16). During his tenure in the “Gateway City,” Holliday earned four All-Star selections, hit at least 20 home runs six times and batted .300 or better and drove in at least 100 runs twice each. His best season was 2010, when he won his only silver slugger outside of Colorado after batting .312 with 95 runs, 186 hits, 28 home runs and 103 RBIs.

Holliday was having another solid season in 2015, including setting a National League record by reaching base in the first 45 games of the season, before a quadriceps injury sidelined him on multiple occasions. The 2013 fielding champion finished his Cardinals career with a .293 average, 573 runs, 1,048 hits, 237 doubles, 156 home runs, 616 RBIs and 1,769 total bases in 982 games. In 61 playoff contests, Holliday amassed 36 runs, 56 hits, nine doubles, eight homers and 27 RBIs. He spent a year with the Yankees before returning to Colorado for one final season in 2018. Holliday was a coach at Oklahoma State for three years and was a bench coach for the Cardinals in 2022.

4. Charles “Chick” Hafey – He began as a pitcher but was switched to the outfield after his first batting practice following his 1922 signing with the Cardinals. Although he was a reserve in a crowded St. Louis outfield during his first three seasons, Hafey showed he belonged thanks to his great contact and production at the plate, paired with one of the best throwing arms of his time. He started during the team’s run to the 1926 championship over the Yankees and had sinus surgery after the season. The issues most likely stemmed from a bout of rheumatic fever as a child but were improved with glasses, as Hafey became one of the first position players to wear them during games. “Chick” embarked on a five-year run of stellar seasons (1927-31) in which he hit at least .325 each year, had 150 or more hits four times and put together three straight seasons with at least 100 runs, 25 home runs and 100 RBIs. The final year in the run was the best, as he led the league with a .349 average and finished in the top five of the MVP voting. Although Hafey had just four hits in six games in the World Series, the Cardinals defeated the Athletics for their second titles in four tries during his tenure.

Like many players of the day, Hafey held out and was traded to the Reds before the 1932 season, finishing his eight-year run with the Cardinals (1924-31) ranked tied for fourth in slugging (.568) and tied for seventh in average (.326) to go with 524 runs, 963 hits, 242 doubles, 127 home runs, 618 RBIs and 1,678 total bases in 812 games. He totaled five runs, 18 hits, seven doubles and two RBIs in 23 playoff contests. Hafey spent his final five seasons with Cincinnati and had the distinction of getting the first hit in All-Star Game history with a second-inning single in 1933. He missed most of two seasons while dealing with several bouts of the flu and ran a ranch after his retirement in 1937. Hafey was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1971 and passed away two years later at age 70.

3. Stan “The Man” Musial – While he spent more of his 22-year career (1941-44 and 46-63) at first base, he played in more than 1,000 games in left field and was the primary starter in seven seasons (1950-51, ’53 and 60-63). Musial was an All-Star in each of those seasons and played in 10 Midsummer Classics since there were two games in the early 1960s. He finished second in the MVP voting in consecutive seasons after winning back-to-back batting titles. Musial led the league with a .346 average in 1950, then won the award again with a .355 mark while also topped the N. L. with 134 runs and 12 triples.

Musial posted a .337-30-113 stat line in 1953 and, although he was in decline as he entered his 40s, “The Man” was still a talented and productive hitter. He finished his time in left field with a .320 average, 629 runs, 1,171 hits, 278 doubles, 68 triples, 163 home runs, 675 RBIs and 1,975 total bases in 1,095 games during his primary seasons at the position. The 1953 fielding champion in left field and the overall outfield leader in 1961 worked as vice president and general manager of the Cardinals before leaving his post following the team’s 1967 championship. Musial was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame two years later and passed away in 2013 at age 92.

2. Joe “Ducky” Medwick – When Hafey was traded, it took the Cardinals very little time to find his replacement. Medwick, a New Jersey native, began his career in 1932 at age 20 and had his first of 12 straight seasons batting at least .300 the following year. He was among the league’s best players during his initial run in St. Louis, which included 40 or more doubles seven times, six All-Star selections, six 100-RBI seasons and scoring 100 or more runs five times. Medwick led the league with 18 triples in 1934 and had a stellar campaign two years later, when he had 233 hits, drove in 138 runs and set a National League record that still stands with 64 doubles.

“Muscles” had his best season in 1937, when he won the MVP Award after winning the Triple Crown (the last among N. L. batters) with a .374 average, 31 home runs and 154 RBIs (a team record) and led the league with 111 runs, 237 hits (second in team history), 56 doubles (second), a .641 slugging percentage and 406 total bases (second). Medwick followed that season with league-leading totals of 47 doubles and 122 RBIs to go with a .322 average. Despite all that production, the Cardinals traded their star to the Brooklyn Dodgers early in the 1940 season. A week after the move, Medwick was beaned by his old team, leading to a brief hospital stint and causing a drop in power for the rest of his career. He earned three more All-Star selections with and had stints with the Dodgers, Giants and Braves before returning to the Cardinals for his final two seasons, finishing his 11-year career in St. Louis (1932-40 and 47-48) ranked fifth in average (.335), eighth in triples (81) and ninth in RBIs (932) to go with 811 runs, 1,590 hits, 377 doubles, 152 home runs and 2,585 total bases in 1,216 games.

Medwick amassed 11 hits and five RBIs during the World Series win in 1934, but the most memorable moment occurred in Game 7. In the sixth inning, he hit an RBI triple but was spiked in the leg on the slide into third. He responded with a double kick to the fielder’s stomach and later scored. When Medwick came back out to the field in the bottom of the inning, the fans threw fruit, bottles, newspapers and hot dogs at him, leading to his removal from the game by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis. The “Gashouse Gang” Cardinals beat the Tigers, 11-0, to win the title. Medwick had issues with some of his teammates and the press, which may have led to the 20-year wait it took for him to get voted into Baseball Hall of Fame, which occurred in 1968. He was a player-manager for three years in the minors and was a spring training batting instructor for the Cardinals when he passed away due to a heart attack in 1975 at age 63.

1. Lou Brock – The Cardinals, more than any team in baseball history, utilized speed in their offensive strategy, and Brock was by far the best the team has had in that department. Like many young players, he used baseball to get out of poverty, signing with the Cubs in 1960 and making his major league debut a year later. In mid-June 1962, Brock displayed his power, becoming one of only a handful of players to hit a home run over the center field wall at the Polo Grounds in New York. He had not yet realized his speed potential when he was sent to the Cardinals in 1964 in what turned out to be one of the most lopsided trades in baseball history. Once Brock came to St. Louis, he was allowed to steal bases whenever he saw the opportunity. He stole 33 in the regular season and was instrumental in the Cardinals beating the Yankees in the World Series, totaling nine hits and five RBIs and hitting a home run in Game 7

Brock studied the deliveries and pickoff moves of opposing pitchers (sometimes with a camera) and used the information to steal more than 50 bases in 12 straight seasons and led the league eight times overall. He also scored at least 100 runs six times (leading the league twice), amassing 200 or more hits three times and leading the league with both 46 doubles and 14 triples in 1968. Brock earned six All-Star selections and posted his best season in 1974, when he finished as the MVP runner-up after batting .306 with 105 runs, 194 hits and ran away with the modern steals record by pilfering 118 bases. He added the all-time stolen base record to his resumé when he passed Ty Cobb three years later and ended his career with 938. Age and injuries started to slow down the man nicknamed “The Rocket,” but he finished his 16-year tenure in St. Louis (1964-79) by becoming the 14th player to join the 3,000-hit club, doing so late in his final season.

“The Franchise” is the all-time franchise leader in stolen bases (888) and strikeouts (1,469). He ranked second in games (2,289), runs (1,427) and hits (2,713), third in doubles (434) and total bases (3,776), fourth in triples (121) and seventh in walks (681) to go with a .297 average, 129 home runs and 814 RBIs. He appeared in three World Series, helping St. Louis win a pair of titles and totaling 16 runs, 34 hits, four homers, 13 RBIs and 14 steals in 21 postseason contests. Following his playing career, Brock was a Cardinals broadcaster, was involved with several successful business ventures (including inventing an umbrella hat), became a spring training special instructor and was ordained as a minister. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985 and passed away in 2020 at age 81. Brock saw both his single season (in 1982) and career (1991) stolen base records broken by Rickey Henderson.

Center Fielders

Honorable Mentions – Emmett Heidrick was a minor league teammate of Pirates legend Honus Wagner in New Jersey and followed him to the major leagues, making his debut with Cleveland in 1898. He was moved to St. Louis the following year and got to show off his tremendous range and throwing arm over the next three years with the Cardinals (1899-1901). Nicknamed “Snags” for his ability to track down any ball hit near him, Heidrick had his best season with the team when it was called the Perfectos in 1899, batting .328 with 109 runs, 194 this, 14 triples, 82 RBIs and 55 stolen bases. He missed three months the following year with a leg injury and missed time in 1901 when his father died after accidentally setting off a loaded shotgun while getting his coat from a closet. Heidrick signed with the crosstown rival Browns the following year but decided to leave baseball in 1905 to run a railroad company and apartment houses. He returned for a brief stint in 1908 but struggled and retired from the major leagues for good. In addition to the railroad company, Heidrick ran two coal businesses and a manufacturing firm, as well as lumber and telephone companies until his unexpected death from influenza in 1916 at age 39.

Taylor Douthit was signed by the Cardinals after he graduated from Cal and spent nearly three full years in the minor leagues before joining St. Louis on a full-time basis in 1926. He became the team’s leadoff hitter, batting .308 with 96 runs and 233 stolen bases for a club that won the World Series. Douthit was inconsistent over the next few years but put together his best season in 1929, driving in 62 runs and setting career highs with a .336 average, 129 runs, 206 hits, 42 doubles and nine home runs. The following year, he batted. 303 with 109 runs, 201 hits and a personal-best 93 RBIs. Douthit suffered a hip injury early in 1931 that would affect him for the rest of his career. He was traded to the Reds during that season and was signed by the Cubs off waivers two years later. With the Cardinals, Douthit batted .300 with 586 runs, 1,000 hits, 194 doubles, 342 RBIs and 1,359 total bases in 855 games and added five runs, seven hits, one home run and four RBIs in 13 postseason contests. In addition, he won two fielding titles and led center fielders in putouts twice, including 1928, when he set a major league record with 547. Douthit spent the next 37 years in his family’s insurance business and passed away in 1986 at age 85.

Before he was a star with the Phillies’ championship team in 1980, Arnold “Bake” McBride spent his first five years with the Phillies (1973-77), winning the Rookie of the Year Award in 1974 after batting .309 with 81 runs, 56 RBIs, 30 stolen bases and a career-high 173 hits. His greatest moment of the season came on September 11 against the Mets, when he scored all the way from first on an errant pickoff attempt in the 25th inning to cap the longest night game in major league history. Despite missing time with a knee injury, McBride earned his only career All-Star selection in 1976. He was traded to Philadelphia the following year and retired in 1984 after spending two seasons with Cleveland. McBride was a coach for the Mets and Cardinals following his playing career.

5. Terry Moore – He was still in the minors when the “Gashouse Gang” won the 1934 World Series but became a starter the following year and turned into one of the best defensive players in the game. Moore had large hands and wore a small glove, with his speed and smarts allowing him to win a fielding title in 1939 and lead the league in assists and double plays three times each. He made several barehanded catches during his career, including a few on a dive. Moore was named the team captain and demonstrated leadership by example, going all out in the field and on the bases. However, this attitude led to several injuries, and he played more than 140 games in a season only once.

Moore was a serviceable hitter, earning four straight All-Star selections and posting his best season in 1940, when he set career highs with a .304 average, 92 runs, 163 hits, 17 home runs and 18 stolen bases to go with 64 RBIs. He spent three years in the military guarding the Panama Canal during World War II and playing baseball in local leagues. Moore suffered a knee injury after returning in 1946 and, while he was still great in the field, his hitting numbers declined. He retired after the 1948 season, finishing his 11-year career (1936-42 and 46-48) with a .280 average, 719 runs, 1,318 hits, 263 doubles, 80 home runs, 513 RBIs and 1,877 total bases in 1,298 games. The two-time champion was a coach with the Cardinals, a scout and manager with the Phillies, and he also owned bowling alleys and restaurants. Moore passed away in 1995 at age 82.

4. Ray Lankford – He took over at the position for a former MVP and spent 13 seasons in St. Louis (1990-2001 and ’04). Lankford had several key moments, especially early in his career. As a leadoff batter, he stole 44 bases, led the league with 15 triples and hit for the cycle, allowing him to finish third in the Rookie of the Year voting in 1991. The following year, he batted .293 with 20 home runs, 86 RBIs and 42 steals, and he set career highs with 175 hits and 40 doubles. Lankford hit the first home run of the 1994 season in the major leagues and topped 20 homers and 80 RBIs each of the next four years. He made his only All-Star team in 1997 after posting a.295-31-98 stat line and had arguably his best season the following year. Batting .293 with 31 homers and a career-best 105 RBIs.

Lankford moved to left field after having knee surgery following the 1998 season. He was traded to the Padres in 2001 but spent most of his time batting injury. Lankford missed the entire 2003 season with a hamstring injury and returned for one final campaign with the Cardinals the following year, ending his time in St. Louis ranked second in franchise history in strikeouts (1,449), fifth in home runs (228) and walks (780), eighth in stolen bases (250), ninth in runs (928) and tenth in doubles (339) and RBIs (829) to go with a .273 average, 1,479 hits, 52 triples and 2,606 total bases in 1,580 games. He also appeared in 14 postseason contests, totaling five runs, seven hits and five RBIs for a team that made it to the NLCS twice. Lankford did not appear in the playoffs during his final season in which the Cardinals reached the World Series. He was elected to the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2018.

3. Curt Flood – He originally signed with the Reds fresh out of high school in 1956 and had just four major-league at-bats over two seasons when he was traded to the Cardinals. Flood put up with racism with both clubs, even after being called up to St. Louis but began to thrive once the main culprit, Cardinals manager Solly Hemus, was fired in 1961. Over the next eight seasons, Flood earned three All-Star selections, batted over .300 five times and had at least 200 hits twice, including a league-leading 211 in 1964. He also was a solid playoff performer, amassing 11 runs, 19 hits, eight RBIs and three steals in 21 games while helping his team win two championships.

Flood was also a standout defensively, winning seven straight gold gloves. However, that did not stop the team from continuing its history of underpaying top players. Flood also had to deal with his brother’s poor decisions, which included holding up a liquor store, stealing a police car and igniting a chase through the streets of St. Louis. There was a disconnect between management and players throughout the 1969 season, and Flood was one of the team’s leaders (although his co-captain status was removed during the campaign). He was traded to the Phillies after the season but refused to report, instead initiating a lawsuit against Major League Baseball to challenge the reserve clause (which kept the owners in complete control of player movement).

Over his 12 seasons in St. Louis (1958-69), Flood batted .293 with 845 runs, 1,853 hits (tenth in franchise history), 271 doubles, 84 home runs, 633 RBIs and 2,464 total bases in 1,736 games (eighth). In addition to his gold gloves, he won two fielding titles and led the league in putouts four times and assists and double plays three times each. Flood missed the 1970 season and lost his case and two subsequent appeals, but his forcing of the issue led the way to an arbitration process which, in turn, eventually eliminated the reserve clause and created free agency. He signed with the Washington Senators but had not stayed in shape during his year off and appeared in just 13 games. Flood battled alcoholism over the next 20 years and lost his baseball career, as well as his photography studio in St. Louis. After he found sobriety, he created a foundation to help youths in foster care and those battling HIV/AIDS. Flood passed away from throat cancer in 1997, with Congress passing an act officially eliminating baseball’s antitrust exemption (which bears his name) the following year.

2. Willie McGee – He was drafted by the Yankees in 1977, was traded to the Cardinals in 1981 and made his major league debut early the following season. McGee was known for his speed and quick bat speed, and he used both to finish third in the Rookie of the Year voting. He was even better in the playoffs, totaling 10 runs, 10 hits, 10 RBIs and three home runs, including two in the victory over the Brewers in the World Series. After two more solid seasons, which included an All-Star selection and a gold glove, McGee had his best season in 1985. Batting behind Coleman, he posted 10 home runs and 82 RBIs, set career highs with 114 runs and 56 steals and led the league with a .353 average, 216 hits and 18 hits to win the MVP Award.

After returning from surgery to repair torn cartilage in his knee, McGee earned his third All-Star selection after batting .285 with 177 hits and a career-high 105 RBIs in 1987. He had 10 hits and four RBIs in the World Series, but the Cardinals fell to the Twins. McGee had another All-Star appearance the following year but faced and injury-riddled 1989 season. He was traded to Oakland late in the next year and played in his fourth World Series (and third loss in six years). After runs with San Francisco and Boston (which included missing nearly a year thanks to a torn Achilles tendon), McGee returned to St. Louis in 1996 and spent the final four years of his career as a pinch hitter and reserve outfielder with the Cardinals. He ended his 13-year tenure in St. Louis (1982-90 and 96-99) ranked sixth in stolen bases (301), seventh in triples (83) and tenth in games (1,661) to go with a .294 average, 760 runs, 1,683 hits, 255 doubles, 63 home runs, 678 RBIs and 2,293 total bases.

The four-time All-Star, three-time gold glove winner and 1985 silver slugger appeared in 45 postseason games with the Cardinals, totaling 23 runs, 48 hits, six doubles, four homers, 22 RBIs and five steals. Following his playing career, McGee gave back to youth sports and education causes in Northern California and was an instructor and outfield coach with the Cardinals. He was a fan selection as part of the team’s inaugural Hall of Fame class in 2014.

1. Jim Edmonds – The Southern California native got to play for his hometown team when he was selected by the Angeles in 1988. After five minor league seasons, Edmonds showed his power, making his first All-Star team after posting a .290-33-107 stat line and scoring 120 runs. He won two gold gloves during his time with Anaheim but missed half the 1999 season after undergoing surgery to fix a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Edmonds was traded to the Cardinals the following year, and he responded with arguably his best season. He batted .295 with 155 hits and 108 RBIs and set career highs with 120 runs a four home runs to finish fourth in the MVP voting.

“Jimmy Ballgame” continued his tremendous production over the next few years, earning three All-Star selections and hitting at least 25 home runs six times. He was also a dynamo in the field, winning six straight gold gloves and making highlight reel catches on a regular basis. Edmonds was particularly successful in the playoffs, totaling 32 runs, 61 hits, 15 doubles, 13 homers and 41 RBIs in 61 games, helping the Cardinals win two pennants and a World Series over the Tigers in 2006. His greatest moment may have been his home run in the 12th inning to beat the Astros in Game 6 of the 2004 NLCS. Edmonds was traded to the Padres before the 2008, spent time with the Cubs, Brewers and Reds over his final two seasons and also sat out in 2009 after not receiving an offer. He signed with the Cardinals in 2011 but could not overcome another Achilles injury and retired during spring training.

Over his eight seasons with St. Louis (2000-07), Edmonds ranks fourth in franchise history in home runs (241) and strikeouts (1,029), seventh in slugging percentage (.555) and ninth in walks (645) to go with a .285 average, 690 runs, 1,033 hits, 234 doubles, 713 RBIs and 2,012 total bases in 1,105 games. Following his playing career, he ran three restaurants and has been a color commentator and studio analyst for St. Louis games since 2013. Edmonds was named to the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2014 but fell off the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot after one year in 2016.

Right Fielders

Honorable Mentions – Steve Evans was a productive player during his five seasons in St. Louis (1909-13), but he was best known for reaching base by getting hit with a pitch. He led the league in the category three straight years, including 31 in 1910, a record that stood for more than half a century. The following season, he batted .294 with 161 hits and 71 RBIs, one of three years he reached that mark with the Cardinals. Although he was a prankster, one thing he did not find funny was his salary, so he left and played two seasons with the short-lived Federal League. When the circuit folded before the 1916 season, he played two years in the minor leagues, then worked as a supervisor for the State of Ohio until his death in 1943 at age 58.

Wally Moon was named Rookie of the Year with the Cardinals after batting .304 with 12 home runs, 76 RBIs and career-high totals of 106 runs, 193 hits and 18 stolen bases in 1954. However, had the misfortune of following a traded legend at this position, and fans took out their displeasure on the young player. Moon remained a solid performer throughout his five-year run with St. Louis (1954-58), earning his first All-Star selection in 1957 when he batted .295 with 73 RBIs and a personal-best 24 home runs. He suffered an elbow injury when he collided with Joe Cunningham trying to catch a fly ball, missed time and was traded to the Dodgers after the season. Moon had three straight solid seasons and won three titles with Los Angeles, earning two more All-Star selections and a gold glove before he was the odd man out of a talented Dodger outfield. Moon was a coach and vice president with John Brown University in Arkansas for more than a decade, and he was the hitting coach for the expansion Padres in 1969, owned a minor league team in San Antonio, worked in real estate and was a minor league coach with the Yankees and Orioles. He passed away in 2018 at age 87.

Mike Shannon signed with the Cardinals in 1958 and made his debut four years later. He earned his “Moonman” nickname while dodging a pitch thrown behind him. Shannon was supposed to replace Musial in left field but instead became a regular in right thanks to his strong throwing arm. He would spend the next three years at the position, setting career highs with a .288 average and 15 home runs and earning a fielding title in 1966. Shannon moved to third base and appeared in the World Series in each of the next two years. Despite several trade rumors, he was still with the team in 1970 when a team physical revealed he had a condition that kept his kidneys from filtering waste properly. Shannon played just 55 games and missed the following season before retiring to become the team’s radio and television color commentator and later play-by-play announcer, spending the next 50 years in the broadcast booth. He had 313 runs, 710 hits and 367 RBIs in 882 regular season games and added 12 runs, 19 hits, three homers and eight RBIs in 21 postseason contests. Shannon passed away in 2023 at age 83.

Although he might not be the best known of the group, Brian Jordan is one of just seven players who have played in the NFL and reached the major leagues in baseball since 1970. He attended Richmond so he could play both sports and was selected by the Cardinals (first round in 1988) and the NFL’s Buffalo Bills (seventh round in 1989). Jordan was a reserve for most of his first three major league seasons before becoming a starter in 1995. He played three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons but signed a baseball contract with St. Louis that would keep him off the football field for good. Jordan drove in 104 runs and batted .310 in 1995 and was the beneficiary of hitting behind Mark McGwire during his chase of the home run record three years later, amassing 91 RBIs and setting career highs with a .316 average, 100 runs, 178 hits and 25 homers. He faced injuries throughout his career, including a bulging disc in his back that kept him out most of the 1997 season and shoulder and knee surgeries following his time in St. Louis.

Jordan batted .291 with 343 runs, 671 hits, 122 doubles, 84 home runs, 367 RBIs and 1,093 total bases in 643 games. He appeared in 10 contests during the 1996 postseason with St. Louis, totaling seven runs, 10 hits, two homers and five RBIs. Jordan signed with the Braves in 1999 and made his only All-Star team in his first season with Atlanta. He also appeared with the Dodgers and Rangers before retiring in 2006 following a second stint with Atlanta. Jordan became a game analyst for Fox Sports and ESPN following his playing career and also started his own foundation to help children improve their quality of life, especially in the area of literacy.

Carlos Beltran was one of the most popular and productive players over a 20-year career, earning nine All-Star selections, winning three gold gloves and two silver sluggers and hitting 435 home runs and driving in 1,587 runs in total. After solid runs with the Royals and Mets and brief stints with the Astros and Giants, he signed with the Cardinals for the 2012 season. Beltran had a memorable moment against his former team, hitting what looked to be a double in an early June game that was ruled a foul ball. In the end, no St. Louis players got a hit off Johan Santana, who pitched the first no-hitter in Mets history. Beltran was a two-time All-Star and helped the Cardinals reach the playoffs in each of his two seasons with the team. He finished with 14 runs, 30 hits, nine doubles, five home runs and 21 RBIs in 29 postseason contests and had five hits in a loss to the Red Sox in the 2013 World Series. Beltran was a fielding champion and won the Roberto Clemente Award. He played with the Yankees and Rangers and had a second stint with the Astros, winning his only title in his final season in 2017. Beltran worked for the Yankees in the YES Network studios and the front office and was going to be Mets manager until the Astros’ sign stealing scandal cost him the job (and hurt his Baseball Hall of Fame chances). He was brought back to the Mets’ front office in 2023.

5. Joe Cunningham – The New Jersey native was a fan of the Yankees growing up but signed with the Cardinals in 1949. Cunningham spent three years in the minor leagues and two more with the Army during the Korean War before making his St. Louis debut in 1954. Despite hitting three home runs and driving in eight runs in his first two games, he was bumped out by Musial at first base and spent most of the next two seasons in the minors. Cunningham converted to the outfield in 1959 and played in both All-Star games after setting career highs with a .345 average, 158 hits and a .453 on-base percentage, which led the league.

“Smokey Joe” spent his final three seasons with the Cardinals in right field but moved back to his natural position after being traded to the White Sox before the 1962 season. He played seven seasons with St. Louis (1954 and 56-61), ranks seventh in franchise history in on-base percentage (.413) and batted .304 with 345 runs, 664 hits, 113 doubles, 52 homers and 298 RBIs in 738 games. Cunningham spent time with Chicago and Washington, retiring after playing just three games with the Senators in 1966. He used the hustle and friendly nature that made him popular as a player to enter the Cardinals’ front office as Director of Sales. Cunningham also was a coach during the 1982 championship season and a Community Relations Director. He passed away in 2021 at age 89.

4. Tommy McCarthy – The son of Irish immigrants grew up in Boston and converted from pitcher to outfield when he made his debut with the local team the Reds in the Union Association in 1884. After stints with National League teams in Boston and Philadelphia, he joined the Browns during their time in the American Association. McCarthy made an immediate impact with his new club in St. Louis, amassing at least 100 runs, 60 RBIs and 35 stolen bases in each of his four seasons with the team (1888-91). He stole a career-high 93 bases in his first season with the Browns and had his best campaign two years later, when he set career highs with a .350 average, 137 runs and 192 hits and led the league with 83 steals. McCarthy was also fantastic in the field, leading the league with 42 outfield assists in his first season and topping the A. A. in double plays twice.

McCarthy also had two stints as the team’s skipper during a volatile 1890 season in which the team finished in third place despite employing five different managers. The following year brought the end of the American Association and the end of McCarthy’s time in St. Louis. He finished his stint batting .306 with 504 runs, 684 hits, 292 RBIs and 270 steals (seventh in franchise history) in 538 games. He also appeared in the 1888 World’s Series, totaling 10 runs, 10 hits, one home run, nine RBIs and six steals in a loss to the Giants. McCarthy returned to Boston, where he spent four years as part of the “Heavenly Twins” outfield with Hugh Duffy for the team that would later be known as the Braves. He finished his career with one disappointing season with the Brooklyn Bridgegrooms (later Dodgers) in 1896. McCarthy later coached at Holy Cross and Dartmouth, ran a tavern in Boston and was a scout for the Reds, Red Sox and Braves. He passed away due to stomach cancer in 1922 at age 59 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Old Timers Committee in 1946.

3. George Hendrick – He was taken by the Athletics with the first overall pick of the 1968 draft and, after two brief callups, was traded to the Indians in 1973. Hendrick earned two All-Star selections in Cleveland and had a stint in San Diego before finding his hitting stroke following a 1978 trade to St. Louis. He was a solid contact hitter during his seven seasons with the Cardinals (1978-84), driving in at least 60 runs every year, batting .300 or better three times and averaging 17 home runs in that span. Hendrick had his best season in 1980, when he earned an All-Star selection and a silver slugger after batting .302 with 73 runs and setting career highs with 173 hits, 25 homers and 109 runs batted in.

“Silent George” drove in 104 runs two years later, helping the Cardinals reach the World Series. Against the Brewers, Hendrick had five runs, nine hits and five RBIs in the victory, and he drove in the go-ahead run in Game 7. He ended his time in St. Louis with a .294 average, 457 runs, 978 hits, 187 doubles, 122 home runs, 582 RBIs and 1,563 total bases in 893 games. Hendrick played briefly with the Pirates and ended his career with the Angels, spending parts of four seasons in Southern California before retiring in 1988. He was a minor league manager with the Padres and coached with the Cardinals, Dodgers and Angels. Hendrick spent nearly a decade as the first base coach with the Rays and served as the team’s Special Advisor of Baseball Operations.

2. Stan “The Man” Musial – He was dominant during a 22-year career spent entirely with the Cardinals, no matter what position he played. In Musial’s first season as a right fielder in 1943, he earned his first All-Star selection and was named MVP after leading the league with a .357 average, 220 hits, 48 doubles, 20 triples, a .425 on-base percentage, a .562 slugging percentage and 347 total bases. After another stellar season, he spent 1945 in the Navy at the end of World War II and moved to first base upon his return. Musial spent two more years in right at the end of the decade, winning his second MVP Award at the position and third overall in 1948 after leading the league with a .376 average, 230 hits, 135 runs, 131 RBIs, a .450 on-base percentage, a .702 slugging percentage and 429 total bases (all career highs), as well as 46 doubles and 18 triples and hitting a personal-best 39 home runs.

“The Man” was the runner-up the following year and, after stints at first base and the other outfield positions, he played one final season in right in 1953, leading the league with 120 runs and 41 doubles to go with a .330-35-126 stat line. At the position, Musial batted .350 with 603 runs, 1,049 hits, 227 doubles, 76 triples, 135 homers, 655 RBIs and 1,829 total bases in 768 games. He also made back-to-back World Series appearances in 1943-44, totaling four runs and 12 hits in 11 games. Musial was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969 and passed away in 2013 at age 92.=

1. Enos Slaughter – He was one of the greatest run producers in team history, and he became a fan favorite during his 13 seasons in St. Louis (1938-42 and 46-53). Slaughter was born in North Carolina and improved his strength and wrist coordination by working on his family’s farm. He signed with the Cardinals in 1935 and joined the team three years later. Slaughter quickly became a talented hitter, leading the league with 52 doubles and setting career highs with a .320 average and 193 hits in 1939. He later earned two All-Star selections and finished as the MVP runner-up in 1942, following a season in which he batted .318, scored 100 runs and led the league with 188 hits, 17 tripes and 292 total bases. Following a win against the Yankees in the World Series, Slaughter spent the next three year in the Air Force during World War II.

Unlike many players who went into the military, “Country” performed up to his pre-war standards upon his return. He finished third in the MVP voting in 1946 after totaling 100 runs and 183 hits, a career-high 18 home runs and a league-leading and personal-best 130 RBI. In addition, to the production, he was one of the most durable players of his era, routinely playing through injuries, including a broken collarbone. Slaughter had a career-defining moment in the World Series, giving the Cardinals a title victory against the Red Sox by scoring from first on a bloop single in the eighth inning of Game 7 in a play that became known as the “Mad Dash.” After three seasons in left field, he returned to right in 1950 and spent his final four years with the Cardinals at the position.

Overall, Slaughter ranks third in franchise history in triples (135) and RBIs (1,148), fourth in walks (838), fifth in games (1,828), runs (1,071) and total bases (3,138), sixth in hits (2,064) and seventh in doubles (366) to go with a .305 average and 146 home runs. He totaled eight runs, 13 hits, two homers and four RBIs in 12 playoff games to help the Cardinals win two titles. Following a trade to the Yankees (which caused him to cry in front of his locker), the 10-time All-Star was a part of two more championship teams. He also spent time with the Kansas City Athletics and finished his career by playing 11 games with the Milwaukee Braves in 1959. Slaughter was a minor league coach for two years and spent seven years coaching at Duke. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1985 and passed away in 2002 at age 86.