The Cardinals may indeed have an attractive reward within their grasp this season
There has been some confusion surrounding the St. Louis Cardinals' eligibility for the 2026 MLB Draft lottery, but recent reporting has cleared up the matter. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch confirmed that the Cardinals are indeed eligible for the lottery, provided they do not make the playoffs in 2026.
The key distinction is that the draft lottery only applies to top six picks, and the Cardinals' seventh overall pick in 2024, which selected JJ Wetherholt, did not count as a lottery pick. The Cardinals did receive a lottery pick (fifth overall) in the 2025 MLB Draft, when they drafted Liam Doyle.
The Cardinals' eligibility for the 2026 draft lottery is not affected by their past top ten picks in the previous drafts. Despite receiving revenue sharing until this year, the Cardinals are still eligible for the top ten selection in the 2026 MLB Draft, due to not having two top six selections in a row.
The 2026 MLB Draft is expected to be a loaded class with a lot of top-end talent. With the Cardinals' current poor performance, they could potentially secure another top-five selection or at least one in the top ten picks for the 2026 MLB Draft. As of now, the Cardinals have around the 13th or 14th best lottery odds for the 2026 MLB Draft.
In conclusion, the St. Louis Cardinals are eligible for the 2026 MLB Draft lottery, and their chances of securing a top pick in the draft are looking promising. Fans can keep an eye on the Cardinals' performance in the coming months to see how their lottery odds might improve.
[1] Goold, Derrick. "St. Louis Cardinals eligible for 2026 MLB Draft lottery." St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 15 September 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/cardinals/st-louis-cardinals-eligible-for-2026-mlb-draft-lottery/article_55f0d51a-6e08-5b11-a5b2-4780b80a7994.html
[2] Goold, Derrick. "Cardinals eligible for 2026 MLB Draft lottery, despite previous reports." St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 15 September 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/cardinals/cardinals-eligible-for-2026-mlb-draft-lottery-despite-previous-reports/article_7d05f458-8c4f-566d-8f0d-5f358a8b2b3a.html
