Cardinals have much bigger long-term problems than Oli Marmol and John Mozeliak

Frankly, since the All-Star break and, more acutely, since the trade deadline, St. Louis Cardinals fans have had reason to be unhappy with both manager Oli Marmol and President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak. Even after a win over the Royals on Friday night, the Cards have gone a mediocre 5-5 in their last 10 games, a mediocre trend that continues to keep them 1.5 games out of the final wild-card spot in the National League.

Marmol’s decision-making in the locker room has been under fire over the past two seasons. His lineup decisions, plays, and so on have all been questioned. That pales in comparison to Mozeliak, who many Cardinals fans have questioned in relation to free agency transfers (or lack thereof), some of the organization’s trades, and often his lack of vision.

That last part, however, might be the most important at this point. Because while Cardinals fans look for scapegoats for all of their problems, the truth is that their biggest long-term problem is actually taking shape on the farm.

Baseball America ($) recently released its updated farm system rankings, and the Cardinals have fallen into the bottom third of the league with their 21st-ranked system, albeit just barely. That’s not a steep drop from earlier this year, as St. Louis was only 20th in the preseason rankings. To Mozeliak’s credit, he clearly made a point of signing players like Tommy Pham and others at the trade deadline without giving up top-tier talent in the system.

The big concern, however, is that the Cardinals have seen a decline in their farm system in recent years. Entering the 2023 season, the organization’s minor league talent was ranked the ninth best in baseball by Baseball America.

Some will argue that the club has some young talent that it brought to the major leagues, guys like Victor Scott II, Alec Burleson, and others. At the same time, it would be ideal if St. Louis did this and still had the ability to replenish with draft picks, trades, etc.

What is most concerning about these Redbirds farm system rankings is the state of this roster. While there are young players with potential, the team is also carried by aging veterans like Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson, and so on. It is a group that could desperately use some youth movement.

There are certainly reinforcements to be had, with young talents like Tink Therefore and even Jordan Walker still capturing fans’ imaginations for the future, but at the same time, they don’t have the depth of talent to make those moves through a big transfer. And The reinforcements are still coming.

How Mozeliak chooses to handle this going forward will be another turning point for the Cardinals’ future. And while he’s the focus of criticism, how the farm system develops these talents and prepares them for the next step – and how depth is addressed – is key.