Last season, Albert Pujols played out his final season along with his St. Louis Cardinals teammate in Yadier Molina.
Pujols’ legacy lives on in baseball and Cardinals history.
But on this day back in 1999, the Cardinals pulled off one of the biggest steals in recent MLB history.
The rounds went by, and Pujols was continually passed on until the 13th round.
That’s when the Cardinals swooped in and gave him a chance.
Two years later, he made his MLB debut and became one of the best players the game had ever seen.
On Twitter, Bally Sports Midwest, the TV home of the Cardinals, celebrated this special anniversary.
Safe to say this was a steal? #STLCards pic.twitter.com/1T1EXX2AUn
— Bally Sports Midwest (@BallySportsMW) June 2, 2023
It’s safe to say that this turned out to be one of the biggest steals of all time.
No team had any interest in picking Pujols, but the Cardinals gave him a chance to prove himself.
He earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2001, won three National League MVPs, two Gold Gloves, a batting title, and six Silver Slugger Awards.
Pujols was also on hand for the Cardinals’ World Series championship runs in 2006 and 2011.
The veteran slugger was a proven postseason performer as well, having won the NLCS MVP trophy in 2004 and hitting three home runs in Game 3 of the 2011 World Series.
Pujols joined the Los Angeles Angels in 2012 and made a brief stop with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2021 before returning to St. Louis to play out his final season along with Molina and Adam Wainwright.
Things could have played out much differently, but the Cardinals ultimately made a savvy move by drafting Pujols, and it paid dividends.
NEXT: The Cardinals Make A Decision For Their Top Prospect
