The St. Louis Cardinals are reportedly making some significant changes to their front office. Katie Woo of The Athletic details that Chaim Bloom will take on a larger role in the front office. He will be tasked with hiring a new director of player development and overhauling that department.
“Chaim Bloom, who helped shape the Tampa Bay Rays into a player development powerhouse before enduring a turbulent stint as chief baseball officer of the Boston Red Sox, joined the Cardinals earlier this year as a consult to audit the club’s minor-league operations,” Woo wrote. “Bloom has since joined the front office full-time. He will be charged with making changes in the Cardinals’ farm system based on his findings.”
It’s yet to be determined what title Bloom, but Woo spoke with multiple Cardinals staffers regarding the situation in their player development system. The Cardinals’ player development was one of the best in baseball until it was slowly neglected over time.
Chaim Bloom Will Take on a Significant Role in the Cardinals’ Front Office
The Cardinals will miss the postseason for the second consecutive year and appear ready to revive their farm system. However, Woo added that there are no plans for tanking, based on people briefed on the Cardinals’ plans saying the organization is preparing to shift its focus on upgrading the minor leagues and player development. St. Louis was one of the first teams to incorporate advanced analytics into their amateur draft model.
From 2005-2010, the Cardinals became good at using analytics to scout and identify talent. They refined their drafting and development process, targeting young undervalued players who didn’t appear on top-100 prospects lists. It did, however, help draft college players who usually develop in the minors faster than high schoolers. It was a key impact to the Cardinals winning the 2011 World Series.
The development practices that were once full of promise have now turned into failure. Players such as Jordan Walker, Nolan Gorman, Matthew Liberatore, and Dylan Carlson have not found success at the big-league level.
Other Changes Coming
The future of John Mozeliak with the club has been the subject of recent rumors. Mozeliak is under contract until the end of the 2025 season, but he has hinted that he will likely step down once the contract expires. According to Woo, manager Oliver Marmol is expected to remain with the team. However, hitting coaches Turner Ward and Brandon Allen, game-planning coach Packy Elkins, assistant pitching coach Julio Rangel, and first base coach Stubby Clapp are all only signed through this season. Major changes are on the horizon, and Monday’s press conference will reveal the next steps for the Cardinals.
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