Sep 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of the hat and glove of St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (not pictured) before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Cardinals Legend Gets Hall Of Fame Endorsement

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Aug 11, 2025 7:00 PM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals were fortunate to have one of the very best catchers in Major League Baseball in recent memory.

St. Louis dominated the National League for years throughout the 2000s so far and luckily never had to worry about the catcher position. That’s because St. Louis had Yadier Molina behind the plate for 19 years. He began his big league career in 2004 and was with the Cardinals all the way through the 2022 season.

The Cardinals were fortunate to have him and Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz thinks there’s more glory coming his way, as transcribed by Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Will the Cardinals legend find his place in baseball's most exclusive club?

Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

"There (is) hyperbole around a lot of different people when you say, ‘Oh man, he’s the best this or this guy is the best defensive catcher,’” Smoltz said as transcribed by Goold. “I got a chance to throw to him and I got the answer really quick. He’s the best. … Everyone kept saying for the longest time, ‘Well, you can’t make the Hall of Fame as just a defensive catcher.’ Well, I’m here to tell you he’s going to be in the Hall of Fame, and he wasn’t just a defensive catcher...

"The presentation (framing) at the plate, I would argue that he was the best all time. The one thing you knew, first of all, he could watch film forever. He was totally prepared. Every pitch was pretty much called with a purpose. He understood the game and watched hitters, understood hitting, and he exposed it. He was the threat. You talk about a (defensive back) in football where he takes away the left side of the field for a quarterback. Quarterback won’t even look over there. He took away the running game. He sat behind the plate with a presence that affected the other team and their strategy. There were things that other teams knew they couldn’t do when they came to play the St. Louis Cardinals.”

The Cardinals were lucky to have Molina and he's made headlines recently because he was back with the team coaching throughout the weekend. He was a superstar throughout his time in St. Louis and there's certainly more history coming his way over the next few years. Smoltz absolutely is right about that.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: