Oct 8, 2022; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina (4) walks off the field after hitting a single for his final postseason at bat in the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during game two of the Wild Card series for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Two Cardinals Legends Who Could Follow Yadier Molina Home

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Curt Bishop | Last updated Jan 21, 2026 7:00 PM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals announced some very exciting news on Wednesday about a franchise legend. Two-time World Series champion and 10-time All-Star Yadier Molina is officially returning to the organization as a special advisor to Chaim Bloom.

Molina had many big moments in a Cardinals uniform and even returned as a guest coach last season for a few series. But now, he's officially part of the Cardinals' organization again.

While there's no indication any Cardinals legends are following him back to St. Louis, there are a few that would make sense as the Cardinals embark on their rebuild and focus on the future.

Jim Edmonds

Scott Rovak-Imagn Images

Edmonds and Molina were teammates from 2004-07. They went to the World Series in 2004 and 2006, winning their 10th championship the second time around.

The former Gold Glove outfielder and Cardinals Hall of Famer recently served as a color analyst on the broadcast team. But now that he is no longer a broadcaster, he could be of use to the Cardinals.

"Jimmy Ballgame" was one of the clubhouse leaders for the Cardinals during the mid-2000s and had some pretty memorable moments in his own right, including a walk-off home run in Game 6 of the '04 NLCS and a spectacular diving catch the next night in Game 7.

The young outfielders could benefit from his knowledge and experience playing center field, and could also learn a thing or two about becoming clubhouse leaders. He was a fan favorite in St. Louis and still is to this day, so it would be easy to get behind this.

David Freese

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David Freese may not have been a household name at first, but he forever made his mark in the 2011 postseason with two season-saving hits in Game 6 of the World Series. He was the NLCS and World Series MVP that fall.

He also was a guest coach last year in spring training, and much like Molina, he was drafted and developed by the organization. He could teach the younger players a lot about handling the pressure of big moments early in their careers.

Freese would be a popular pick, as he is a St. Louis native, which made 2011 all the more special. It would be more than just sentimental value, as he too was teammates with Molina and learned a lot from veteran players in his younger days.

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

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