What Yadier Molina's return means to Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals got good news on Wednesday when it was announced that future Hall of Fame catcher Yadier Molina would be returning to the organization as a special assistant to president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom. 

Molina played his entire 19-year career with St. Louis from 2004-22, winning two World Series, nine Gold Gloves, four Platinum Gloves, a Silver Slugger Award and the Roberto Clemente Award. He was also a 10-time All-Star.

“We are happy to welcome Yadi back to the Cardinals organization,” Bloom said. “He is an elite competitor, a consistent winner, and one of the greatest ever at his position, and we look forward to many contributions during his visits with us in this new role, both in and out of uniform."

Molina's duties will include some coaching with the major league staff. He'll also work with the Cardinals catchers throughout the organization as they continue to prioritize player development.

Breaking down Yadier Molina's Cardinals return

This is certainly good news for the Cardinals. They have always been an organization rooted in winning traditions, and Molina was a big part of that throughout his legendary career.

The 43-year-old returned twice as a guest coach in 2025, but it appears that he will be back more frequently in 2026, which gives the organization a major boost, especially in the midst of a rebuild.

Molina had more than his fair share of legendary moments in a Cardinals uniform, with the biggest one being his clutch home run in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS. He also had a knack for throwing out potential base stealers.

His expertise as a catcher and a veteran leader in the clubhouse will serve the Cardinals well. Having a legend around should boost the morale of the club, but also allow the younger players, specifically the catchers, to develop the right way.

Molina can also be of use to the young pitchers on the staff, who can learn a lot from one of the game's all-time greats, especially when it comes to dealing with pressure and having a good game plan with the catchers on the team.

It might be a tough year for the Cardinals in 2026 now that some key veterans are gone, but having Molina back is a net positive for a team trying to rebuild and return to where they once were several years ago.

Molina was a big part of that, and his knowledge and experience are going to help the Cardinals out tremendously this year.