ST. LOUIS — John Mozeliak, the longtime president of baseball operations for the St. Louis Cardinals, officially stepped away from the role, holding one final press conference Monday. He’s closing the book on a 30-year tenure with the organization that included a World Series title and 10 postseason appearances.
Mozeliak, 56, spent 18 years overseeing the Cardinals’ front office, guiding the club to two National League pennants and the 2011 World Series championship. Before the press conference, he was praised by team owner Bill DeWitt Jr., who said Mozeliak’s leadership produced the “most long-term positive impact on our team” and assured that he “will always be welcome at Busch Stadium.”
During the press conference, Mozeliak thanked his family, colleagues and players he worked with across three decades. He singled out longtime staffers, scouts, coaches and members of the front office by name, and even gratitude to the media, for what he described as often-challenging but respectful relationships.
“I love this job, but I also knew it was time for a change,” Mozeliak said. “The drumbeat was getting louder- candidly real loud for a new voice, and I heard it. Having a fresh voice, fresh perspective, new ideas will be healthy for the St. Louis Cardinals.”
The outgoing executive acknowledged recent struggles, with the club missing the postseason in back-to-back seasons, but expressed optimism about the organization’s farm system and international scouting efforts. He pointed to recent drafts as evidence that there is hope for the future.
“There are a lot more highs than lows, and I look back at these last 18 years with great pride,” Mozeliak said. “Are we 100% perfect? No. We made mistakes. We recognize that. If you’re not making mistakes, you might not be trying.”
Mozeliak also spoke about the shifting economics of baseball, noting that smaller-market clubs such as St. Louis have to continue to innovate in order to compete with the bigger market teams.
He reflected on the franchise’s reliance on homegrown talent, or “the Cardinal way” as well as eras defined by Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, Matt Holliday, Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, while remembering the loss of top prospect Oscar Taveras in 2014 as a pivotal blow.
As for what comes next, Mozeliak said he has no immediate plans other than to catch his breath and step away.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to do this in this great city of St. Louis,” he said. “It is a baseball city. It is my home, and I think the future for the city and this team is bright.”
The Cardinals will now move forward under new leadership, with Chaim Bloom and general manager Michael Girsch expected to guide baseball operations in the coming years.