ATLANTA – The 95th MLB All Star Game is set for Tuesday at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, showcasing some of the game’s brightest stars.
This year, the St. Louis Cardinals will be represented by just one player: Brendan Donovan, who earned the nod with a strong first half featuring a .297 batting average, 102 hits and 52 runs scored while patrolling multiple fielding positions.
As is tradition, every MLB team sends at least one player to the Midsummer Classic, even if their season hasn’t gone according to plan. Inevitably, that can sometimes lead to unexpected selections, especially struggling teams in need of a representative, to fill an All-Star roster.
The Cardinals have had their share of surprise All-Stars over the years, players that might not be top of mind when fans think back. And in some years, they weren’t even the team’s only selection.
With the Midsummer Classic just hours away, FOX 2 looks back at 10 Cardinals you may not have remembered were once All-Stars.
Alex Reyes
2021, One of three Cardinals selections
Once a top prospect with hopes of becoming a long-term rotation piece, Reyes was tapped as the Cardinals’ closer coming out of the pandemic-shortened season. He impressed early with a 1.52 ERA, 20 saves, and 54 strikeouts over 41.1 innings through break. Reyes’ first-half momentum was derailed by inconsistency later that year, and he lost his closer job in August. He hasn’t pitched in the majors since the 2021 season, largely sidelined by injuries, though the selection was a memorable flash of his long-hyped potential.
Aledmys Diaz
2016, One of two Cardinals selections
Diaz, a shortstop by trait and an international prospect signed out of Cuba, was a surprise early-season roster addition, stepping in after injuries and delivering a stellar rookie campaign. He hit .315 with 13 homers and 48 RBIs before the break, ultimately finishing 5th in NL Rookie of the Year voting with a .300 batting average. After a sophomore slump and the rise of Paul DeJong, the Cardinals traded Diaz after the 2017 season.
Pat Neshek
2014, One of four Cardinals selections
Neshek went from a minor-league spring training invite to a surprise Opening Day bullpen piece to an All-Star all in a matter of months. A veteran at the time, Neshek refined his sidearm delivery and baffled hitters with a renewed fastball approach, a welcomed change of pace to the Cardinals bullpen. Neshek had a 0.70 ERA with 38.1 innings pitched through the All-Star break and remained steady for much of the second half, but 2014 would ultimately be his only season in St. Louis.
Ryan Franklin
2009, One of three Cardinals selections
Franklin, who burst onto the MLB scene as a starter with Seattle win the early 2000s, reinvented himself as a reliable late-inning reliever in St. Louis. By 2009, he locked down the closer role, riding a dominant first half with a 0.79 ERA and 21 saves into the break. Franklin held the closing duties through the early 2011 campaign, where he struggled early and often before he was released midway through the season, a tough decision made leading up to the Cardinals’ last World Series title.
Ryan Ludwick
2008, One of two Cardinals selections
Ludwick found his big-league footing with the Cardinals after bouncing around several organizations. He earned a starting role in and after 2007, largely due to necessity with injuries and a thin prospect pool. His 2008 breakout included a .289 batting average, 21 homers and 65 RBI entering the break, powering his way to an NL outfield reserve spot. Ludwick was productive in two more seasons with St. Louis before being traded in a 2010 three-team deal that brought Jake Westbrook to the Cardinals.
Tom Pagnozzi
1992, One of four Cardinals selections
Pagnozzi was known for steady defense and team-first mindset more than the flashy stats, though he earned his lone All-Star selection in 1992. That season, he hit .272 with seven home runs and 44 RBI, good enough for a reserve spot as a catcher. All told, Pagnozzi earned three Gold Glove awards over lengthy 12-year career, and never played for another team besides the Cardinals. He retired in 1998.
Felix Jose
1991, One of three Cardinals selections
Jose joined the Cardinals after a World Series title with the Athletics in 1989, made an impact in St. Louis, though somewhat short-lived. The outfielder finished with a .305 batting average, 8 home runs and 77 RBI in his lone All-Star campaign, benefited by extended runaway in the outfield for a Cardinals team in transition. Jose played for five teams and hung around through the 2003 season, though he was mostly a bench player after his days as a Cardinal.
Ken Reitz
1980, One of three Cardinals selections
Reitz, a two-time Cardinal across eight seasons, was known for his glove at third base, though his bat was oftentimes modest at best. He turned in one of his better offensive seasons in 1980 with .270 batting average with eight home runs and 58 RBI, good enough for an NL All-Star starting nod at the hot corner. Reitz retired two seasons later with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Bake McBride
1976, Only Cardinals selection
McBride, a Fulton, Missouri native and former college track athlete, worked his way to the majors with his speed and sharp eye, emerging as one of the Cardinals’ top contact hitters of the 1970s. The outfielder had a strong start to the 1976 season, hitting .335 at the season’s end, though was ultimately limited to 72 games due to injuries. A popular clubhouse figure, McBride was traded to the Phillies midway through the 1977 season as the Cardinals embraced a rebuild.
Rick Wise
1973, One of three Cardinals All Stars
Best remembered as the return piece in the infamous Steve Carlton trade, Wise had a solid, but short-lived run in St. Louis. In 1973, he won 16 games with a 3.37 ERA over 259 innings, narrowly missing a no-hitter at one point. Though his time with the Cardinals will always be overshadowed by Carlton’s Hall of Fame career in Philadelphia (four Cy Young awards), Wise made sense for the Cardinals when they had him, but was traded after just two seasons.
Programming Note: The MLB All Star Game will air on FOX 2 on Tuesday with coverage beginning at 6 p.m. CT.