Yadier Molina Returns To Cardinals Special Assistant to John Mozeliak

From Brian Bartow/St.Louis Cardinals media relations

NASHVILLE – The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that they have named franchise icon and former Redbirds catcher Yadier Molina to the position of Special Assistant to President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak.

“We are excited to welcome Yadi back to the St. Louis Cardinals,” said Mozeliak.  “He will provide invaluable help at the major league level, as well as spend time with our minor league teams in his new role with the team.”

Molina, 41, a nine-time Rawlings Gold Glove award winner, four-time Platinum Glove winner and 10-time National League All-Star, played every game of his career (2004-22) in a Cardinals uniform, totaling 2,224 games over 19 Major League seasons.  His 2,184 career games behind the plate are the most of any catcher for just one team.  Molina retired as an active player following the 2022 season.

Molina’s 19 seasons, played solely for the Cardinals, trail only Stan Musial’s record 22 seasons.  He and Adam Wainwright paired up for a Major League record 328 starts as battery mates. 

Molina helped lead the Cardinals to the World Series four times (2004, 2006, 2011, 2013) and World Series Championships in 2006 and 2011.  Yadier is the Cardinals all-time postseason leader in both games played (104) and hits (102), and played in more postseasons than any other Cardinal in franchise history with 13.

During the span of Yadier’s playing career, since his debut on June 3, 2004, the Cardinals played a total of 2,921 games.  Remarkably, they were mathematically eliminated from postseason contention in just 24 of those games.

Molina has recently served in the role of manager for Puerto Rico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic and for Navegantes del Magallanes of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League in 2022.

Yadier was the recipient of the 2018 Roberto Clemente Award, Major League Baseball’s highest community service-based honor.  Molina was also voted the 2015 Darryl Kile Award recipient by his teammates.

Molina was drafted by the Cardinals in the 4th round (113th overall selection) of the 2000 Major League Baseball draft out of Bayamon, Puerto Rico.