The St. Louis Cardinals are currently in a slump, having lost seven of their last nine games. But even before the team’s recent struggles, shortstop was dealing with his own challenges at the plate. Though widely seen as a rising star, questions are starting to emerge about his long-term role with the franchise.
In his latest 2025 MLB mock draft, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel added to that speculation by projecting the Cardinals to select elite star with the No. 5 overall pick. Parker, a standout high schooler from Mississippi, is regarded by some scouts as the best pure hitter in his class. However, there’s an interesting wrinkle—like veteran star, he plays shortstop.
This year’s draft class is loaded with shortstop talent—eight of the top 13 prospects play the position, including four projected to go between picks 5 and 10. With that in mind, it would be unwise for the Cardinals, who have one of the more lackluster farm systems in the league, to draft based strictly on positional need rather than overall talent. Still, that likely offers little comfort to Masyn Winn, who now faces the potential arrival of a highly regarded competitor at his position.
Masyn Winn is struggling mightily at the plate this month, slashing just .203/.239/.250 with a troubling .489 OPS over 64 June at-bats. He has yet to hit a home run and has more strikeouts (5) than RBIs (3) during this stretch. Though it’s a relatively small sample size—just 14 games—the drop-off is stark when compared to his performance in May, when he posted a solid .289/.358/.443 line with an .801 OPS.
Given the contrast, it’s fair to wonder if the Cardinals might be reconsidering their long-term plans. While making a move this early may seem hasty, the projected selection of JoJo Parker in the upcoming draft suggests it’s at least a possibility the team is entertaining.
Why would the Cardinals pick JoJo Parker when they have Masyn Winn?
If the Cardinals call JoJo Parker’s name on July 13, it will be more about his elite talent than Masyn Winn’s recent struggles. Parker, along with his twin brother Jacob, is considered one of Mississippi’s top high school position prospects, per MLB.com.
A dominant force at the plate, Parker earned 2024–25 Gatorade Mississippi Baseball Player of the Year honors after hitting an eye-popping .489 with 13 home runs, 35 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases. He also led Purvis High to the Class 4A state title game, where they ultimately came up short against West Lauderdale.
But Parker’s impact isn’t limited to his bat—he’s also a standout on the mound. The two-way star went 8–2 with a 2.77 ERA and 89 strikeouts over 55.2 innings, demonstrating a live arm and the kind of all-around athleticism that makes him one of the most exciting prospects in the 2025 draft.