The St. Louis Cardinals are collectively in a slump, having lost seven of their last nine games. On an individual level, shortstop Masyn Winn’s struggles began even before the team’s recent downturn. Although he’s viewed as a rising star, his long-term role with the club could be uncertain—at least based on ESPN analyst Kiley McDaniel’s latest 2025 MLB mock draft.
McDaniel projects that the Cardinals will use the No. 5 overall pick to select JoJo Parker, a highly regarded high school prospect from Mississippi. Some scouts believe Parker is the top hitter in the 2025 draft class. The catch? He plays the same position as Winn.
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Could ESPN’s mock draft signal trouble for Masyn Winn in St. Louis?
This year’s draft class is stacked with shortstops—eight of the top 13 prospects play the position, with four projected to go between picks 5 and 10. With the Cardinals’ farm system lacking depth, drafting based on pure talent over positional need makes sense. Still, that doesn’t make things any easier for Winn, who now faces the possibility of serious competition.
Winn is enduring a rough June, slashing just .203/.239/.250 over 64 at-bats with a bleak .489 OPS. He hasn’t homered and has more strikeouts (five) than RBIs (three). Though it’s a limited sample size (14 games), his June performance is a sharp drop from May, when he posted a .289/.358/.443 line with an .801 OPS. While it may be too soon to give up on him, drafting Parker could be a sign that the Cardinals are open to a shift.
Why target JoJo Parker if Masyn Winn is still developing?
Choosing Parker in the draft would reflect more on his elite talent than on Winn’s struggles. Parker and his twin brother Jacob are considered Mississippi’s top high school position players by MLB.com.
JoJo Parker’s 2024-25 season was exceptional: he hit .489 with 13 home runs, 35 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases, leading Purvis High School to the Class 4A state championship game. In addition to his offensive prowess, Parker excelled on the mound, going 8-2 with a 2.77 ERA and 89 strikeouts over 55.2 innings, further proving his ability to contribute in multiple ways.