(ST. LOUIS) — The St. Louis Cardinals welcomed back franchise legend Yadier Molina on Tuesday, naming the retired catcher as Special Assistant to President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom.
The 43-year-old Molina, who spent his entire 19-year playing career with the Cardinals from 2004 to 2022, will contribute to multiple areas of the organization in his new position. His responsibilities will include working with the team’s catching development program, consulting on defensive strategy and game planning, and providing leadership insights to current players.
“Yadi will provide input on our catching program, will advise our staff on catching and game planning strategy, and will give me and our front office valuable perspective from his unique vantage point,” Bloom said in a statement. The executive emphasized Molina’s role in instilling championship standards and competitive excellence throughout the organization.
The Puerto Rican backstop’s playing credentials are among the most impressive in baseball history. He helped the Cardinals capture World Series titles in 2006 and 2011, and also reached the Fall Classic in 2004 and 2013. His postseason resume includes franchise records in playoff appearances (104 games) and playoff hits (102).
Molina’s defensive mastery earned him nine Gold Glove Awards—placing him third all-time among catchers—and four Platinum Gloves. He remains the only player in Major League history to catch 2,000 games for a single franchise, finishing with 2,184 games behind the plate.
During his tenure, the Cardinals maintained remarkable consistency, playing just 24 games after being eliminated from postseason contention across nearly 3,000 total games—a testament to the winning culture Molina helped establish.
The 10-time All-Star joined an exclusive group as one of only five Cardinals players to record both 2,000 hits and 1,000 RBIs, alongside Stan Musial, Rogers Hornsby, Albert Pujols, and Enos Slaughter. His career batting line of .277/.327/.399 complemented his defensive excellence.
Molina and longtime teammate Adam Wainwright established Major League records for a pitcher-catcher duo, combining for 328 starts and 213 victories together.
Beyond his on-field accomplishments, Molina received the Roberto Clemente Award in 2018 for his humanitarian work following Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. He has continued his baseball career as a manager, winning back-to-back titles in Puerto Rico’s winter league in 2023 and 2024, and recently earning Manager of the Year honors in Venezuela’s professional league for 2025.
Molina, originally a fourth-round draft pick in 2000, is also scheduled to manage Puerto Rico’s national team in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
St. Louis Cardinals’ Yadier Molina celebrates his two-run home run in the ninth inning in Game 7 of the 2006 National League Championship Series, on Oct. 19, 2006, at Shea Stadium in New York. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
