"John Mozeliak, Head of Cardinals Baseball, to Depart in One Year"
The St. Louis Cardinals, following two consecutive years of missing the playoffs, revealed a gradual reorganization of their front office on Monday.
The primary change will not take place until after the 2025 season, when Chaim Bloom will assume the role of president of baseball operations from John Mozeliak.
For the upcoming season, Mozeliak will collaborate with Bloom to lead the team, according to team owner Bill DeWitt Jr. Meanwhile, Mike Girsch will no longer serve as general manager, instead taking on the title of vice president of special projects. Oliver Marmol will continue as the field manager, though changes to his coaching staff have not yet been announced.
Bloom, 41, spent the 2024 season as an advisor to the club after previously holding high-ranking positions in the front offices of the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays. He has been given a five-year contract to succeed Mozeliak.
Mozeliak, 55, has been in charge of the Cardinals' baseball operations since October 2007, playing a key role in constructing the team that won the World Series in 2011.
DeWitt stated that Bloom's immediate task is to lead "a reset of our player development system. As part of his evaluation this past season, Chaim has developed a plan to enhance our player development infrastructure and philosophy.
"We will be making significant investments in staffing, programs, and infrastructure, starting immediately and continuing in the years to come."
DeWitt added, "We have always prided ourselves on drafting and developing our own players. It is evident that we need to make significant changes to return to this model. Our future baseball decisions will focus on developing our pipeline of players, giving our young core every opportunity to succeed at the major league level."
Bloom remarked, "Above all, the incredible success this organization has enjoyed for much of the past two decades has been fueled by its homegrown talent pipeline. This year, I witnessed some of the reasons why. I saw the pride in what has been achieved here over the years, the enthusiasm for teaching the game, the dedication to the organization, to what it represents, and especially to our players. I also saw in many of our staff members a drive to learn, to improve, to change.
"The competition in this aspect of our industry has been incredibly fierce over the past decade. It takes courage and humility to reach the top and stay there. And if you stand still and rest on your laurels for even a moment, you will be surpassed."
Mozeliak stated, "As I enter my final year, there are certain goals I hope we can achieve. I would like to set us on a path to consistent success, focus on the growth of our baseball operations, and invest in new infrastructure and technologies.
"This is a multi-year strategy, with a focus on player acquisition and development. It is a long-term investment in the future of the organization."