Yadier Molina

Those nine Gold Gloves weren't ceremonial hardware. Molina controlled running games, framed pitches before it was cool, and turned Cardinals pitchers into Cy Young contenders through sheer game management. His 2012 breakout (.315/.373/.501) proved he could hit when healthy, but his real value lived in the 60 feet, six inches between the mound and home plate.

The Cardinals won two World Series with Molina behind the plate, and his influence extended far beyond box scores. He caught three no-hitters and mentored a generation of St. Louis pitchers who credited their success to his game-calling brilliance.