ST. LOUIS -- Amid the shock and grief that the Cardinals experienced after Oscar Taveras' tragic death in October 2014 was the jarring realization that a car accident in the Dominican Republic would carry long-term and wide-ranging effects for an organization that always operates with its future in mind.
Taveras was 22 years old and the Cardinals' top prospect when his Chevrolet Camaro slid off a highway. He had finished his rookie season with an underwhelming slash line (.239/.278/.312), but the Cardinals never believed those early returns were reflective of future production. This was a player the organization was ready to build around.