So with the calendar about to flip ahead to another year, let's take one last look back at five signature moments from 2016:
5. Dazzling debut: Following weeks of speculation about when he would arrive, Alex Reyes joined the Cardinals in early August and lived up to the hype in his big league debut. Pitching in relief, Reyes, the organization's top prospect, hit 101 mph, recorded his first career strikeouts and eased through a clean inning on 11 pitches.
"Ever since I played baseball in Little League, this is the kind of moment I've dreamed about," Reyes said afterward.