Three-time MLB Executive of the Year Walt Jocketty, the former general manager of the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds, has died. He was 74.
Jocketty reportedly died Friday in the Phoenix area and the Cardinals announced the news Saturday. He had reportedly been battling health issues for several years.
Jocketty was general manager of the Cardinals from 1995–2007. The franchise won the World Series in 2006, beating the Detroit Tigers in five games.
“On behalf of the entire St. Louis Cardinals organization, I would like to offer condolences to Walt’s family and his many friends,” Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said in a statement. “Walt was our first GM when we purchased the ballclub and he helped to lead our baseball operations through some of the franchises most successful and memorable years.
“He will be sorely missed but long remembered for his distinguished career in baseball.”
The Cardinals made the playoffs seven times during Jocketty’s tenure. They reached the 2004 World Series and were swept in four games by the Boston Red Sox.
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Among his big moves were hiring Tony La Russa as manager and trading for Mark McGwire, Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen and Adam Wainwright.
Jocketty won top executive honors in 2000 and 2004 with the Cardinals and 2010 with the Reds.
Jocketty was fired by the Cardinals after the 2007 season due to clashes with ownership.
Cincinnati named Jocketty its GM in April 2008, and he served in the role for eight-plus seasons. The Reds made the playoffs in 2010, 2012 and 2013.
Cincinnati has made the playoffs just once since Jocketty’s tenure ended. That was in the 2020 COVID-19-shortened season.
