Since Chaim Bloom was named the heir apparent to John Mozeliak in September 2024, he’s been rigorous in revamping the St. Louis Cardinals’ player development and performance departments, installing new leadership and creating new coordinator positions for cohesion across the entire organization.

A new coordinator hire was made public today over on X, and it involves an out-of-the-box hire for an up-and-coming collegiate coach.

The Cardinals have hired Casey Demko as their new infield coordinator from an NCAA Division I coaching staff

Casey Demko, who was an assistant coach for Abilene Christian University baseball the last three seasons, announced on X this evening that he was coaching the Cardinals’ organization as their new infield coordinator.

According to Demko’s staff profile, his primary duties included infield coaching, assisting offensive development, and overseeing team defense. In the 2023 season, his first season as an assistant for the Wildcats, the program finished the season as the 12th-ranked defense in the country. The team also finished with the highest fielding percentage in program history in the 2023 season.

Prior to his time with Abilene Christian University, Demko spent time coaching for Division II Quincy University, helping them post an elite defense there as well. He played college baseball at various schools during his collegiate career.

For Bloom, Demko marks yet another new voice in the organization tasked with helping their player development group take steps forward. One of the biggest critiques of the Cardinals’ organization prior to Bloom’s transition began with the lack of investment they had in positions like coordinators, as well as other coaching and front office personnel roles that help optimize a player development pipeline. If the Cardinals are going to get back to being the organization fans expect them to be, they need to set the standard for player development, not playing catch-up.

Demko likely won’t find his name in many headlines moving forward, nor will many of the hires Bloom and his group have made over this last year, but their roles are of the utmost importance, which is why they have spent the previous year fleshing out these staffs.