In 2018, the St. Louis Cardinals fired manager Mike Matheny after a 47-46 start to the season. His replacement was bench coach Mike Shildt, a former area scout for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Shildt rose in the coaching ranks to a minor-league coach before becoming a full-time manager for Johnson City in 2009. After seeing plenty of success from 2009-2011 with Johnson City, Shildt became manager of the Springfield Cardinals followed by a stint as the Memphis Redbirds' manager. He truly climbed the ladder to rise to the top, and he quickly became a fan favorite after rising to the ranks in 2018.