Cardinals extend general manager John Mozeliak through 2018

The St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to extend general manager John Mozeliak's contract through 2018, according to a statement from the team. Just over a year ago, St. Louis signed Mozeliak to a three-year deal through 2016. 

Given the state of the franchise, it's easy to see why the Cards were willing to make a more substantial commitment.

St. Louis is often mentioned among the most prolific organizations in terms of developing minor league talent.

Their system isn't limited to a few big name prospects the way some clubs are. St. Louis has produced marquee prospects like Michael Wacha, Oscar Taveras, and Shelby Miller, but they have also had considerable success developing surprising impact players under the radar -- players like Matt Adams and Matt Carpenter.

Mozeliak is widely considered to be one of the most effective general managers in baseball, largely due to the fact that the Cardinals have been in the playoffs four times since he took over in 2007. The club has won one World Series and appeared in last year's Fall Classic as well. Other than the 78-84 finish in his first year with the team, the Cardinals have not finished with a losing record and are 621-523 overall during Mozeliak's tenure.