The St. Louis Cardinals continued building their middle-infield depth Sunday by selecting shortstop Owen Henne with the 175th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2026 MLB Draft.
The 6-foot-3, 188-pound right-handed hitter out of Division II Seton Hill University (Pa.) becomes the highest draft pick in Griffins program history and the latest addition to a growing Cardinals-West Virginia pipeline — even though Henne never played a game for the Mountaineers.
Henne, a junior who had committed to transfer to West Virginia in June, put himself firmly on the map with a breakout spring and a strong showing this summer in the MLB Draft League.
At Seton Hill, the Wexford, Pa., product (Pine-Richland High School) hit .401/.489/.592 with 10 doubles, five home runs, 39 RBIs and 45 runs scored in 43 games. He led the Griffins as a sophomore with a .375 average and .575 slugging percentage. Over three seasons he posted a career .354 average, drew more walks (64) than strikeouts (54), and swiped 41 bases while showing steadily improving power.
He then joined the West Virginia Black Bears of the MLB Draft League, where he batted .302/.486/.528 with a 1.015 OPS in 16 games. Seven of his 16 hits went for extra bases, and he was a teammate of fellow Cardinals draftee RHP Brian Garmon II (15th round).
“He’s a pure hitter,” one evaluator noted of the 21-year-old (born Dec. 30, 2004). “Elite bat-to-ball skills, outstanding plate discipline, and sneaky pop that is still developing. The swing works, and he rarely expands the zone.”
Primarily a shortstop, Henne also has experience at second base and third. Scouts praise his smooth hands, solid arm, and above-average range. Seton Hill coach Marc Marizzaldi called him a potential “steal of the draft,” highlighting his ability to cover ground and turn potential hits into outs with an almost effortless, “slow-motion” style of play.
At 6-foot-3 with a frame that still has room to fill out, Henne profiles as a potential utility infielder with a chance to stick at shortstop if the bat continues to play. His athleticism, speed (he has stolen double-digit bases in multiple seasons), and leadership qualities further enhance his upside.
The slot value for the pick is approximately $383,400.
Henne already has strong ties to the Cardinals’ backyard. He spent the summers of 2024 and 2025 with the Cape Catfish of the Prospect League in Cape Girardeau, Mo., where he anchored shortstop and became a fan favorite.
Last summer the Catfish owner arranged a trip to Busch Stadium. Henne was on the field for batting practice and spoke briefly with manager Oliver Marmol.
“It was really a full-circle moment — kind of crazy,” Henne said after the draft.
He also grew up roughly 10 minutes from the hometown of Cardinals 2024 first-rounder JJ Wetherholt and faced him in high school. The organization has enjoyed success drafting West Virginia-connected talent in recent years, including Victor Scott II and Dawson Montesa.
The son of Jason and Allison Henne, Owen has one brother, Adam, and one sister, Calle, who plays softball at the University of Pittsburgh. His father played football at Duquesne, his mother rowed in college, and his uncle Aaron Henne played football at the University of Maryland.
A late bloomer who was more raw than refined in high school, Henne developed into a complete player at Seton Hill. He credits early emphasis on defense — necessary when his bat was still catching up — for building the foundation that now supports his offensive breakout.
“I’ve always had really good contact, bat-to-ball and plate discipline and started to add some power over the last couple of years,” he said. “There’s definitely still some room for growth there.”
With a polished approach, proven production against quality competition this summer, and the kind of makeup organizations love, Henne gives the Cardinals an intriguing middle-infield prospect who could move quickly through the system.
For a player who was not ranked among Baseball America’s Top 500 or MLB Pipeline’s Top 250, the sixth-round selection already looks like shrewd value. Cardinals fans will be watching closely when Henne reports to instructional league or short-season ball later this summer.
Welcome to the organization, Owen. The Cape Girardeau connection and the Wetherholt parallel make this one feel a little more special for the Birds on the Bat.
