Ryan Andrew Ludwick signed on to the Cardinals as a Minor League free agent on December 1, 2006. He attended the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and was named to the Baseball America's Freshman All-American squad in 1997 after hitting .354 with 50 runs scored. Ludwick played for Anchorage in the Alaska League during the summer of 1997, earning league all-star honors and was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the second round of the June, 1999 free-agent draft.

Ludwick spent most of the 2007 season playing in St. Louis after being brought up from Memphis in May of last year. He played all three outfield positions and committed just one error, making 65 starts for the Cardinals in the 2007 season. Of those 65 starts, Ludwick had a hit and/or RBI in 44 games. Though he has been considered a journeyman throughout his five-year career, Ludwick has far exceeded expectations this season and is dominating in several league offensive categories.