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While on a drive back home following the 2021 season, Gary Kendall couldn’t help but feel “hurt a little bit” that his 17-year stretch managing various affiliates in the Orioles’ minor league system had ended.

Kendall, who went from rookie ball manager in 2004 to Class AAA manager in Baltimore’s system in 2019 and 2021, knew that “change in the game is inevitable.” Kendall recognized that “if you want to make a career in this game, you’ve got to persevere.”

It was during that drive that Kendall picked up a phone call from an unknown number and heard the voice of a friend he made while scouting in the late 1990s to learn about a potential opportunity that would keep him in coaching and lead him to join the Cardinals organization as Class Low-A Palm Beach’s manager.

“It was (former Cardinals farm director) Gary LaRocque,” said Kendall, recalling when LaRocque, who retired this season, called him. “We respected one another. He approached me about two possible positions, (with) one being here (in Palm Beach). ... I jumped at this one.”

Since taking over as manager for Palm Beach, Kendall, 61, has guided the Cardinals’ Class Low-A affiliate to three consecutive winning season, each of which has included a postseason appearance. The affiliate’s winningest season under Kendall came this year as the PB-Cards went a franchise-best 83-47 and claimed their first Florida State League title since 2017.

On the same day as the championship series win, Kendall was named Florida State League manager of the year.

“Well, I’m tickled to death,” Kendall said in a phone interview the day after the win. “At my age, I don’t think about myself as much anymore, because I’m kind of content. Not that I wouldn’t want to do certain things in the game, but I’m very satisfied with being here, and I think I found my niche.

“I was tickled to death for our staff because some of them might get an opportunity to move up and I was tickled to death to see the development of these players, and hopefully we have some big leaguers out in that clubhouse.”

With Kendall as manager this year, Palm Beach was first as a team in the FSL in batting average (.243), second in runs scored (639) and third in on-base percentage (.340). Kendall’s pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.10), strikeouts per walk allowed (2.66), and walks plus hits allowed per inning pitched (1.22).

Palm Beach’s plus-163 run differential on the season paced the FSL and was buoyed by a plus-127 run differential in the second half of the season as the roster turned over because of promotions in the system and introductions to Class Low-A for recent draftees and prospects from rookie ball.

The 2024 season for Palm Beach culminated with a 6-4 win over Lakeland, the Tigers’ Class Low-A affiliate, in Game 3 of the FSL Championship Series.

“In winning games, I feel that you have to be, at times, especially when it comes down to tight games like (that), you have to be sharp,” said Kendall, whose mementos from the win include the box score and game ball, the latter of which was given to him by catching prospect and 2024 draft pick Ryan Campos. “A manager doesn’t play a huge role a lot of times other than what he puts down on that card, but there are certain decisions that he has to make, and as a coaching staff, we make them together.

“But I have the final say and so sometimes when you push your right button, you’re sort of proud of yourself because, believe me, I’ve screwed up my fair share of games also. I’m happy with what I was able to accomplish this year on a personal note. But I, at my age, I like to focus on the body of work of what the players have done and the coaching staff and the Cardinals’ organization and how they’re going to fit.”

As he made the switch from managing Class AAA with Baltimore to Class Low-A for St. Louis, Kendall said “it was never about levels.” All he cared about was “an opportunity to coach kids, so it didn’t really matter.”

Across the three seasons with Palm Beach, Kendall has been at the helm for the full-season introductions of prospects including pitcher Tink Hence and catcher Leonardo Bernal. He’s served as the first professional manager for those such as catcher Jimmy Crooks and Quinn Mathews, the Cardinals minor league player and pitcher of the year, respectively.

Include first-round draft picks Chase Davis (2023) and JJ Wetherholt (2024) as those who have begun their pro careers managed by Kendall, who entered the role just wanting to “fit into the Cardinals organization.”

“And that was my main goal: just to create an environment for these players to develop and to fit in and do what is asked of me to do,” Kendall said. “That’s really kind of what I’m proud of. Every day coming and being in love with my coaching staff and being in love with the players in that clubhouse.”