Former South Alabama standout David Freese has declined induction into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame.

Freese won the fan vote for induction as a member of the Major League Baseball team’s Hall of Fame Class of 2023. But Freese indicated he did not think he deserved to be enshrined among the best players in Cardinals’ history.

St. Louis announced Freese would not be inducted this year on Saturday.

“This is something that I have given an extreme amount of thought to, humbly, even before the voting process began,” Freese said in a release from the team. “I am aware of the impact I had helping the team bring great memories to the city I grew up in, including the 11th championship, but this honor means more to me.

“I look at who I was during my tenure, and that weighs heavily on me. The Cardinals and the entire city have always had my back in every way. I’m forever grateful to be part of such an amazing organization and fan base then, now and in the future. I’m especially sorry to the fans that took the time to cast their votes.

“Cardinal Nation is basically the reason why I’ve unfortunately waited so long for this decision and made it more of a headache for so many people. I feel strongly about my decision and understand how people might feel about this. I get it. I’ll wear it. Thank you for always being there for me, and I am excited to be around the Cardinals as we move forward.”

Freese is a native of Wildwood, Missouri, which is about 30 miles from St. Louis, and spent the first five of his 11 Major League seasons with the Cardinals.

Freese saved the 2011 World Series for St. Louis with a two-run, game-tying triple with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning and a game-winning home run in the 11th with the Cardinals facing elimination in Game 6 against the Texas Rangers. He hit a two-out, two-run double to tie the score and send St. Louis on its way to a 6-2 victory in Game 7.

Freese earned the Most Valuable Player awards for the National League Championship Series and the World Series as well as the Babe Ruth Award as the postseason’s best player in 2011.

The next season, Freese represented the Cardinals on the National League All-Star team.

The Cardinals Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held on Aug. 19, when owner’s pick Jose Oquendo and Red Ribbons Committee selection Max Lanier set for enshrinement.

Among the members of the Cardinals Hall of Fame are Jim Bottomley, Lou Brock, Dizzy Dean, Frankie Frisch, Bob Gibson, Chick Hafey, Jesse Haines, Rogers Hornsby, Joe Medwick, Johnny Mize, Stan Musial, Scott Rolen, Red Schoendienst, Ted Simmons, Enos Slaughter, Ozzie Smith and Bruce Sutter, who also are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

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Freese also played for the Los Angeles Angels, Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers before retiring after the 2019 season.

During his career, Freese played in 1,184 MLB regular-season games, with 916 of those contests at third base. He hit 113 home runs with a .277 batting average, .351 on-base average and .423 slugging percentage.

Freese also played in the World Series in 2013 with the Cardinals and 2018 with the Dodgers. In 69 postseason games, Freese hit .299 with a .549 slugging percentage. He had 17 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs and 36 RBIs in the playoffs.

Freese played at South Alabama in the 2005 and 2006 seasons. The Jaguars made NCAA Regional appearances during both of Freese’s seasons as he led South Alabama in hitting and RBIs. Freese’s .394 career batting average ranks second on the Jags’ all-time list.

Freese entered professional baseball as a ninth-round selection of the San Diego Padres in the 2006 draft. He joined the Cardinals organization on Dec. 14, 2007, when the Padres traded him for outfielder Jim Edmonds.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.