Former WVU Star JJ Wetherholt Lands On Opening Day Roster, Set to Make Debut

Another Mountaineer has made it to the big leagues.

Feb 27, 2026; Jupiter, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter JJ Wetherholt (77) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the New York Mets during the fourth inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The WVU-to-MLB pipeline continues, as former Mountaineer slugger JJ Wetherholt was informed on Monday that he had made the St. Louis Cardinals' Opening Day roster.

If it felt like it was just yesterday that Wetherholt was swinging the shillelagh in the Old Gold and Blue, well, you'd be right to feel that way. His last game in a Mountaineer uniform was just 654 days ago, meaning his ascension through the Cardinals' farm system happened at light speed.

Yesterday afternoon, he was able to speak with reporters who asked about how he learned and what it was like to tell his family that he made the big league roster.

“It was great. This morning, before we got on the plane rides, they brought me in and just told me, and it was honestly a short meeting, but I gave them all a big hug and went out and called my mom,” he said. “She was on a lunch break getting Starbucks or something like that. She’s a teacher, so I was honestly surprised she answered. She was super happy and typical her fashion, as soon as the good news emotions were gone, it turned into stress of okay, how do we get there? What about this, this, and this? And I’m just like mom, let’s just have a good moment real quick.”

Wetherholt split the 2025 season between Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis. At the Double-A level, he had a .314 batting average to go along with 10 homers and 25 RBI across 221 plate appearances. He continued to swing the bat extremely well at the next level, hitting .300 with seven home runs and 34 RBI.

Entering the 2026 season, he is listed as the No. 6 prospect in all of baseball, according to MLB.com, sitting behind only SS/OF Konnor Griffin (Pittsburgh Pirates), SS Kevin McGonigle (Detroit Tigers), SS/2B Jesus Made (Milwaukee Brewers), and SS Leo De Vries (Athletics).

If you are a Mountaineer fan without an MLB team, the St. Louis Cardinals may be a good option for you, considering they have Wetherhold and former WVU outfielder Victor Scott II on the big league roster.

Wetherholt becomes the seventh Mountaineer currently in the major leagues, joining P Ryan Bergert (Kansas City Royals), P Michael Grove (Los Angeles Dodgers), P Alek Manoah (Los Angeles Angels), OF Victor Scott II (St. Louis Cardinals), P Kade Strowd (Arizona Diamondbacks), and P John Means (Kansas City Royals).