The Next WVU Star Alum? JJ Wetherholt Plays Hero With Walk-Off Hit in Second MLB Game

West Virginia Baseball alumnus JJ Wetherholt had a memorable Major League Baseball debut on Thursday, jacking a 425-foot home run to put the St. Louis Cardinals. However, the former Mountaineer may have just outdone himself in his second MLB game.

Wetherholt came through in the clutch with a two-run single in the bottom of the tenth inning to propel the Cardinals to a 6-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

JJ WETHERHOLT WALKS IT OFF! pic.twitter.com/5Adski5dMn
— MLB (@MLB) March 28, 2026

The St. Louis second baseman went two of five from the plate on Saturday afternoon. Wetherholt also recorded the first stolen base of his major league career early in the contest.

Wetherholt’s stats through his first two MLB Games:

.333 avg

4 RBI

1 HR

1 SB

2 Runs scored

JJ Wetherholt is a way-too-early Rookie of the Year contender

Wetherholt had a historic 2023 season at WVU, leading the nation in batting average. However, his 2024 season felt incomplete after injuries kept him out for large parts of the season.

After being drafted 7th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Wetherholt quickly rose through the minors and is making his presence felt early in his rookie season. In both games so far this season, Wetherholt has come up with hits in huge spots for St. Louis, and is one of, if not the reason, that the team has won both of their games so far this season.

His impact with his bat is exactly what he was drafted for, and it is easy to see just how impactful he has been in the team's first series of the season. He continues to make history as the first Cardinals rookie in over five decades to bat leadoff for the team’s home opener. While St. Louis may not be ready to seriously compete for the World Series this season, they seem to have found a potential franchise cornerstone in Wetherholt.

Other rookies, such as Detroit’s Kevin McGonigle, have also posted impressive major league debuts. The Tigers' infielder is 5 of 8 from the plate thus far, but it is hard to deny the clutch factor that Wetherholt has provided in his hits.

For now, both WVU and Cardinals fans alike should be incredibly encouraged by what they have seen from the young infielder so far. Wetherholt would become the first WVU baseball player to ever win Rookie of the Year.

What could Wetherholt possibly have in store for the Cardinals series finale against the Rays on Sunday as the team looks for the sweep to begin the season? First pitch from St. Louis is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. Sunday.