2 Cardinals Next in Line for Extensions After JJ Wetherholt

The St. Louis Cardinals are locking up their core for the future.

Apr 10, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop JJ Wetherholt (26) at bat against the Boston Red Sox at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Vizer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The St. Louis Cardinals made a huge move on Friday afternoon, signing rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt to an eight-year, $112.5 million contract extension. The deal is already looking like a major steal for the Cardinals, who are building around Wetherholt as they set the stage for their next great team.

However, he is likely not the last young Cardinal that will receive a contract extension. He is simply the first building block that they want to keep around long-term.

Here are two Cardinals who could be extension candidates and follow in the footsteps of Wetherholt after strong starts to the 2026 season.

Jordan Walker

Jul 5, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) hits a three-run home run against the Chicago Cubs during the sixth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jordan Walker was named an All-Star for the first time in his career last week after a hot start to 2026, and he continues to be one of the most impactful players on the Cardinals roster. He had a clutch hit to tie Friday night's game against the Atlanta Braves and is now part of the Home Run Derby

He is hitting .293/.353/.536 with 22 home runs, 74 RBI, 12 stolen bases, a 3.7 WAR and an .889 OPS. After several years of struggles, this is what the Cardinals were hoping to get out of Walker. Now it likely won't be long before they realize that this is somebody they want to build around.

Ivan Herrera

Jun 13, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Ivan Herrera (48) runs the bases on his solo home run against the Minnesota Twins in the seventh inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ivan Herrera has been one of the team's most consistent hitters since 2024, and he also was just added to the All-Star roster along with Riley O'Brien. But the Cardinals lineup would not be the same without him there. He brings power and has even gotten better as a catcher behind the plate, so there is certainly a lot to be excited about for Cardinals fans.

The Cardinals haven't developed a pair of right-handed hitters like Walker and Herrera since the days of Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina, so keeping him around long-term is a good way for the Cardinals to set themselves up for the future and continue laying the ground work for the next great team in St. Louis.

As long as he can stay healthy, Herrera could be an important cog in the machine as the Cardinals look towards the future and assess what their core will look like. So far, Herrera appears like somebody who can be part of that core. It will be interesting to see what Chaim Bloom is thinking as the Cardinals try to set the stage for the next several years.