Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Get Update On JJ Wetherholt Fans Will Love

The St. Louis Cardinals have one of baseball's top prospects...
Patrick McAvoy|
Aug 28, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chaim Bloom, Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox on the field before the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
Aug 28, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chaim Bloom, Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox on the field before the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images | Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

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St. Louis Cardinals

The last three seasons haven't gone how the St. Louis Cardinals wanted them to go, but this organization has a bright future and it starts with No. 1 prospect JJ Wetherholt.

There's talent at the big league level to build around, like Masyn Winn, Michael McGreevy, and Iván Herrera among others. But, Wetherholt has superstar potential and fans may not have to wait too long to see him donning a Cardinals jersey.

Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom was asked about Wetherholt and made it clear that he will have a chance to compete for an Opening Day roster spot throughout Spring Training, as transcribed by MLB.com's John Denton.

"He’s impressive and he’s got a chance to be really good,” Bloom said as transcribed by Denton. "We’re looking forward to seeing what he does in (Spring Training) camp, because he’s in a position where he can come in and make a really strong impression and start his big league career sooner rather than later. We’ll see how that shakes out, but he’s a really impressive player and he’s a really impressive, poised player."

The Cardinals have a chance to add some excitement

JJ Wetherholt (26) of the St. Louis Cardinals
Jul 12, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; National League infielder JJ Wetherholt (26) of the St. Louis Cardinals rounds the bases during the second inning against American League at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Wetherholt had a meteoric rise throughout the Cardinals' farm system in 2025. He was selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the first round of the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft. In 2024, he played just 29 games for the Class-A Palm Beach Cardinals. He began the 2025 season with the Double-A Springfield Cardinals and was promoted to the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds after playing 62 games.

Overall, Wetherholt played 109 games in 2025 and slashed .306/.421/.510 with 17 home runs, 59 RBIs, 23 stolen bases, 28 doubles, two triples, and 82 runs scored. He won the Texas League Most Valuable Player Award this year and is the No. 5 overall prospect in baseball, per MLB.com.

There are high expectations for this guy, but he has exceeded them since being drafted by St. Louis. If he can make it to the big leagues early on next season, he will inject a bit of excitement into the fanbase that this team needs right now. The fact that Bloom already said he has a shot at the Opening Day roster certainly is positive and is a sign that he's impressed this front office already.

More MLB: Cardinals Expected To Keep Fan-Favorite Amid Trade Rumors

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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University. After quickly rising as one of the most productive writers on the site, he expanded his reach to write for Baseball Essential, a national baseball site in Sports Illustrated Media Group. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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