Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt Strikes First in Showdown With Paul Skenes

He won this battle

Apr 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop JJ Wetherholt (26) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | David Dermer-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals' top prospect, infielder JJ Wetherholt, continued his strong start to his rookie campaign with an impressive at-bat against the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes.

Wetherholt, MLB Pipeline's No. 5 overall prospect for 2026, hit a leadoff home run against Skenes on Thursday in his first plate appearance against the talented pitcher. The 23-year-old crushed a 2-0 fastball 391 feet to right field with an exit velocity of 107.7 mph to give the Cardinals an early 1-0 lead.

The lefty-swinging infielder is now up to seven home runs in his first month in the majors. Whether it was homering in his MLB debut or hitting a walk-off single in his second game, Wetherholt has enjoyed a memorable start to his big league career. And now, his leadoff blast off of one of the best pitchers in baseball further adds to his remarkable rookie campaign.

JJ Wetherholt faces a tough battle for NL Rookie of the Year

Apr 29, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (left) and St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt (right) talk at second base during a replay review in the ninth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Wetherholt ended up going 2-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored in the Cardinals' 10-5 win over Skenes and the Pirates on Thursday. That means he finished April 30-for-117 at the plate, giving the young infielder a .256 batting average. He also has a .378 on-base percentage and an .857 OPS to go along with his seven homers, 16 RBIs, and four stolen bases so far in 2026.

The Cardinals' second baseman is one of many rookies in the National League who have started the year on a high note. Cincinnati Reds infielder Sal Stewart has nine home runs and 29 RBIs already this season. New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean has a 2.55 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 35 1/3 innings thrown over six starts to begin 2026. And while Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin hasn't been on fire at the plate so far this year, the 20-year-old is still a name to keep an eye on for the NL Rookie of the Year Award.

It's obviously early, but if Wetherholt can keep up his current production, the top prospect is well on his way to enjoying a successful first season in the big leagues.