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The St. Louis Cardinals may have given a hint on their plans for JJ Wetherholt recently.
The St. Louis Cardinals are coming off a disappointing 2025 season that saw them finish fourth in the NL Central, but the presence of top prospect JJ Wetherholt offers hope for the future.
The club heads into MLB Spring Training with several positions up for grabs after trading veteran Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan, and Willson Contreras. The 23-year-old Wetherholt is one player vying for those opportunities. The reigning Texas League Most Valuable Player is in the mix to earn an infield spot in St. Louis, but he’ll have to make the team first.
Wetherholt got some good news regarding his MLB roster spot this week. The Cardinals already have Wetherholt’s No. 26 jersey set aside for him in the majors, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
St. Louis Cardinals Top Prospect JJ Wetherholt Vying For Roster Spot
The Cardinals selected Wetherholt with the seventh pick of the 2024 MLB Draft. The West Virginia product hit the ground running as a professional, slashing .295/.405/.400 at Single-A in 2024. He made the jump to Double-A this past season and continued to play well. Wetherholt delivered a 152 wRC+ in 62 games at the level.
Wetherholt closed last season at Triple-A. He popped 10 home runs and chipped in nine steals in 47 games with Memphis. The strong all-around performance in 2025 earned the infielder Minor League Player of the Year honors in St. Louis.
As Wetherholt has risen up the Cardinals’ system, he’s moved up prospect leaderboards. ESPN has him at No. 7 heading into the 2026 season. Wetherholt joins Konnor Griffin of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kevin McGonigle of the Detroit Tigers, and Jesus Made of the San Diego Padres as the most well-regarded infield prospects in the game.
Versatile Wetherholt Can Play Multiple Roles With Cardinals
Wetherholt will get a shot at second and third base in the spring, notes Goold. The infielder has spent time at both positions in the minors. Wetherholt has been mostly a shortstop in the minors, but the Cardinals have Masyn Winn penciled in at the position. Winn has provided up-and-down production as a hitter, but he’s been one of the most valuable defenders since taking over full-time. The 23-year-old secured his first Gold Glove award last season.
Nolan Gorman is another candidate to pick up infield reps. The 25-year-old power hitter seemed to be a fixture when he first emerged, launching 27 home runs in 2023. Gorman has since taken a step back at the plate. The lefty swinger struck out a whopping 37.6% of the time in the 2024 campaign. He hit just .205 last year, while punching out at a higher than 33% clip.
With the youth movement in full effect in St. Louis, Thomas Saggese is an option to contribute in the infield. Saggese got his first extended look in the big leagues in 2025, provided a 81 wRC+ across 295 plate appearances. The righty struck out at a 28.1% rate, a recurring theme with the young Cardinals bats. Saggese picked up playing time at second base, third base, and shortstop. He’ll likely factor into the equation along with Wetherholt and Gorman.
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