Former West Virginia star JJ Wetherholt will begin his major-league career right away after being named to the St. Louis Cardinals Opening Day roster.
The Cardinals’ top prospect was informed Monday that he would make the club out of spring training and is expected to debut Thursday against Tampa Bay at Busch Stadium. Wetherholt is projected to start at second base and could hit near the top of the lineup, potentially in the leadoff spot.
A first-round pick (No. 7 overall) in the 2024 MLB Draft, Wetherholt has moved quickly through the Cardinals’ system. In his first full professional season, he hit .306/.421/.510 with 17 home runs, 23 stolen bases and nearly as many walks as strikeouts across Double-A and Triple-A. His advanced plate discipline, bat control and ability to use the entire field have helped fuel expectations that he can develop into a consistent .300 hitter at the major-league level.
The left-handed hitter also impressed during spring training, posting a .780 OPS with nine walks and seven RBI in 15 games. Wetherholt has primarily worked at second base this spring, though he has experience at shortstop and third base, giving St. Louis added flexibility in the infield.
Before turning pro, Wetherholt built one of the most decorated offensive résumés in West Virginia history. He captured the Division I batting title with a .449 average during his sophomore season and was named Big 12 Player of the Year. Despite hamstring issues limiting his junior campaign, he still hit .331 with a .472 on-base percentage and .589 slugging percentage.
Now 23, Wetherholt enters the season as one of the most highly regarded young players in the sport and is viewed as a key piece of the Cardinals’ future. His rapid rise from Morgantown to the major leagues places him among the latest Mountaineers to reach baseball’s biggest stage.
Offer Alert
Fall camp is here and there’s no better time to sign up with us to get all your WVU intel! Sign up today – $1 for the first week, plus a complimentary year of access to The Athletic included. Join – http://gowvu.us/Join
__________________________________________
• Talk about it with West Virginia fans on The Blue Lot
• SUBSCRIBE today to stay up on the latest on Mountaineer sports and recruiting
• Get all of our WVU videos on YouTube by subscribing to the WVSports.com Channel
• Follow us on Twitter: @WVSportsDotCom, @rivalskeenan
•Like us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok