OPINION |
It didn’t take JJ Wetherholt long to make an impact at Triple-A Memphis. The St. Louis Cardinals’ No. 1 prospect hit a triple and a home run in his first game on July 9 following his promotion from Double-A Springfield.
Not that it should surprise anyone who watched Wetherholt during his brief stay at Hammons Field. The 22-year-old infielder came into Double-A with hype spilling over and, less than a year after being selected seventh overall in the MLB draft, lived up to his billing and then some.
And it goes beyond the numbers, as good as they were — .300 batting average and a Texas League-leading .425 on-base percentage to go with seven home runs, 14 doubles, 34 RBIs and 14 stolen bases.
Teammates say he was just as good behind the scenes
YESSIR! JJ comes through again! Wetherholt’s second walk-off knock of 2025! pic.twitter.com/AunU1LRfb0
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) July 2, 2025
Older teammates gave a ringing endorsement and raved about how good Wetherholt was behind the scenes.
“He (was) my roommate, so I got to know him pretty good and he’s really the man,” infielder-outfielder Noah Mendlinger, a 24-year-old in his third season at Double-A, said during a recent Springfield homestand.
“He shows up more prepared than anybody I’ve ever seen,” Mendlinger added. “He does his own scouting reports and knows the pitchers before we even go over them as a team. His routine is solidified, like a true big leaguer.”
Infielder Dakota Harris, 23, said it was special to room with Wetherholt on the Texas League road and get to know him.
“I think what makes him special is — and I’m sure people have said it — but the way he is off the field,” Harris said. “He obviously takes this game really seriously. He puts in the work in the film and all that kind of stuff, but just an awesome guy off the field.
“I mean, if you didn’t know he was JJ, then he’d just be like a normal dude, you know?”
Manager calls Wetherholt’s maturity rare for a young player
JJ Wetherholt said it was “music to my ears” to learn that Hammons Field has multiple indoor batting cages. (Photo by Springfield Cardinals)
Wetherholt’s work ethic became legendary in his half-season in Springfield, where he frequented the Bill Rowe Indoor Training Facility batting cages like few other Cardinals — current and past. Manager Patrick Anderson said the maturity Wetherholt has is rare among young players.
“It’s interesting to see and I don’t like to compare him to certain guys I had before because they’re all different, but he’s very consistent,” said Anderson, who managed Juan Soto and Mike Moustakas, among others, as developing minor-leaguers.
“He goes 0-for-4 or 4-for-4 and … he’s a consistent young man,” Anderson said of Wetherholt. “It’s been fun to watch that part of it. He’s very mature.”
Anderson said Wetherholt’s accomplishments while in Double-A should be appreciated. He added that defense is an area that’s been overlooked, whether it’s been Wetherholt’s primary position at shortstop or at second base, where he projects in the big leagues. He’s improved in that aspect as well.
“Him going through this and the Double-A level is very tough,” Anderson said. “There’s not very many guys that have done that. It’s fun to be able to watch him.”
Avoiding burnout will be key for baseball-obsessed prospect
During his final media session in Springfield, Wetherholt admitted that he has to be careful about crossing a line and becoming overly obsessed with baseball. The last thing anyone needs, in any profession, is burnout. At the same time, that sort of approach helped Wetherholt become a rare player who skipped High-A completely and excelled at the often make-or-break Double-A level.
Before the Cardinals played their first game at Hammons Field in April, one of the first things Wetherholt mentioned was the indoor facility and how it allowed for extra swings no matter the weather. He genuinely sounded like a kid in a baseball candy store.
Top-rated St. Louis Cardinals’ prospect JJ Wetherholt meets with the media at Hammons Field. (Photo by Lyndal Scranton)
“Last year, with my first taste in Low-A, I was able to build a pretty decent routine,” Wetherholt said in late June. “I do pretty standard stuff, really. Obviously, I’ve got to try to not be over-obsessed with everything.
“At some point, you’ve got to take your brain away from baseball, so that’s always a constant battle, too. But for the most part, when I’m here, I’m always doing stuff to just stay prepared and be ready.”
One of the ways Wetherholt has tried to rest his mind away from the field is fishing. He’s looked for nearby ponds or streams on the road. Unfortunately, the weather was so saturated much of his time in Springfield that Wetherholt’s fishing time in the Ozarks was spent mostly vicariously by visiting Bass Pro Shops.
He joked that the outdoors superstore was almost too much for him.
“I’ve been there, like, five times,” Wetherholt said. “It’s a pretty cool spot. I honestly think I should shop somewhere else for fishing stuff, though, because there’s just too much there.”
‘He’s going to play this game for a long time’
Springfield Cardinals shortstop JJ Wetherholt looks on from the dugout during a game at Hammons Field. (Photo by Mary Ellen Chiles)
Wetherholt’s search for fishing spots in Memphis will have to wait a while, too. He’s spending the rest of this week in Atlanta, where he’s part of the Futures Game on Saturday at Truist Field, bringing baseball’s top prospects together at the site of next week’s MLB All-Star game.
The Futures Game, at 3 p.m. July 11, can be viewed on the MLB Network.
As bright as the future appears for Wetherholt, time will tell if he’s starting in St. Louis by the 2026 season alongside Springfield Cardinals alums Masyn Winn, Victor Scott II, Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman. As good as those four were in Springfield since 2021, it’s been a mixed bag of results so far in the big leagues.
Nothing is certain at the top level of baseball, but if work ethic, aptitude and approach mean anything, then Wetherholt has a great chance to go down as one of Springfield’s all-time top alums.
“He’s going to play this game for a long time,” Mendlinger said.
Cardinals’ upcoming games
July 8 — Springfield 7, Corpus Christi 1
July 9 — Springfield at Corpus Christi (rained out)
July 10 — Springfield at Corpus Christi (doubleheader)
July 11-13 — Springfield at Corpus Christi
July 14-17 — All-Star break
July 18-20 — Wichita at Springfield
Ticket info — Call (417) 863-0395
Lyndal Scranton is a Springfield native who has covered sports in the Ozarks for more than 35 years, witnessing nearly every big sports moment in the region during the last 50 years. The Missouri Sports Hall of Famer, Springfield Area Sports Hall of Famer and live-fire cooking enthusiast also serves as PR Director for Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri and is co-host of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast. Contact him at Lscranton755@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @LyndalScranton. More by Lyndal Scranton