The Stat Line for JJ Wetherholt is Off the Charts
Let’s cut the suspense here: JJ Wetherholt doesn’t belong in Triple-A anymore — he belongs in St. Louis, wearing a Cardinals uniform and making Busch Stadium his playground. The kid has done everything you could possibly ask of a prospect, and then some. The only real question left is why the front office hasn’t made the call yet.
Since being drafted No. 7 overall in 2024, Wetherholt has been on an absolute rocket ride through the minors. He was expected make a fast dash through the minors, but “fast” doesn’t do justice to what we’re seeing. In his first full professional season, the 22-year-old has been flat-out mashing — posting a .951 OPS across 93 games, with his numbers only improving at each step. At Triple-A, he’s slashing .328/.413/.648, with nine home runs in 29 games. Oh, and here’s the kicker: he’s hit more bombs in half as many games at Triple-A than he did in Double-A. That’s not progress — that’s dominance.
But, that’s against minor league pitching, right? How about going 2-2 for against the reigning Cy Young winner, Chris Sale, who was on a rehab assignment in Triple A?
The St. Louis Cardinals are Floundering, Why Wait?
Meanwhile, the Cardinals are stuck in neutral, sitting 5.5 games back of the Wild Card while Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan heal up. Sure, guys like Nolan Gorman and Thomas Saggese are getting lots of opportunities to show what they have, but let’s be honest — we’ve seen this movie before. Neither has consistently proven they’re everyday answers. Wetherholt, though? He’s got the “future face of the franchise” label written all over him.
Calling him up now would give the Cardinals an instant boost — not just in the lineup, but in energy, in excitement, in fan belief. And just as importantly, it sets up 2026 with Wetherholt cemented in the infield and ready to roll from Opening Day.
Bottom line? JJ Wetherholt is ready. The Cardinals are better the moment he’s called up — and better set for the future once they make it happen.
