Cardinals' farm director gives glowing review of JJ Wetherholt's intangibles

The St. Louis Cardinals have one of the most exciting prospects in all of baseball, shortstop JJ Wetherholt, and fans are eager to see him begin to make an impact at the Major League level.

Whenever you ask anyone with the Cardinals about Wetherholt, they all have glowing reviews about his on-field tools, but it is extremely notable how often they highlight the intangibles in his game.

We talked to Cardinals farm director Larry Day on the Dealin' the Cards podcast this week, and he talked a lot about the things that fans can't always see that make Wetherholt so special.

"He's a really talented player...What everyone doesn't see, and they will over time as they get to know him, is the motor and the drive, and the tactical preparation. The technical prowess is there. We see it. The tactical preparation that he invests into his game, it's elite. Whether it be studying an opposing pitcher and his tendencies, for him to be prepared as a hitter, but also as a baserunner. He invests a ton of time into making sure that he is strategically and tactically ready to beat you tonight."

JJ Wetherholt is going to blow Cardinals fans away with his work ethic.

I highly recommend checking out our conversation with Day if you want to learn more about what the Cardinals are doing in the realms of player development and the progress they have made on the farm system this past year. Last offseason, Chaim Bloom and Rob Cerfolio brought Day in to be the Cardinals' new farm director, and the Cardinals' farm system has been getting glowing reviews ever since.

Wetherholt, who the Cardinals selected with the seventh overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, was the consensus projected number one pick in that draft prior to a hamstring injury during his junior season. He was one of the best college hitters we've seen in recent years prior to entering the draft. During his sophomore season at West Virginia, Wetherholt slashed .449/.517/.787 with 16 home runs and 60 RBI in just 55 games! Oh, and he had 36 stolen bases!

During his first full professional season, Wetherholt posted a .306/.421/.510 slash line with 17 home runs and 59 RBI in 109 games across Double-A and Triple-A. His hit tool is the best in all of minor league baseball outside of Kevin McGonigle, and he pairs that with above-average power, speed, defense, and arm strength. Someone with those tools and the kind of work ethic and fundamentals that Day spoke about has a bright, bright future.

Most third-party outlets have Wetherholt as a top-five prospect in the game now, and he is widely expected to make the Cardinals' Opening Day roster and compete for National League Rookie of the Year. It isn't fair to place expectations on a player who is going into just his second professional season and is likely to be in the Major Leagues, but fans are right to be excited.