Cardinals top prospect is practically screaming for a promotion to Triple-A

A promotion to Memphis is in the cards over the next couple of weeks.
St. Louis Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt.
St. Louis Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt. | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

No matter what the fate of the St. Louis Cardinals' big league team is this season, one thing is for certain: whether it is a winning or a losing season.

Top prospect JJ Wetherholt is coming for the big leagues and he has Triple-A right in his crosshairs.

JJ Wetherholt's performance this year is screaming that he is ready for Triple-A

Fresh off of being named to MLB Pipeline's Prospect Team of the Week, Wetherholt has continued to swing one of the hottest bats across Minor League Baseball. The West Virginia product is now slashing .319/.439/.475 with 11 doubles, 4 home runs, and 23 runs batted in. He ranks second in batting average in the Texas League, first in on-base percentage, 7th in slugging percentage, and third in OPS. He has also shown an advanced approach at the plate, as he has walked more times (32) than he has struck out (27) over his 45 games this season for Springfield.

A promotion up to Triple-A Memphis over the next couple of weeks isn't a matter of if, but when at this point. With the Royals calling up Jac Caglinone, who was selected one selection ahead of Wetherholt in last year's draft, and the Angels calling up Christian Moore this week, who was selected with the selection right after Wetherholt in last year's draft, the clock started ticking just a bit faster.

The Cardinals have gotten into trouble over the last few years aggressively promoting prospects, but it's hard to find a reason to call a Wetherholt promotion aggressive at this point. He was one of the most advanced college hitters we've seen in a long time when he entered the draft, and he's proving to be that guy even more so this season with the Cardinals organization. Moving up to Triple-A would be a big step, but it's not a wild one.

Three players who were selected in the top 10 of the 2024 draft have made their MLB debut. While the stay in Triple-A might not be a long one once the 22-year-old arrives in Memphis, the call-up would mark a significant step in his development to see how he handles pitching at the level.

It remains to be seen if the Cardinals will be in contention once the All-Star break comes around. but Wetherholt could be a huge boost to the big league club in need of a huge jolt of life, regardless of buying or selling at the trade deadline.