Cardinals' top prospect reaches doorstep of major leagues

High first-round draft picks, especially polished college players, are expected to make mincemeat of their minor league competition. That's just what the St. Louis Cardinals' highest-ranked prospect, JJ Wetherholt, has done en route to his promotion to Triple-A Memphis on July 7, just one step away from the Cardinals' major league club.

Wetherholt is on the fast track to St. Louis.

Wetherholt, a polished middle infielder out of West Virginia University whom the Cardinals selected with their first pick in the 2024 draft, has been an on-base machine in Double-A Springfield, hitting .300 with an .892 OPS, and the Cardinals clearly believe that his bat is nearly ready for the big time.

As the post from Cardinals Player Development says, Wetherholt is the first Cardinals player since Michael Wacha in 2013 to reach Triple-A or higher within one year of being drafted and the first position player since Brett Wallace, whom the Cardinals traded as the centerpiece in the deal for Matt Holliday in 2009.

Wetherholt is not currently on the Cardinals' 40-man roster, and while that could theoretically change after the trade deadline if the Cardinals subtract from their major league squad, the Cardinals may not feel that it is worth promoting Wetherholt to the major leagues if they conclude at the deadline that 2025 will be a lost season. Instead, the team will likely prefer that their young hotshot marinate in Triple-A for the remainder of the season before likely making his debut in 2026.

On the other hand, if the Cardinals have a very high opinion of Wetherholt, they may promote him near the end of the season to get his feet wet if they believe he can compete for Rookie of the Year honors in 2026. The Prospect Promotion Incentive, instituted in the 2022 collective bargaining agreement, would award the Cardinals an extra draft pick at the end of the first round next season if he wins Rookie of the Year or finishes top three in MVP voting. To be eligible for the award, Wetherholt must retain his rookie eligibility status in 2026, but providing him with a head start to acclimate to the major leagues could be a route that the Cardinals explore.

Wetherholt has come along far quicker than the team's last mega-prospect, Jordan Walker, which makes sense given that Walker was a raw bat out of high school. Walker has not yet lived up to expectations in the major leagues following his ravaging of the minors, and many fans and analysts have placed much of the blame on the Cardinals' poor handling of him. With massive turnover in the farm system occurring prior to the 2025 season, plus his already mature approach thanks to college ball, Wetherholt may be set up for more success than Walker ever was.

Wetherholt's stay at Triple-A should be another successful minor league stint. With the Cardinals hoping to return to contention in 2026, expect them to make some moves at the trade deadline to clear space for Wetherholt next season if all goes as planned.