Cardinals' top prospect's positional shake-up suggests that a promotion is nigh

JJ Wetherholt has been everything the St. Louis Cardinals and their fans could have hoped for since the team chose him with its first draft pick in 2024. The 22-year-old is hitting .321 in Triple-A Memphis and holds a 1.126 OPS, and if the Redbirds' latest action with him is any indication, Wetherholt may be on the fast track to St. Louis to provide reinforcements even in what is likely a lost season.

Memphis played Wetherholt at third base for the first time in his professional career.

Wetherholt has primarily played shortstop throughout his time in the Cardinals' system and has also spent time at second base, and on Aug. 3, the Redbirds added third base to his repertoire. The Cardinals said that Wetherholt would receive opportunities at shortstop, second base and third base during his stint in Memphis, but the timing of his first start at the hot corner should raise some eyebrows.

The Cardinals placed third baseman Nolan Arenado on the injured list with a shoulder strain on Aug. 1 after he had suffered through a dismal July at the plate. Nolan Gorman took over at third base in his stead, but his defense has not been pretty there. If the Cardinals want to provide Wetherholt some exposure to the major leagues, they may decide to call him up in September, when the rosters expand, and allow him to play third base if they expect Arenado's absence to be a lengthy one.

The Cardinals were openly seeking to trade Arenado in the offseason to get out from under his contract that runs through 2027, and they will likely attempt to move him again following the 2025 season. If they succeed on that front, the Cardinals will have a hole to fill at third base, and they may believe that Wetherholt could play at the hot corner long term, even if he doesn't have the power that playing the position usually entails.

A position shift shouldn't be a massive adjustment for Wetherholt. Unlike Jordan Walker, whom the Cardinals waited far too long to switch from third base to the outfield, Wetherholt is a polished college product who would still be playing on the dirt.

It appears likely that some semblance of a rebuild is on the horizon in St. Louis, and the Cardinals are hoping that Wetherholt will serve as one of the building blocks for future success. Third base might be the Cardinals' choice for Wetherholt as they run out the clock in 2025, but don't be surprised if the Cardinals trot him out to all three of his infield spots as they look to get his bat in the lineup as often as possible in 2026.