Hailing from Mars, PA, St. Louis Cardinals phenom JJ Wetherholt had stardom written on his story from an early age, and we've got the pictures to prove it.
Former Major League Baseball All-Star Jack Wilson, who spent nine seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, posted a picture of his son and 2025 MLB All-Star, Jacob Wilson, on the same 6U baseball team with Wetherholt back in Mars when they were kids.
Congrats to JJ Wetherholt on making the Cards opening day nod. Turning back the clock to a 6U rec team in Mars PA. Jacob Wilson and JJ on the same squad pic.twitter.com/Cf7f6wUZEM
— Jack Wilson (@JaxsonPPSS) March 25, 2026
The image is not unlike any you've seen from your own family or friends over the years - a group of kids enjoying the best sport on the planet from a young age. But it's not every day that you see an MLB All-Star and potential future All-Star on the same youth baseball team.
Former MLB All-Star Jack Wilson and JJ Wetherholt's fifth grade teacher share wholesome pictures of the Cardinals phenom
That wasn't the only viral image shared from Wetherholt's childhood on Thursday. The Mars Area School District X account shared an image that Wetherholt's fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Ingoldsby, had held onto all of these years. The image shows a young Wetherholt holding up a small chalkboard written with what he dreamed of being when he grew up: an MLB player.
💙💛⚾️ Mrs. Ingoldsby, JJ Wetherholt’s 5th grade teacher, found this gem for his MLB debut today. The students had to write what they wanted to be when they grew up. So proud of him for living out his dream and knocking it out of the park in his very first at-bat! #marsproud pic.twitter.com/K7HyLTySpr
— Mars Area SD (@MarsAreaSD) March 27, 2026
Those dreams were fully realized on Opening Day Thursday, making his MLB debut and smashing his first career home run to dead center against the Tampa Bay Rays in a 9-7 win.
WELCOME TO THE SHOW JJ WETHERHOLT!!! đź’Ł
— Dealin' the Cards (@DealinTheCards) March 26, 2026
pic.twitter.com/zCn120zT4i
No matter who you talk to, everyone who knows Wetherholt speaks glowingly about his makeup as a person and how that, paired with his immense talent, allows him to shine. He was one of the best college hitters we've seen over the last decade, was a favorite to go number one overall in the MLB Draft, a top prospect in all of baseball the last two years, and now is a favorite to win National League Rookie of the Year.
We did a deep dive into Wetherholt's journey to the big leagues over on the Dealin' the Cards channel this week, and it's well worth your time. His rise to St. Louis was special, and it really does seem like he's going to have a long, successful big league career.
Wholesome content on the internet is always a win, and it was a cherry on top for Wetherholt's memorable MLB debut.
