7 players the Cardinals could select with the 7th pick in the 2024 MLB Draft

SS/2B JJ Wetherholt, West Virgina

If you started looking at mock drafts back in the winter, JJ Wetherholt was a guy who was consistently going top 5 amongst talent evaluators, and there's very little in his game that would lead me to believe he's not one of the five best players in the class, at the very least.

So how would he be available at number seven for the Cardinals? That's a great question because I don't understand it either. But depending on what mock drafts you look at right now, Wetherholt has been falling down boards, despite a strong year at the plate once again.

Wetherholt suffered a hamstring injury that kept him out for a period of the season. He has dealt with a hamstring injury before while playing with Team USA this past summer and missed some games in 2023 due to a thumb injury. The injuries may end up concerning some teams, but his talent is through the roof.

Wetherholt's calling card as a prospect is easily his 70-grade hit tool, which makes him seem like a perfect fit for what the Cardinals like in their hitters. The thought of adding a left-handed bat with elite bat-to-ball skills and above-average power would take their young offensive core to the next level. Some area scouts have called Wetherholt the best bat they've ever seen. His miss rate on swings is out of this world, and he can spray the ball all over the field with authority.

He does all of this while being a plus stolen base threat as well, and should be at least an average defensive shortstop or above-average second baseman. That bat plays though, and I have a hard time believing the Cardinals pass on Wetherholt if he's available at seven, even if he sticks at second base. Keith Law of The Athletic has already connected Wetherholt to St. Louis (subscription required).