The hype train for the Cardinals' top prospect just flew out of the station

You could say I'm one to talk when it comes to the hype regarding the St. Louis Cardinals' top prospect, JJ Wetherholt. Just look at how we reacted to Wetherholt falling to the seventh overall pick during the 2024 MLB Draft.

After being called the steal of the MLB Draft by most scouting outlets and putting up some stellar numbers in his brief taste of minor league baseball, Wetherholt entered big league camp as a non-roster invite with zero chance of making the Major League roster for Opening Day. Well, that has not stopped the hype train from flying out of the station and off the tracks already.

If you haven't seen it already, watching Wetherholt's three-run opposite-field home run purely for the sound it made off the bat is well worth your time.

Wetherholt's first taste of spring training action surpassed every expectation a fan could have, as he finished the day 2-3 at the plate with 3 RBIs and flashed good range and feel for the shortstop position. It is the kind of debut that got even the more pessimistic and frustrated fans out of their seats in excitement, and it is also fueling a desire from fans to see Wetherholt in St. Louis as soon as possible.

JJ Wetherholt's immense talent and potential has fans clamoring to see him in St. Louis immediately.

Obviously not every fan is doing this, but considering the fact that Wetherholt has just 164 plate appearances at Single-A Palm Beach to his name in his professional career, I'm going to make an educated guess that he will not be appearing in St. Louis come Opening Day.

Honestly though, all bets are off after a few months of the season go by. I am fully expecting Wetherholt to begin the year in Double-A Springfield, and if he were to tear the cover off of the baseball there, it's very possible that he makes the leap to St. Louis as soon as an opportunity arises. If not, he'll be bumping up to Memphis rather quickly, and a debut late in the second half becomes a real possibility.

This all hinges on his performance and development; that goes without being said. If Wetherholt hits some cold spells or slumps in the minors, there will be no rush to get him to St. Louis. And frankly, even if he is hitting, that doesn't necessarily mean he will be fast-tracked. But the more and more I have thought about this, the more I have come to the belief that the Cardinals may be more aggressive with Wetherholt than many of us gave them credit for.

First, Wetherholt is one of the most polished and accomplished college bats to come out in the last number of years. He's the real deal. Many expected him to go number one overall prior to his hamstring injury, and even with that lingering over him, he was still very much in the conversation for the first pick on draft night. It's why the Cardinals got glowing reviews for their pick when they selected him.

Second, no matter what direction the Cardinals go in this year, you'll be able to make an argument for Wetherholt to debut (if he looks ready).

If the club is performing well and pushing for the playoffs, then it makes sense to give themselves the best chance possible to win. If Wetherholt is living up to the hype with his bat, they could very well see him as a better option over Nolan Gorman or Thomas Saggese.

If the Cardinals look more like a rebuilding team this year, they'll have plenty of opportunities for prospects like Wetherholt to get a chance in St. Louis, and frankly, his pedigree could help them sell more tickets in a lost season. They should not sacrifice development for the sake of ticket sales, but it may help them pull the trigger quicker once they deem him to be ready to go.

For now though, let's keep our expectations, specifically in terms of a debut, rather low. It's not a bad thing for Wetherholt to spend a full season in the minor leagues. He is not a failure if he's not in St. Louis soon. The Cardinals have gotten themselves into trouble for rushing guys before, and they cannot make that mistake with a talent like Wetherholt.

With that being said though, the ceiling is very, very high for the West Virginia product, and if he's ready to roll, why not unleash him and begin the future now?

Only time will tell which route should be taken. But decisions like that should not be made on February 24th, no matter how fun it is to dream about Wetherholt's potential.