It’s October, and just four teams are still focused on this season — everyone else has already turned their attention to next year.
For the Cardinals, the focus extends beyond 2025. If this season was meant to be a runway for the future, a few players never got off the ground. With a new leadership group coming in, some will be cleared from the runway while others get their chance to take flight.
Next season might be the ideal time to take a bold swing — perhaps even by giving the top of the lineup to a player with only 138 minor league games under his belt.
JJ Wetherholt may force his way onto the Cardinals’ Opening Day roster
The Cardinals selected J.J. Wetherholt with the seventh overall pick in the 2024 draft, and many scouts believed he was the best pure hitter available. After signing, he played 29 games and hit .295 to finish the year strong.
He began the following season at Double-A, where he excelled over 62 games, posting a .300 batting average, a .425 on-base percentage, an .892 OPS, and a .466 slugging percentage—numbers that earned him the 2025 Texas League MVP award.
Promoted to Triple-A on July 7, Wetherholt somehow got even better against tougher competition, hitting .314 with a .562 slugging percentage and a .978 OPS.
What sets Wetherholt apart is his refined approach at the plate. Among Cardinals hitters, only Burleson, Arenado, and Donovan struck out less often, and no one matched his walk rate or on-base percentage.
Defensively, his versatility has been a major asset—he’s played second, shortstop, and third base in the minors, giving the Cardinals valuable flexibility as they continue to retool their roster.
His baseball instincts and leadership have also drawn praise. “He’s impressive and he’s got a chance to be really good,” said Chaim Bloom. Manager Oliver Marmol echoed the sentiment, noting Wetherholt’s athleticism and positional adaptability:
“There’s more third [base] in his future. We’re just trying to create versatility. He’s athletic enough to move around a little bit. I’d rather him get comfortable here than try to learn a new position at the major-league level.”
That approach marks a contrast from how the team handled Jordan Walker. Wetherholt already plays multiple infield spots, so there’s no need to introduce another one. And unlike Walker, the Cardinals don’t appear intent on tinkering with his swing to produce more power.
Baseball America graded his power at 55 on the 20–80 scale—above average—but his true calling card is his elite hit tool (graded 65). He drives the ball with precision and authority, and his main job is to reach base. That’s something you don’t mess with.
If the Cardinals can finally move on from some of the stalled pieces in their infield—like Nolan Gorman—or find a trade partner for Nolan Arenado, it’s easy to envision Wetherholt taking over a spot on the infield and possibly leading off on Opening Day.
Bloom seems to agree with that possibility: “We’re looking forward to seeing what he does in [Spring Training] camp,” he said. “He’s in a position where he can come in and make a really strong impression and start his big league career sooner rather than later. We’ll see how that shakes out, but he’s a really impressive, poised player.”
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