JUPITER, Fla. – JJ Wetherholt‘s first spring training with the St. Louis Cardinals’ big-league club has come to an end. The Cardinals’ first-round pick last year, selected seventh overall, was assigned to minor-league camp on Wednesday, but not before leaving a strong impression.
Wetherholt made an immediate impact in his spring training debut on Feb. 23, crushing an opposite-field home run. Over 10 spring games, he scored six runs, drove in three, drew six walks and stole three bases. While he only managed two hits in 20 at-bats (.100 average), the underlying metrics highlight his ability to contribute in many key areas.
On Friday, the 22-year-old Wetherholt will once again be in the spotlight, expected to lead Cardinals prospects while patrolling shortstop in a spring breakout game against the Miami Marlins’ prospects. After that, he’ll turn his focus to preparing for his first full season at the minor-league level.
Wetherholt is currently ranked as MLB Pipeline‘s best Cardinals prospect and the 23rd-best prospect in all of baseball. Scouts have touted his bat-to-ball skills, advanced plate discipline, and all-fields hitting approach, making him one of the most dynamic youngsters in the organization.
Before he joined the Cardinals organization, Wetherholt was a star at West Virginia University, breaking out as a sophomore in 2023 with a .449 batting average, 16 home runs, and 36 stolen bases and earning Big 12 Player of the Year honors. A hamstring injury limited his 2024 collegiate season, though Wetherholt still posted a .331 batting average over 36 games, solidifying his status as a top draft prospect.
Cardinals manager Oli Marmol recently praised Wetherholt’s maturity and work ethic in a chat with MLB.com’s John Denton. “I’m highly impressed with JJ. It is a nice trait when you are young and you are comfortable in your own skin. He knows what he brings to the table. He’s confident with it, and he is completely comfortable with what he does not know.” Marmol also noted that Wetherholt has been gaining “a ton of wisdom from the older guys in conversations” and has “made the most out of his camp.”
Wetherholt is expected to begin the 2025 season at either Single-A Peoria or Double-A Springfield. A 2026 timeline to the MLB level could make sense if he continues to develop at his current pace and if the Cardinals find a way to navigate their already-crowded big-league infield.
In a one-on-one spring training interview with FOX 2 on March 6, Jonathan David “JJ” Wetherholt discussed his mindset for his first full professional baseball season and his future hopes for himself and the St. Louis Cardinals.
CLICK HERE to watch the full interview with JJ Wetherholt, in addition to one-on-one interviews with several other Cardinals from spring training.
Q&A
Question: What was your recent experience like taking batting practice with big leaguers at spring training?
Wetherholt: “It’s a ton of fun, especially hitting at the stadium. I’ve been able to do that twice now. Just to be able to see their rounds, talking with them, hitting with them – I was able to field grounders with Nolan [Arenado], even Iván [Herrera] was out there. We’re all just kind of having fun, playing the game. It’s super exciting to get to do that.”
Question: Now that you’ve had some opportunities to enter spring training lineups on back-to-back days, what is that experience like?
Wetherholt: “It’s getting quicker, playing back-to backs now, so super cool. I was excited to get in on back-to-back days. Thought that my [offensive] timing could be better, and turned out that wasn’t the case. But that’s how it goes sometimes. So that was really fun, and playing with the guys was a blessing.”
Question: What kind of goals or expectations have you set for yourself at this point of spring training?
Wetherholt: “Right now, I’m trying to get into a rhythm. Catch a couple barrels, play some good defense, and be excited to go through the process as well. Talking to some of the older guys, I was talking to Donnie [Brendan Donovan] today about that. His focus on spring training is the process, how his body feels. You can never really worry about the results of the game in spring training. We’re just trying to get better every day.”
Question: What aspects of your game, offensively and defensively, are you looking to sharpen this spring?
Wetherholt: “Defensively, just playing more under control, so slower heart rate and just relaxing the field. Offensively, it’s just always building on every single skill that I have and trying to make elite contact.”
Question: What’s it like being around veterans like Brendan Donovan and Nolan Arenado and getting help where you can? Have any other big leaguers helped along the way?
Wetherholt: “Pretty much all position players have been super cool. That’s been awesome to be around them. They help you walk through the ropes because they’ve been there before. You can learn a lot too by just watching them, how they go about their business. It’s been a ton of fun to see what they do.”
Question: How was the experience of hitting a home run in your first spring game, and how do you look to build upon that?
Wetherholt: “That was sweet. Just to be able to see the ball fly out, it was a cool game. You might have a lot of expectations throughout your first big league spring training, and how it’s going to go. I’m just trying to slow down and have some fun. So put a good swing on it back then. A little bit down the road, but it was a cool moment.”
Question: Is there anything that has kind of surprised you about your first spring training compared to your previous baseball experiences?
Wetherholt: “I mean, yeah, from top to bottom, the competition. Our staffing. Our food. The equipment. Everything is really cool to see, how it all changes. It’s better. It’s different in every facet, and it’s really cool to see.”
Question: For the St. Louis Cardinals of the future, where do you feel like the team is with its direction and where do you see your place with that?
Wetherholt: “Definitely a really good direction. I have no idea what my position will be, and I’m not really focused on that. I have a lot of steps to go before that. We have a lot of guys that are really hungry and want to make an impact at the major-league level. We’re all going to be competing against each other, and it’s all going to be to help our team win more games. That will be really cool to see.”