JJ Wetherholt wasn’t expected to break camp with the St. Louis Cardinals roster. Not this soon anyway.
However, Wetherholt has made the Cardinals Opening Day roster, according to president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom and Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat.
While this news is certainly notable, it’s not surprising that he was given a shot to be in the big leagues this early. The Cardinals have cleared out their roster with names such as Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras and Brendan Donovan leaving.
Wetherholt is the No. 5 prospect in all of baseball, per MLB Pipeline.
Infielders Thomas Saggese, José Fermín and Nathan Church will also break camp with the club. Outfielder Nelson Velázquez has been optioned to Triple-A.
What Will Wetherholt Bring to the St. Louis Cardinals?
The Cardinals drafted Wetherholt seventh overall in the 2024 MLB Draft from West Virginia University.
During the 2024 season, he would play 29 games in Low-A. He would hit .295 with an .805 OPS, driving in 20 runs.
He was quickly elevated to Double-A in the 2025 season. MLB Pipeline had him as the No. 23 prospect after just 29 minor league games.
In 1o9 games between Double-A and Triple-A, Wetherholt hit .306 with 17 home runs and a .931 OPS.
He would perform better in Triple-A than Double-A, hitting 10 home runs with a .978 OPS in 47 games in Memphis.
Now, after just one full minor league season, Wetherholt will break camp with the team out of spring training.
Wetherholt has an excellent hit tool, making contact at a high rate at every level. He didn’t whiff more than 26 percent of the time against any pitch type in the upper minors. His power is above-average, slugging .487 in his minor league career.
His speed is also above-average, projecting Wetherholt as a potential 20-20 player.
How Does Wetherholt Fit on the Roster?
With the ousting of Arenado, Donovan and Contreras, there were plenty of holes in the infield.
As of now, it looks like Nolan Gorman will take over at third base for Arenado. Alec Burleson will take over at first base for Contreras.
Masyn Winn is one of the best defensive shortstops in baseball, leaving him entrenched at the position. In 2025, Winn had 21 Outs Above Average, per Baseball Savant, the most among infielders in baseball, and won a Gold Glove award for his efforts.
This means Wetherholt’s likely opportunity to come at second base. Wetherholt played 20 games at second base in his minor league career and should be more than ready for the challenge.
With Wetherholt being an average to above-average defender, he should fare better at second than at shortstop.
By giving Wetherholt an Opening Day spot, the Cardinals will keep the Prospect Promotion Incentive on the table, which could net St. Louis an extra draft pick.
The Cardinals’ roster is not likely to contend in any facet during the 2026 season, especially in a loaded NL Central division. This season is about seeing what they have in their young players and evaluating the future as they navigate a rebuild.
However, with young assets such as Wetherholt and five other top 100 prospects, the Cardinals could soon contend again.
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