St. Louis Cardinals’ prospect J.J. Wetherholt was named Florida State League Player of the Week after an impressive final week, boasting a .500/.533/.714 slash line and driving in nine runs. The left-handed hitter went 14-for-28, recording hits in all six games and achieving five multi-hit performances with the Palm Beach Cardinals.
In a celebratory turn, Wetherholt marked his 22nd birthday on Tuesday by hitting his first professional postseason home run. The first-round draft pick also played a key role in helping Low-A Palm Beach secure a five-game winning streak to close the regular season. He added a homer, three doubles, eight runs scored, and a stolen base to his contributions.
Cardinals’ prospect J.J. Wetherholt made his professional debut in the Florida State League at the end of July, starting his career strongly with 13 hits in his first 14 games. Although he experienced a brief slump, he has recently hit a strong stride. Over 29 regular-season games with Palm Beach this season, Wetherholt recorded a .295/.405/.400 slash line, with 20 RBI, seven extra-base hits, 16 walks, 18 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Despite being a small sample size, both the organization and fans should be encouraged by his promising start.
St. Louis Cardinals might have secured one of the draft’s top talents when they selected middle infielder Wetherholt with the seventh pick. Viewed by many as the best pure hitter in the draft and a potential number one pick, it was surprising to see him fall out of the top five. The left-handed hitter was named Big 12 Player of the Year and was a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist during his sophomore year, boasting an impressive .449/.517/.787 slash line with a 1.304 OPS. He hit 16 home runs, drove in 60 runs, and stole 36 bases in just 268 plate appearances. Though a Grade 3 hamstring strain sidelined him for most of his junior season, Wetherholt still managed a .331 average, .472 OBP, and .589 slugging percentage, showing improved plate discipline. This injury allowed the Cardinals to draft him at a lower spot, potentially a top-five or even number-one pick.
For fans frustrated by recent struggles and declining attendance, the emergence of prospects like Wetherholt, Tink Hence, Quinn Mathews, and Thomas Saggese offers hope. However, restoring fan optimism may also require significant changes in management to address performance and morale issues.
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