When the Cardinals weighed the decision on what level top prospect JJ Wetherholt would begin the minor league season, three elements came into play before assigning the 22-year-old to Class AA Springfield.
The environment the Texas League offers, the strong impressions left in big-league spring training, and the makeup of Springfield鈥檚 coaching all factored into the move that led Wetherholt to skip Class High-A following his 29-game introduction to professional baseball last summer.
In his start in Class AA, Wetherholt has batted .302 with a .429 on-base percentage, and an .876 on-base plus slugging percentage in 60 games through Friday. He鈥檚 hit five home runs, 14 doubles, driven in 31 runs, walked 43 times and struck out 40 times while playing shortstop, his primary position, and second base for Springfield.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 closer and closer to the end goal of getting to the big leagues,鈥 Wetherholt said in a phone interview near the start of May regarding his leap to Class AA. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also just an opportunity to find your stride at this level, and at the end of the day that鈥檚 what you鈥檝e got to do and not look too far ahead.鈥
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Wetherholt opened the year ranked 25th in Baseball America鈥檚 preseason top 100 rankings coming off his strong first impression to professional baseball. After helping Class Low-A Palm Beach win the Florida State League title last season, Wetherholt has aided Springfield in clinching a playoff spot with their strong first half and earned himself a spot in the All-Star Futures Games in Atlanta, Georgia.
鈥淧eople see the great approach. They see the balanced spray. They see the tremendous decision-making skills. 鈥 But the work is, I don鈥檛 want to put too much pressure on this person, but it鈥檚 what makes (Wetherholt) special,鈥 Cardinals farm director Larry Day said in a phone interview near the middle of May.
Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt sets up his throw on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, during fielding drills at the team鈥檚 practice facility in Jupiter, Fla.
Within the decision of starting Wetherholt in Class AA, the Cardinals saw a 鈥渟weet spot鈥 for what the Texas League would present him. They felt the league could pose a 鈥渃hallenge鈥 along with the opportunity for him to 鈥渞ise to that challenge.鈥
Wetherholt collected his first hit in his 15th at-bat at the level, kicking off a stretch where he went 16 for 30 with his first homer before illness kept him out of games for nearly a week.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 really worry about it too much. Just kind of kept playing knowing things would turn around at some point, and then ... caught fire,鈥 Wetherholt said of the hitless start.
The illness that sidelined Wetherholt over a week required him to regain his strength and weight that he lost. In 48 games following his return to Springfield鈥檚 lineup, Wetherholt batted .287 with an .849 OPS after an initial sluggish start upon his return.
鈥淔or me, if I鈥檓 up there and I鈥檓 controlling the zone and swinging at good pitches and not chasing too much 鈥 then there鈥檚 really no reason for me to panic,鈥 Wetherholt said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just like, I鈥檝e just got to find a barrel. Got to find one good swing, and then we鈥檒l be good from there.鈥
Before beginning his first full minor league season, Wetherholt appeared in 10 Grapefruit League games and hit .100 in 20 at-bats as a non-roster invitee to his first big-league camp. The Cardinals鈥 top prospect homered in his first spring training game, posted a 1.000 fielding percentage at shortstop, and was successful on all three of his stolen base attempts.
But invisible from box scores were the impressions he made away from the field.
鈥淗e did great from a process standpoint,鈥 Day said. 鈥淗e did great from blending into that big-league ... spring training program environment as it relates to the clubhouse and the coaching staff and the work and the curiosity and the effort that he gives.鈥
When he was reassigned to minors camp, Wetherholt described a more relaxed feeling that allowed him to 鈥渏ust play baseball鈥 as he prepared for his first full professional season and was reintroduced him to a familiar position on the field.
After sticking exclusively at shortstop in the start to his pro career, Wetherholt received playing time at second base 鈥 his primary position over three seasons while at West Virginia University 鈥 during minor league spring training games.
鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 just going back to what I鈥檝e done a ton,鈥 Wetherholt said. 鈥淚 enjoy it. Always have. Obviously, priority now is still to just develop at short. It鈥檚 been fun to just mix it up and play on both different sides. It keeps it refreshing.鈥
Day said the time at second base brings value for the 22-year-old to develop a 鈥渄iverse and dynamic鈥 profile on defense. The assignment to Springfield gave Wetherholt the opportunity to work with bench coach Danny Black. Black鈥檚 presence, and the makeup of Springfield鈥檚 coaching staff, was 鈥渁 piece of the equation鈥 in deciding where Wetherholt would start the year, Day said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 just a lot of trust in that staff in creating awesome environments for JJ to develop,鈥 Day said.
Although Wetherholt has college experience at third base, Day said the Cardinals plan to keep the former seventh overall pick at middle infield spots as a way to force him to use his athleticism to develop his range. They鈥檝e looked to map out his playing time to give him back-to-back games at either position as a way to allow him to pull from experience the game prior as he remains a constant presence on Springfield鈥檚 roster and rises through the Cardinals鈥 system.
鈥淗e鈥檚 only an asset when it comes to any club, any manager trying to fill out and make his best lineup,鈥 Day said of the Cardinals top prospect. 鈥淗e鈥檚 that type of player.鈥
In today鈥檚 10 AM 鈥淭en Hochman鈥 video, Ben Hochman discusses Clayton Kershaw, who joined Bob Gibson in a rare club with his 3,000th K! Plus, a happy birthday shoutout to Derrick Chievous! And as always, Hochman picks a random Cards card out of the hat!
