Wetherholt

SHEPHERDSTOWN — J.J. Wetherholt was a first-round draft selection of the St. Louis Cardinals last summer.

After drawing piles of speculation as to his draft future while playing collegiately at WVU, Wetherholt was selected as the seventh overall player in the first round in the summer of 2024.

His final season as a Mountaineer was muted by injuries, but nevertheless the Cardinals went after the middle infielder.

St. Louis currently has two young middle infielders in their everyday lineup so hurrying Wetherholt to the Major Leagues was never a priority.

Wetherholt has played shortstop this summer for the Springfield Cardinals, a class AA affiliate of the Cardinals.

He has employed his rhythmic left-handed swing into a productive year so far as injuries have stayed away and he has played in 57 games through June 29.

In 203 official at bats, the 5-foot-10, 190-pounder has 62 hits and a .305 batting average.

He has scored 35 runs and driven in 27 runs. His on base percentage is .430 and he slugged his way to a .883 OPS.

Wetherholt has 19 extra base hits, including five homers and 13 doubles.

One of the reasons the Cardinals thought so highly of Wetherholt was because of his running speed and ability to run the bases. He currently has been successful on 13-of-15 stolen base attempts.

St. Louis has to decide whether it will be a buyer or seller as the Major League Baseball trading deadline nears. The team may not do anything in the trade market, deciding its current roster is talented enough to not only keep it in any pennant race but also get it a playoff berth.

Unless the parent team is besieged by injuries it is unlikely that Wetherholt will be elevated to the big leagues before the league’s rosters are increased

in size toward the end of the regular season.

When the 2025 season is completed, Wetherholt will likely be asked to play in an instructional and developmental league this fall.

When the 2026 Spring Training season opens, he is likely to be in the St. Louis camp and his chances of beginning that season in the big leagues will be evaluated.

Wetherholt, because of his first-round draft selection, will receive every chance in the world to become a Major League Baseball fixture at some time.