Apr 21, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A St. Louis Cardinals hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Cardinals Top Prospect Receives Praise After Resurgent 2025 Season

Originally posted on Minor League Baseball on SI
By Curt Bishop | Last updated Oct 2, 2025 2:34 PM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals ultimately missed the postseason for the third consecutive year after going 78-84 and finishing in fourth place in the National League Central. They are headed for a rebuild after Chaim Bloom took over for John Mozeliak as president of baseball operations. Bloom will continue to work on the minor league system during this rebuild, which while improved, still isn't quite where it needs to be for the Cardinals to compete.

However, they have had some very interesting prospects this year, starting with JJ Wetherholt. The young infielder and top prospect made his way to Triple-A Memphis after starting the year in Double-A Springfield.

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report listed him as his pick for the Cardinals' minor league Player of the Year.

Cardinals Top Prospect Receives Praise After Breakout Year

"A nagging hamstring injury limited Wetherholt to mostly DH duties during his junior season, and he ended up slipping to No. 7 overall in the 2024 draft after entering the spring as one of the leading candidates to go 1-1. He already looks like an absolute steal, with his 65-hit, 55-power offensive profile on full display in his pro debut, and he could break camp as the starting second baseman next spring as part of a youth movement in St. Louis," Reuter wrote.

Wetherholt hit .306/.421/.510 with 17 home runs, 59 RBI, 23 stolen bases and a .931 OPS in 2025 across Double-A and Triple-A. He was the Cardinals top draft pick back in 2024. Injuries slowed him down that year, but he came back with a vengeance in 2025, showing off his elite power and speed.

With how fast he has risen through the farm system, he could potentially be in the Cardinals plans for 2026, either at second base or third base. Both Brendan Donovan and Nolan Arenado are strong offseason trade candidates for St. Louis, so it will be interesting to see where Wetherholt fits iin 2026.

But the future is incredibly bright for the former top pick, and the Cardinals may have struck gold when they selected him last year. He is their top prospect, and the Cardinals are very high on him.

It will be interesting to see what becomes of Wetherholt after making such a quick jump through the minor league system and putting himself seemingly on the cusp of the Major Leagues.

More MiLB: Cardinals Sending Several Intriguing Prospects To AFL Soon

This article first appeared on Minor League Baseball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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