Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt fields a ground ball during spring training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

JJ Wetherholt Has Golden Opportunity Ahead With Cardinals

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Mar 12, 2026 9:24 AM ET

Opening Day is two weeks away and it can't come quick enough.

March 26 is coming up quickly and soon enough we will see the St. Louis Cardinals take the field and face off against the Tampa Bay Rays at Busch Stadium. It's going to be an intriguing day, to say the least. It's the beginning of a new era. There were obviously a plethora of trades made throughout the offseason and the roster is going to look much different in 2026 than it did in 2025. The Chaim Bloom era officially began once the 2025 season came to an end, but this will be the beginning of his first season leading the organization as the team's president of baseball operations. Will his vision help to turn the organization around?

Arguably, yes. Bloom showed throughout the offseason that he wasn't afraid to make a move and the team added a handful of intriguing prospects, like Jurrangelo Cijntje. The big league roster will be very young and the club will have to determine who is in the long-term picture, but it's going to be a fun ride. One thing that's certainly going to add some excitement to the team is the fact that JJ Wetherholt is widely expected to be with the club on Opening Day in the big leagues. Because of that, ESPN's Kiley McDaniel unsurprisingly tabbed him as the Cardinals' top breakout player to watch.

The Cardinals have a bright future

Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

"St. Louis Cardinals: JJ Wetherholt, SS," McDaniel wrote. "Wetherholt and OF Joshua Báez are both good options here but Wetherholt has a much better chance at early season big league at-bats, so he's the pick. He has a wide base of skills, so if any part of his game doesn't immediately translate, he will still put up a solid WAR figure.

"The buzz on St. Louis' minor league arms at camp is very positive, with Tanner Franklin and Liam Doyle getting the most chatter (and best chance to make a big league appearance this year) but Cade Crossland, Quinn Mathews, and Tink Hence all seemingly on the right track."

Wetherholt has a golden opportunity ahead. He's slashing .263/.500/.579 with a 1.079 OPS so far in camp with two homers, six RBIs and eight walks in 10 games. Wetherholt has done enough to the point that the expectation is that he will be on the Opening Day roster.

His bat is very good and his glove is solid and he has worked with two-time Gold Glove Award winner Kolten Wong. He's the No. 1 prospect in the Cardinals' system for a reason and he will have the opportunity to show the fanbase why early in 2026, unless something surprising happens. The opportunity is there at second base after Brendan Donovan got traded and he has the talent to make the most of it.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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