(Photo by Tom DiPace)
The St. Louis Cardinals’ prospect J.J. Wetherholt earned Florida State League Player of the Week honors after putting up a .500/.533/.714 slash line with nine RBI’s over the final week. The young left-handed slugger went 14-for-28 and hit safely in all six contests. He also had five multi-hit games for the Palm Beach Cardinals.
Cardinals’ Prospect Wetherholt Gets a Big Fly for his Birthday
The Cardinals’ first round draft pick Wetherholt turned 22 on Tuesday, and the young slugger celebrated by launching his first professional post-season homerun. Additionally, Wetherholt helped Low-A Palm Beach put together a five-game win streak to end the regular season. He smacked one homer to go along with three doubles, eight runs scored, and one stolen base.
The Cardinals’ prospect Wetherholt made his professional debut in the Florida State League at the end of July. He began his career with a bang, collecting 13 hits in his first 14 games. However, the young slugger cooled off a bit before going on his recent tear. The youngster put together a nice start to his professional career. In 29 regular season games at Palm Beach this season, the infielder posted a .295/.405/.400 slash line with 20 RBI’s, seven extra base hits, 16 walks, 18 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Overall, the organization and fans alike should be pleased with the start of his career, even if it is a small sample size.
St. Louis Might Have Scored the Best Hitter in the Draft
The St. Louis Cardinals got a steal in the first round when slugging middle-infielder Wetherholt fell into their laps at the number seven slot. The lefty slugger was hailed by many as the best pure hitter in the draft and was touted as a possible number one pick. Many were shocked that he fell out of the top five. The left-handed hitting infielder won the Big 12 Player of the Year and was a semifinalist for Golden Spikes honors his sophomore year. The infielder put up an impressive slash line of .449/.517/.787 with a 1.304 OPS. Additionally, he launched 16 homers with 60 RBI’s and 36 stolen bases in only 268 plate appearances. Furthermore, the performance solidified his status as one of the top hitters at the collegiate level.
Unfortunately for Wetherholt, he suffered a Grade 3 hamstring strain, which caused him to miss most of his junior season. However, the slugger still managed a .331 batting average with a .472 OBP and .589 slugging percentage in limited time. Also, he improved his plate discipline in 2024. The young slugger had more walks during his junior year, with 104 fewer plate appearances. This injury was a blessing for the Cardinals. They were able to grab a probable top five and possible number one pick at the seven slot.
Prospects Should Provide Optimism for Frustrated Fans
It’s no secret that the Cardinals have been struggling over the last several years, and the fan base has had enough. The recent attendance of their home games is proof of that. The normally packed stadium has started to look like a ghost town by St. Louis standards. The up and coming prospects should give the fans some hope for the future. Players like Wetherholt, Tink Hence, Quinn Mathews, and Thomas Saggese, to name a few. However, to restore hope for some fans, it will probably take a major shake-up in regard to management. In the end, that may be the only thing that can truly turn things around in regard to performance and morale.
