Renewal process for St. Louis Cardinals poses 5 vital questions to ponder
The St. Louis Cardinals are on the brink of a significant move, with top prospect JJ Wetherholt potentially joining the Major League club in the latter half of the 2025 season.
Wetherholt, currently playing with Triple-A Memphis, has been impressing with his bat, posting a .321/.412/.714 slash line and a 1.126 OPS in mid-2025 [1][2][5]. His exceptional performance has made him one of the most promising young players in the organization.
The Cardinals, who have been focusing more on the future after trading away some veterans at the 2025 trade deadline, are creating a window for evaluating young talent like Wetherholt in the majors [1]. There has been a positional adjustment for Wetherholt, who has recently begun playing third base in Triple-A for the first time since college, possibly signaling preparation for his MLB debut amid Nolan Arenado's injury [1][5].
However, some organizational factors like the 40-man roster crunch may delay Wetherholt's promotion if the team decides it is best for his long-term development to wait until 2026 [4]. Despite this, given his strong performance and the team's "lost season" outlook, the Cardinals seem poised to bring him up to provide reinforcement in the final months of 2025, especially around September call-ups [5].
If Wetherholt wins the Rookie of the Year award in 2026, the Cardinals would be awarded a draft pick in the 2027 MLB Draft. The Cardinals' rebuild will continue into the 2025 season and beyond, and Wetherholt's future with the Major League club is a topic of interest and anticipation among fans and team personnel.
References:
[1] St. Louis Post-Dispatch. (2025, July 15). Cardinals' top prospect JJ Wetherholt could get a September call-up. Retrieved from https://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/cardinals/cardinals-top-prospect-jj-wetherholt-could-get-a-september-call-up/article_f1468847-842d-5422-b51d-39f056e0d984.html
[2] MLB.com. (2025, August 10). Top 30 Prospects: Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt. Retrieved from https://www.mlb.com/prospects/2025/stl/jj-wetherholt/scout-poll
[4] The Athletic. (2025, August 15). Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt could be called up, but not yet. Retrieved from https://theathletic.com/2919880/2025/08/15/cardinals-jj-wetherholt-call-up-2025/
[5] ESPN.com. (2025, August 20). Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt a strong candidate for September call-up. Retrieved from https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33782652/cardinals-jj-wetherholt-strong-candidate-september-call-up
The St. Louis Cardinals might be tapping into youthful talent, as top prospect JJ Wetherholt could potentially make his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in the latter half of the 2025 season. Wetherholt is currently playing third base for Triple-A Memphis and has been showcasing impressive statistics, earning him the status as one of the most promising young players for the Cardinals organization.
