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ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - MARCH 28: JJ Wetherholt #26 of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrates after hitting a walk-off two run single against the Tampa Bay Rays in the tenth inning at Busch Stadium on March 28, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images)

St. Louis Cardinals’ star rookie JJ Wetherholt has received a hefty contract projection. The Athletic reports that his future deal could be around eight years and $135 million. 

The Cardinals Should Extend JJ Wetherholt Now

Historically, St. Louis has had some premier rookie talent. In recent years, however, the Cardinals have scuffled coming up with a young core. 

Wetherholt is breaking trends and providing immediate relief at the top of the St. Louis lineup. His mentality at the dish is simple: compete. The Cardinals have been searching for their next Yadier Molina or Albert Pujols for so long, maybe all they needed was a gritty second baseman.

On top of his tenacity at the dish, Wetherholt plays elite defense. In 2026, the sweet-swinging second baseman has accumulated four outs above average. This ranks him in the 98th percentile of all big leaguers. Scouts weren’t too high on Wetherholt’s defense. He must’ve clicked mute on all the talking heads. 

Local media can’t get enough of the kid out of West Virginia University. Before the season, Cardinals writer John Denton discussed Wetherholt’s capacity for information and his self-motivated attempts to better himself in all facets. In search of improvement, Wetherholt keeps a journal that details his entire day. “No part of his day is left out of the journal,” wrote Denton. “From how he slept the night before to also including details about every ounce of coffee and energy drink that he consumes throughout the day. Possessing a hunger to improve daily and not make the same mistakes twice, Wetherholt wants to learn from his habits and hopefully continue to evolve as a player and person.” 

That kind of drive is what separates the best from the rest. Wetherholt might be undisputably talented, but his hunger for ascension separates him. 

The 23-year-old is also garnering national attention. MLB analyst Jim Bowden has been high on Wetherholt from the get-go. “Wetherholt was my preseason pick for NL Rookie of the Year because I love his ability to reach base, along with his above-average power and speed,” said Bowden. 

There haven’t been many young talents in recent years to bring so much hype to The Lou. The last one to debut with a slew of excited eyes watching is finally starting to put it all together. 

The Cardinals Should Build Around Jordan Walker and JJ Wetherholt

Former Cardinals top prospect Jordan Walker has seemingly broken out to start 2026. His metrics suggest he has firmly grasped a new approach, leading to consistent quality contact. 

Walker first debuted in 2023. His appearance followed the departure of St. Louis legends in Molina and Pujols, who had called it a career the year prior, leaving Walker with some serious shoes to fill. 

After a successful rookie campaign in which he posted an OPS of .787, Walker regressed for two straight seasons. Now, in 2026, the player who was supposed to headline a Redbird renaissance is putting it all together. 

Walker has 1.7 Baseball Reference WAR through his first 26 games. In 2025, Walker posted -1.7 WAR in 111 contests, a remarkable turnaround for the young slugger. 

If the Cardinals want a chance to compete perennially, they’ll need to get Walker and Wetherholt on the same clock. In the best interests of the fanbase and the team, it’s time to lock down the future of this prestigious organization.