Riley O'Brien and JJ Wetherholt both had opportunities to play for Team Korea, but only one will actually get to.
St. Louis Cardinals reliever Riley O'Brien will suit up for Team Korea at the upcoming World Baseball Classic, which begins on March 4. We had heard that the two sides wanted this to happen earlier in January, but O'Brien confirmed his participation on Sunday at the Cardinals' 'Winter Warm-Up' event.
"I talked to Team Korea. We've been in discussions and they want me to play for them, and I would like to play for them as well. So, just getting everything official and I guess rosters haven't come out yet, but something I'm expecting to do."
Cardinals top prospect JJ Wetherholt, who also had interest in playing for Korea, will not be participating. Though the WBC has lenient eligibility requirements for countries, Wetherholt evidently does not meet the threshold to play for Korea.
“Unfortunately, I am not Korean enough. You need a direct parent to be a citizen, and my grandma is the one who is a citizen... It was a dream of mine, and my grandma is getting old so I really wanted to play for them just because I think it would really mean a lot to her, but unfortunately won't be able to do it."
About O'Brien
Now 30 years old, O'Brien has spent parts of four years in the big leagues with the Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners and Cardinals, but he really broke out for St. Louis in 2025.
One of the bright spots of the Cardinals roster, O'Brien made 42 big-league appearances, going 3-1 with a 2.06 ERA. He struck out 45 batters in 48.0 innings, registering six saves. He also made 19 appearances for Triple-A Memphis, going 1-0 with a 2.79 ERA.
What this means for his spring
It will be interesting to see how this WBC appearance factors into things for the Cardinals. On the surface, O'Brien has an opportunity to be the team's closer, along with Ryne Stanek and JoJo Romero, but if he's gone for two weeks or so, how does that impact his chances to make an impression on that front?
About Wetherholt
Currently ranked as the No. 5 prospect in baseball by MLB.com, Wetherholt is a versatile infielder. Now 23, he was drafted No. 7 overall by the Cardinals in 2024 out of West Virginia. His debut is likely to be the most exciting part of this season's rebuild for fans.
Playing 109 games between Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis in 2025, he hit .306 in 2025 with 17 home runs, 59 RBIs and 23 stolen bases.
What this means for his spring
While not participating in the World Baseball Classic is very disappointing for Wetherholt, it may actually be best for his chances with the Cardinals. He has an opportunity to make the roster directly out of spring training and now he'll get a chance to show what he can do over a full six-week period.
With Nolan Arenado traded, there is an opportunity at third base, and if Brendan Donovan is dealt, there's an opening at second as well.
About the WBC
The premier international baseball tournament in the world, this will be the sixth iteration of the event, which began in 2006.
Team Japan is the reigning champion, having bested the United States in 2023. The US won in 2017 with the Dominican Republic winning in 2013. Japan won in both 2006 and 2009.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
Remember to join our CARDINALS on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other CARDINALS fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too!