One of the most closely-monitored players for the St. Louis Cardinals in this year's spring training is one that hasn't seen the field yet.

Infielder JJ Wetherholt, the Cardinals' first-round pick from the 2024 MLB Draft, is all but certain to break camp with the team.

Wetherholt's natural position is a shortstop but he's moved all over the infield in his minor league career and St. Louis has no shortage of open spaces for the former West Virginia Mountaineer after a series of moves this offseason.

As part of the Cardinals' rebuild, the team has dealt away veteran infielders such as: first baseman/catcher Willson Contreras, second baseman Brendan Donovan and third baseman Nolan Arenado.

Not only is Wetherholt expected to be the full-time replacement for at least one of those veterans, he could also be in a prominent role in the lineup.

According to a post on "X" from Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat, St. Louis manager Oli Marmol mentioned Wetherholt as a potential candidate to be the team's lead-off hitter.

Jones, in a response to a fan on "X," also had a direct response to the question of where he could play.

Jones didn't rule out the possibility of Wetherholt playing third base at some times this season but said, simply, "(Wetherholt's) the second baseman."

Wetherholt has been one of the most highly-touted prospects in baseball since the Cardinals drafted him in 2024. He's ranked as the fifth-best prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline's top 100.

Last year, across 109 games at the Double-A and Triple-A levels, Wetherholt slashed .306/.421/.510 with a .931 OPS and hit 28 doubles, two triples and 17 home runs with 59 RBIs. He stole 23 bases in 26 opportunities.

Wetherholt was able to skip the High-A level entirely. He played 29 games in Single-A in '24 before beginning last season in Double-A.

The hype for Wetherholt has extended outside of just St. Louis circles.

According to betting website BetMGM, Wetherholt has the third-best odds at winning the National League Rookie of the Year at +450. The two players ahead of Wetherholt in those odds are New York Mets starting pitcher Nolan McLean (+350) and Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop/outfielder Konnor Griffin (+375).

The Cardinals have fully committed to rebuilding their organization from the ground-up in the past year. And if things go according to plan, by the time St. Louis returns to being legitimate playoff contenders, Wetherholt will be one of, if not the face, of the team.

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