Speaking Wednesday after winning the St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Player of the Year Award, uber-prospect JJ Wetherholt discussed his future and a potential move to third base.

The youngster said that he began working at third this season in addition to his usual shortstop work, and the goal of the organization is for him to become a more complete infielder. Furthermore, he wants his defense to get up to par with his bat, and he doesn't want his glove to be seen as something that is looked down upon.

You can see his full comments in the video below:

How does this translate to the big leagues?

The Cardinals have Masyn Winn at shortstop, and considering he just won a Gold Glove Award, he would seem to have that position on lock. For now, the Cardinals also have Brendan Donovan at second base, which blocks him there. With the team expected to trade Nolan Arenado this offseason, third base appears to be the cleanest way for Wetherholt to reach the big leagues, though it's unclear if they'd do that for Opening Day or wait until they can gain an extra year of team control (usually around the end of April).

If the Cardinals trade Donovan, which is also possible, then second base could become an option again.

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. He is projected to make his major league debut this upcoming season.

Playing 109 games between Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis, he hit .306 in 2025 with 17 home runs, 59 RBIs and 23 stolen bases.

What they're saying

The following comes from a portion of his MLB.com prospect profile:

The former Mountaineer is still an above-average runner down the line despite the injuries (hamstring in college), He opened his college career with time at second and third but moved to short in 2024, a transition he continued in the Minors. He has the arm and athleticism to handle the six but will bump into Masyn Winn at the position if he continues up the St. Louis chain, at which time a move elsewhere shouldn't be a major concern.

What's next

We wait to see if and when the Cardinals trade Arenado and Donovan. The winter meetings are coming from Dec. 7-10, so big deals could materialize there.

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