JJ Wetherholt: Cardinals' Star Prospect, Next Big Contract

0:00It's April 17th, from daily matchups to big moments. This is MLB News today, powered by AI. The St. Louis Cardinals jumped into a full rebuild this off-season, and so far, it's looking sharp. They've got a solid young core, holding down the majors, prospects knocking on the door, and even deeper talent ready to shine in the next few years. Their farm system runs deep with high end skills at the top, setting them up for long-term wins without the usual rebuild pitfalls. One standout is infielder J.J. Weatherhole, who's tearing it up early and drawing buzz for a big contract extension. CBS sports his Mike Axisah, just pegged him as next in line after deals like Cooper Pratt's with the Brewers, Conor Griffins with the Pirates, and Kevin. McGonagall's recent one with the Tigers, fans and analysts are hyped, because Weatherhole has made the opening day roster and backed it up strong. He's reached base in 10 of his 11 games, not to walk off Homer, and sits top 5 in on-base percentage, among qualified rookies at 0.3, 8-0.

1:03He's sliding over to second base to make room for goal-glover mass and win, but his defense there has been a lead, better than expected. As a true 5-tool prospect, he's flashing star potential across the board. Locking him up now with an 8- or 9-year deal, around $150 million, makes sense. It buys out free agency years without busting. The budget and keeps the Cardinal's bright future rolling strong.