Home / Sports / Cardinals Lock Up Rookie Star JJ Wetherholt
Cardinals Lock Up Rookie Star JJ Wetherholt
11 Jul
Summary
- JJ Wetherholt, rookie infielder, inks eight-year, $112.5 million extension.
- Deal is Cardinals' largest pre-arbitration extension since Pujols in 2004.
- Wetherholt is a promising Rookie of the Year candidate for the Cardinals.
The St. Louis Cardinals are finalizing an eight-year, $112.5 million contract extension for rookie infielder JJ Wetherholt, with the deal potentially reaching $132 million without opt-outs. This agreement represents the franchise's most substantial contract extension for a player before reaching arbitration eligibility, surpassing Albert Pujols' 2004 deal.
Wetherholt, 23, is having a standout rookie season for the Cardinals, who are currently three games behind a wild-card spot. Ranked as the seventh overall prospect by The Athletic, he has impressed with his hitting, hitting .267/.362/.411 with 13 home runs through 87 games, positioning him as a Rookie of the Year candidate.
This extension signals a shift in the Cardinals' player development strategy under president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom. The team aims to build around a young core, having traded several key players over the offseason. Wetherholt is expected to be a central figure in this youth movement for the foreseeable future.
