By: Jonathan K. Martin | WV Sports Chat
In a season where the St. Louis Cardinals have leaned heavily on their young talent amid an early 9-8 record, 23-year-old rookie infielder JJ Wetherholt delivered a breakout performance on Tuesday night.
Wetherholt, the Cardinals’ first-round pick (No. 7 overall) from the 2024 MLB Draft out of West Virginia, was named Player of the Game after going 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs in Tuesday night’s contest against the Cleveland Guardians.
The Cardinals rallied for a dramatic 6-5 victory in 10 innings, snapping a three-game losing streak in style with a walk-off sacrifice fly by Nathan Church.
Wetherholt’s performance wasn’t a fluke—it built on an already eventful beginning to his major league journey. He made his MLB debut on Opening Day (March 26, 2026) against the Tampa Bay Rays, homering for his first career hit. Two days later, he delivered a walk-off hit, making history as the first player ever to homer in his debut game and record a walk-off in his second.
