The St. Louis Cardinals made a major commitment to one of baseball’s brightest young talents Friday, agreeing to an eight-year contract extension with rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt.
Reports indicate the 23-year-old will earn $112.5 million under the deal, with additional performance bonuses capable of pushing the total value as high as $132 million. The extension begins with the 2026 season and carries through the 2034 campaign.
Wetherholt was St. Louis’s first-round pick — seventh overall — in the 2024 amateur draft. Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom praised the young infielder in an official news release.
“Since joining the Cardinals two years ago, JJ has impressed in every aspect,” Bloom said. “He is a dynamic player who produces in every facet of the game, and a true professional who is consistent, prepared and hard-working. Equally as important, he’s a great teammate who wants to win, and he represents the organization with class both at the field and away from it.”
Bloom continued: “We are proud of the person JJ is and the player he continues to become, and are pleased to enter into this commitment with him. JJ is a very important part of what we are building, and we look forward to winning together for many years.”
Through 87 games heading into Friday, Wetherholt has already etched his name in Cardinals history. His 13 home runs this season are the most ever hit by a rookie second baseman in franchise history. He has also driven in 36 runs while batting .267. On defense, he has been equally impressive, ranking first among all major league second basemen with 12 runs prevented.
The left-handed hitter made a name for himself at West Virginia during his college days before quickly rising through the Cardinals’ minor league system. In his first professional season, he was named MVP of the Double-A Texas League — a remarkable achievement considering he appeared in just 62 games for Springfield.
With the deal now in place, Wetherholt becomes the first St. Louis player currently under contract for the 2027 season.
