The Cardinals can't afford to wait any longer on a JJ Wetherholt extension

Just when it seemed like St. Louis Cardinals phenom JJ Wetherholt couldn't be having any more impressive a rookie debut, he added to his growing legend in just about the wildest way possible, a Little League grand slam to help power the Redbirds to a second straight win over the San Diego Padres.

It's a microcosm of everything that's made Wetherholt great in under 30 seconds: the fast hands, the ability to do damage on contact, the athleticism and, of course, the non-stop hustle. He's slashing .234/.351/.414 (120 wRC+) with seven homers and four steals through 38 games so far with excellent defense at second base, all of which has him sixth in the Majors in fWAR at the position — next to names like Nico Hoerner and Ozzie Albies. And, much to the surprise of many, he's already driving winning for a Cardinals team of which not much was expected in 2026.

This is everything St. Louis was dreaming of when they took him in the top 10 of the 2024 MLB Draft, and maybe even a little more. It's also more than enough for the Cardinals to want to make sure that he doesn't go anywhere for a long, long time. Which means it's time to start talking extension.

Can the Cardinals sign JJ Wetherholt to a contract extension?

Yes, Wetherholt has played in fewer than 40 big-league games. But if you haven't been paying attention, this is the new trend around the league, as teams look to buy out years of free agency by giving promising young players more money up front than they'd otherwise see. Does it come with some risk if the player in question doesn't pan out as hoped? Sure. But it also comes with major upside, both in service time and in cost control.

And really, at this point, what more could the Cardinals be waiting to see from Wetherholt? The combination of plate skills and solid pop has been as advertised, as is the glove and the general leadership qualities; it's not every day that a 23-year-old hits the ground running in the Majors and immediately commands the respect of the seasoned pros around him. Of course it's possible that his career goes sideways from here, leaving St. Louis holding the bag; but it's much more likely that he's at worst an every-day player at a premium position for years to come.

The Cardinals have no reason not to pay up for Wetherholt, considering how clean their books have become amid Chaim Bloom's retooling. And Wetherholt has no reason not to want to take the payday, seeing serious money — he'd otherwise make the minimum for the next three years — while still being able to hit free agency young enough to sign another multiyear deal at age 30 or 31. There's plenty of room for common ground here; but what will it take to actually get it done?

Other top prospect extensions St. Louis is competing against

We've already seen three top infield prospects get paid this season, one of whom — Seattle's Colt Emerson — hasn't even made his MLB debut yet. That, plus the other pre-arb extensions we've gotten over the last couple of years, creates a framework for what a Wetherholt deal might look like.

Griffin hadn't proven himself really at all at the MLB level when he got his extension from the Pirates, but then again he was widely viewed as a generational prospect with a sky-high ceiling who hadn't even hit 20 yet. McGonigle has gotten off to an even better start to his career than Wetherholt, plays a tougher position in shortstop and was also regarded as a better prospect.

Wetherholt likely won't match or exceed those two deals, and he might also struggle to match Anthony, who already looked like a star when he signed after his first two months in the Majors. That said, nine figures seems like a mortal lock given his pedigree and his performance to date at the highest level; if Emerson can get $95 million, that's Wetherholt's floor.

Predicting a realistic JJ Wetherholt extension

Final prediction: Eight years, $120 million

Wetherholt's relatively advanced age, plus his desire to hit free agency while he's still 30 or 31 and still in his prime, caps the length of any potential extension. Nine or even 10 years feels off the table, which also puts a limit on the amount of total money involved. Again: I'd be shocked if he beats out Griffin or McGonigle, and even Anthony was a more highly regarded prospect who had more of a track record under his belt at the time of signing.

He's also clearly going to leave Emerson behind given how he's started his rookie season. Splitting the difference feels about right, indicative of Wetherholt's rock solid floor but also slightly more limited ceiling when compared to the uber-prospects above him. It's still a hefty, nine-figure payday that he should jump at the chance to take rather than waiting three years to try and begin cashing in on arbitration.

And really, if you're the Cardinals, why wouldn't you make the deal above (or something similar)? Wetherholt has the look of a present and future cornerstone, someone to build around alongside shortstop Masyn Winn, outfielder Jordan Walker and catcher Ivan Herrera. This is the reason you clear out that payroll space in the first place, and it'll give St. Louis quite the core to build around moving forward.

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