St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt celebrates a walk-off hit, March 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
It didn’t take long for JJ Wetherholt to get settled in at the major-league level. His first big-league hit came in his second at-bat with a solo home run to center field.
The next game, he delivered a two-run walk-off base hit in extra innings to help the St. Louis Cardinals start the season 2-0. Through five games, he’s batting .300 with that one home run, four RBIs and a stolen base.
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Since Wetherholt was drafted as the No. 7 overall pick in 2024, he’s been touted for his calm demeanor and ability to stay composed in big moments. He’s “unflappable,” as some would describe it.
That’s a good thing, considering the expectations for him are sky high. He’s the organization’s top prospect and the No. 5 prospect in all of baseball, according to MLB.com. But perhaps more importantly, he’s the centerpiece of a young, rebuilding Cardinals team hoping to get back to consistent winning after a few down years.
The Cardinals wasted little time getting him to the big leagues as he progressed through the minor-league system in less than two years and made the opening day roster this season as the team’s starting second baseman and leadoff hitter. All of this could be a lot of pressure for a young player, but he’s grounded enough in his faith in God that he’s able to stay confident on the field.
“I honestly just give praise to God for giving me the spirit of calmness in situations like that,” he said to reporters after his first game, in which he hit the home run. “I really just look to Him in those moments.”
After his second game and the walk-off hit, he told reporters that singing his walk-up song — “Bring Heaven Down” by Christian hip-hop artist Hulvey — as he’s approaching the plate helps him get in the “zone.” He also peeks at his wrist to see his bracelets, which reference Philippians 4:13 and Matthew 28:20.
“I read those every single time,” he said to reporters, “and when I’m in big situations like that, it’s just a constant reminder that God’s with me, and that’s what I take to the plate.”
Wetherholt is still young at just 24 years old, but he’s maturing quickly in his faith, especially considering that he started to really pursue a personal relationship with Christ just a few years ago as a sophomore in college at West Virginia University. While speaking last year at a Faith and Family Night for the Memphis Redbirds (the Cardinals’ Triple-A affiliate), he shared how he grew up Catholic in Pittsburgh and was confirmed in the faith when he was young, but didn’t really feel like he knew the Lord personally.
“I had a Bible that I liked, but I never really read it,” he told the crowd. “I didn’t really understand the Word at all. I just knew about this guy named Jesus and that He would forgive me of my sins.”
As he grew older and went through high school, he lived a life that was not exactly honoring to God. That continued when he first started playing baseball at West Virginia.
During his sophomore year, however, he was approached by a chaplain, who told him about the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Wetherholt started attending meetings. He convinced a few teammates to go at first, and about 20 ultimately started attending regularly.
“That’s kind of where it all started for me — where I started to read the Word, where I started to listen more, engage in conversations with community, and just really learn about actually who Jesus was and how much He loved me and cared for me,” Wetherholt said. “That was probably the turning point of my life.”
Though he was supremely talented, he dealt with performance anxiety and constantly found himself worried that something bad might happen. But he was able to change his approach and focus on playing for an audience of One.
Around that same time, he became a leader for the campus chapter of FCA. As his faith grew, he started having a breakout season on the field.
“That’s kind of when everything changed for me,” he told the Memphis fans. “That sophomore year was the best year I’ve had in my life in baseball. I became a nationally ranked prospect, and it was also the year that I came to the Lord. I can say that year I just took pressure off myself and just gave it all to God.”
Now as a pro, Wetherholt — who says he’s a “Follower of Christ” on Instagram — stays in contact with that team chaplain and is working to grow deeper in his faith every day.
“I try to keep my routines good and read the Word every day,” he said during the Faith and Family Night. “Although I slip many times, the Lord still loves me and I feel that love each and every day. So I go out there just trying to be a light, trying to shine some light for those who may not believe and those who do believe. Trying to show that you can still live this lifestyle while being a professional athlete.”
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