MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Former West Virginia University All-American shortstop JJ Wetherholt was recently named the Texas League Most Valuable Player.

The top minor league prospect of the St. Louis Cardinals split time between Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis where he hit a combined .307 with 17 home runs, 28 doubles and 59 RBIs in 408 at bats.

In 62 games at Springfield, he batted .300 with seven home runs and 34 RBIs after going hitless in his first four games.

Following a July 7 promotion to Memphis, he hit .314 with 10 home runs and 25 RBI in 47 games with the Red Birds. Wetherholt played the majority of his games at shortstop but also logged 20 games at second base where he didn't commit an error in 84 chances.

He played an additional 12 games at third base and made nine starts at designated hitter.

Baseball America recently tabbed Wetherholt as the Cardinals' organizational player of the year and lists him sixth overall among its top Major League prospects.

The Cardinals have been impressed with Wetherholt from the moment they made him the seventh overall pick in the 2024 Major League Draft.

"You notice it pretty quickly into any conversation you have with him," Cardinals manager Oli Marmol told Baseball America. "He has a certain poise to him and understanding of how to play the game. He loves the game; he's obsessed with the game."

Wetherholt will be the young player Cardinals fans will be watching closely in 2026.