JJ Wetherholt's debut season in St. Louis wasn't just a promising start — it was the kind of rookie campaign that earns a seat at the sport's most prestigious awards table.
The former West Virginia Mountaineer and Cardinals second baseman was named a finalist for the National League Rookie of the Year Award by the BBWAA, capping a standout 2026 season that announced him as one of the game's most compelling young players. The recognition carries real organizational weight beyond the trophy: should Wetherholt take home the award, the Cardinals would receive a compensatory pick at the end of the first round of the 2027 MLB Draft — a meaningful downstream reward for developing one of the game's best rookies.
Wetherholt's 2026 stat line, per Yahoo Sports, would have been even stronger had it not been interrupted at some point during the season, leaving something of an asterisk on what was already an impressive body of work. That didn't stop voters from recognizing him as one of the NL's top first-year contributors.
Defensive Respect — and a Harsh Verdict
The Rookie of the Year nod wasn't Wetherholt's only hardware chase this fall. He was also named a Gold Glove finalist at second base, joining Cardinals teammates Masyn Winn (SS) and Michael McGreevy (P) as St. Louis finalists for the defensive award. The recognition underscored how quickly Wetherholt has established himself as a complete player, not merely an offensive prospect making his way.
The outcome, however, was a shutout. None of the three Cardinals finalists took home a Gold Glove when winners were announced, leaving Wetherholt without the defensive hardware despite the nomination. The award went elsewhere in the NL infield, but the finalist nod alone signals that Wetherholt's glove is being taken seriously by the people who cover the game most closely.
The WVU Pipeline
Wetherholt's rise is the headline, but West Virginia's fingerprints are spread across both leagues this fall. The Mountaineers have 18 active alumni on MLB rosters heading into the offseason, from Victor Scott II — Wetherholt's Cardinals teammate in center field — to John Means with the Orioles, Alek Manoah with the Angels, and Jackson Wolf with the Tigers, among others.
No WVU alum, though, is operating on a stage this large. Wetherholt is in the conversation for the NL's most prestigious individual rookie honor, representing Morgantown at the sport's awards season in a way that few Mountaineers have before. The ROY results haven't been announced yet — but just being at the table is a statement.
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