St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak doesn’t sound interested in promoting JJ Wetherholt to the majors this season. But it might not be up to him anymore.
While Wetherholt continues to tear apart Triple-A pitching, St. Louis is undergoing a shift in its front office. Mozeliak, the Cardinals’ long-time decision maker, will step down at the end of the season to spend more time with his family. Beginning next season, Chaim Bloom, the former general manager of the Boston Red Sox, will be running the Cardinals.
And that’s why Wetherholt still has a chance to reach the majors in 2025, despite Mozeliak saying that it’s not in St. Louis’ best interest to promote him. If Bloom is already making those decisions, he might shift the Cardinals’ thinking, especially if St. Louis falls out of playoff contention.
Read More: JJ Wetherholt Promotion Could Come Down to Cardinals’ Philosophy
The Cardinals Don’t Have to Rush JJ Wetherholt
That was the crux of Mozeliak’s argument on St. Louis sports radio on Wednesday: the Cardinals do not have to force a decision.
“It’s not the protection year, so I think it’s not necessarily in the best interest for the organization to do that,” Mozeliak said. “Even though it might be fun and exciting, you’re not forced to put them on the roster this offseason, and so that’s definitely something that should be a part of the equation.”
Mozeliak’s reference is to the Rule 5 Draft, which keeps teams from blocking talented young players from the majors. If Wetherholt were still in the minors in 2028, St. Louis would have to add him to its 40-man roster or risk losing him to another team willing to give him a spot in the majors.
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That’s not going to happen unless something goes seriously wrong. Wetherholt crushed another home run on Tuesday night in Charlotte, and he’s now hit 14 home runs this year. If he continues at his current production, he’s likely to be the Cardinals’ everyday shortstop by the end of the 2026 season.
But Wetherholt isn’t the only player St. Louis has to worry about. If the Cardinals need to promote someone who is going to be Rule 5 eligible, that could block Wetherholt from the majors. That’s how Mozeliak’s looking at things, and his voice will carry weight until he leaves the team.
Cardinals Fans Want to See Wetherholt
At 61-60, St. Louis isn’t out of the playoff race yet. But it’s not going to be easy for the Cardinals to claim one of the three wild-card spots. (There’s no chance of them catching the Brewers for the NL Central.) Most Cardinals fans tend to be pretty realistic and understand that they’re not likely to make much of a dent in the postseason, if they even qualify.
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Because of that, Cardinal fans would rather see Wetherholt. They know he’s the real deal, and they want to see if he can help them in 2026. And St. Louis has incentive to find out: if Wetherholt wins Rookie of the Year next season, the Cardinals would earn an extra pick in the 2027 MLB draft. By calling Wetherholt up in September, the Cardinals could satisfy their fans and give Wetherholt some time to get used to MLB pitching. As long as he doesn’t accrue 130 at-bats in a month, he’d remain eligible for Rookie of the Year in 2026.
Whether that matters comes down to whether Bloom decides to go in that direction. His work in Boston shows that he values building a farm system and giving young players a chance. If he’s able to overrule Mozeliak, Wetherholt has a chance to reach St. Louis.
The date for Wetherholt followers to watch is Sept. 1. If Wetherholt isn’t on the 40-man roster by then, Mozeliak’s view will have won out and he’ll have to wait until next season. But if the Cardinals promote him, he’ll have an opportunity to show MLB what Mountaineers fans already know.
