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PHILADELPHIA — St. Louis Cardinals rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt may have been snubbed by not being selected to the All-Star game, but certainly no one is having a greater weekend.
Wetherholt agreed Friday, July 10 to an eight-year, $112.5 million contract extension, a person familiar with the deal told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity since the Cardinals have yet to announce the contract.
It’s the largest contract extension given to a Cardinals’ player since first baseman Paul Goldschmidt’s five-year, $130 million deal in 2019.
Wetherholt becomes the latest young star to sign an extension this year, joining Detroit Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle (8 years, $150 million), Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (8 years, $140 million), Seattle Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson (8 years, $95 milllion) and Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt (8 years, $50.75 million). Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong also signed a six-year, $115 million contract extension this season.
Wetherholt, the Cardinals’ first-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, is hitting .267 with 13 homers and 36 RBI with a .773 OPS this season. The 23-year-old is ranked as the top defensive second baseman in baseball this season, leading the majors with 249 assists and ranking second with 16 outs above average.
Wetherholt also leads all rookies in WAR (3.8), runs (56), and times on base (140). The only National League players with a higher WAR are Crow-Armstrong (5.6), Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez (4.6) and Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages (4.2).
He has 39 hits leading off an inning, including four homers, the second-most behind James Wood of the Washngton Nationals (54) this season, and the most by a Cardinals rookie since Vince Coleman in 1985. He is bidding to become the first Cardinals rookie to hit 20 homers and steal 20 bases in a season.
Wetherholt is the first player signed to a multi-year contract extension since Chaim Bloom became president of baseball operations in October, 2025.
Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: St. Louis Cardinals sign rookie 2B JJ Wetherholt to big 8-year extension
Continue reading...
Wetherholt agreed Friday, July 10 to an eight-year, $112.5 million contract extension, a person familiar with the deal told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity since the Cardinals have yet to announce the contract.
It’s the largest contract extension given to a Cardinals’ player since first baseman Paul Goldschmidt’s five-year, $130 million deal in 2019.
Wetherholt becomes the latest young star to sign an extension this year, joining Detroit Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle (8 years, $150 million), Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (8 years, $140 million), Seattle Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson (8 years, $95 milllion) and Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt (8 years, $50.75 million). Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong also signed a six-year, $115 million contract extension this season.
Wetherholt, the Cardinals’ first-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, is hitting .267 with 13 homers and 36 RBI with a .773 OPS this season. The 23-year-old is ranked as the top defensive second baseman in baseball this season, leading the majors with 249 assists and ranking second with 16 outs above average.
Wetherholt also leads all rookies in WAR (3.8), runs (56), and times on base (140). The only National League players with a higher WAR are Crow-Armstrong (5.6), Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez (4.6) and Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages (4.2).
He has 39 hits leading off an inning, including four homers, the second-most behind James Wood of the Washngton Nationals (54) this season, and the most by a Cardinals rookie since Vince Coleman in 1985. He is bidding to become the first Cardinals rookie to hit 20 homers and steal 20 bases in a season.
Wetherholt is the first player signed to a multi-year contract extension since Chaim Bloom became president of baseball operations in October, 2025.
Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: St. Louis Cardinals sign rookie 2B JJ Wetherholt to big 8-year extension
Continue reading...
