We are a little more than a month away until pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training, and my excitement for the 2026 season increased as the calendar turned to the new year. Even with the St. Louis Cardinals expected to go through the first official year of their rebuild, there is at least some reason for optimism among the Cardinals faithful.
JJ Wetherholt is predicted as a favorite for NL Rookie of the Year award.
Chaim Bloom and his staff have been working to revitalize the Cardinals' minor league system, but one holdover from the previous regime is consensus top-10 prospect JJ Wetherholt, who is the #1 overall minor league player in the organization.