Wetherholt is the 414th NWL alum to debut in MLB
Rochester, Minn. – Former Madison Mallard JJ Wetherholt made his Major League debut on Thursday, March 26, 2026. Wetherholt is the 414th former Northwoods League player to reach the Major League level.
Wetherholt, who played collegiately at Western Virginia University, played for the Mallards in 2022. He was drafted in the 1st round, 7th overall, of the 2024 MLB draft by the St. Louis Cardinals.
Wetherholt began his professional career in 2024 with the Palm Beach Cardinals of the A Level Florida State League. Across 29 games he hit .295 with two home runs and 20 RBI.
In 2025, he began the year with the Springfield Cardinals of the AA Texas League. After 62 games he was promoted to the Memphis Redbirds of the AAA International League. Between the two clubs he played in 109 games and hit .306 with 17 home runs, 28 doubles, and two triples. He scored 82 times, drove in 59 and stole 23 bases.
Wetherholt made the 2026 Cardinals opening day roster out of Spring Training. In his Major League debut against the Tampa Bay Rays, he started the game at second base and went 1 for 4 at the plate with two RBI, and a run scored off a home run as his first Major League hit.
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The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 32nd season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in history with 26 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, nearly 2400 NWL alums have been drafted and over 410 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TOR), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford and World Series Champion and Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (BAL) and 2023 World Series Champion, MLB All-Star, MLB Gold Glove, two-time Silver Slugger winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (NYM). League games are viewable live on FloSports.tv.