St. Louis Cardinals rookie JJ Wetherholt has already packed a lifetime of highlights into his debut season, but Friday night brought something truly special—a "Little League Grand Slam" that most veterans can only dream of.
The 23-year-old standout delivered the unforgettable moment in the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres, a play that had the Busch Stadium crowd roaring and his teammates pouring out of the dugout in celebration.
With the bases loaded after singles from Masyn Winn and Nathan Church and a walk to Victor Scott, Wetherholt ripped a hard ground ball to right field. Padres superstar Fernando Tatis Jr., a Platinum Glove winner, charged in looking to cut down Church at the plate—but the ball squirted past him and rolled all the way to the wall.
Scott, known for his blazing speed, scored easily from first. As for Wetherholt? He never broke stride. Rounding the bases with his helmet and arm guard flying off, the rookie sprinted home as Cardinals players on the top step waved him on with wild enthusiasm. He crossed the plate screaming with joy, not even needing to slide, before celebrating with Winn, Church, Scott, and Ivan Herrera.
Officially, Wetherholt was credited with a single and one RBI—the other three runs were charged as a three-base error on Tatis. But the memory of circling the bases on a Little League grand slam is one that will stick with him forever.
This is just the latest chapter in a remarkable rookie campaign. Wetherholt, the Cardinals' top prospect and the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, homered in his very first MLB at-bat and delivered a walk-off hit in his second game. He recorded his first multi-homer game against the Guardians on April 14, hit a game-tying blast in a comeback win near his hometown of Mars, Pennsylvania, on April 27, and led off the next game with a towering homer off Cy Young winner Paul Skenes.
Coming into Friday's action ranked fourth among all MLB rookies in RBI, Wetherholt continues to show why he's one of the most exciting young players in the game—and why Cardinals fans have so much to look forward to.