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Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt is one of three finalists for the 2026 National League Rookie of the Year Award, selected by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. The winner is scheduled to be announced on MLB Network at 6 p.m. CT on Nov. 9.
Wetherholt hit .242 with 17 home runs and made an especially large impact at second base, where his +23 fielding run value led all major league second basemen last season, according to Statcast.
St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt has been named one of three finalists for the 2026 National League Rookie of the Year Award, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America announced. Wetherholt is joined on the ballot by Mets outfielder Carson Benge and Reds first baseman Sal Stewart; the winner is scheduled to be announced on MLB Network at 6 p.m. CT on Nov. 9.
Wetherholt, 24, opened the season on St. Louis’ roster as its starting second baseman after entering 2026 as the Cardinals’ No. 1 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 5 prospect in baseball. In his first major league season, he posted a .242/.339/.365 batting line, with 17 home runs and 14 stolen bases in 15 attempts.
His overall offensive line was paired with strong underlying measures in several areas. MLB’s report said Wetherholt ranked in at least the 75th percentile among qualified hitters in expected weighted on-base average, hard-hit rate, squared-up rate, chase rate, whiff rate, strikeout rate and baserunning run value. Those figures reflect different parts of his performance; they do not change his recorded batting average or on-base and slugging numbers.
The strongest part of his season was his defense. According to Statcast, Wetherholt recorded +23 fielding run value, the highest total among major league second basemen and second-highest among all players, behind Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong at +26. Wetherholt also recorded +25 outs above average. FanGraphs credited him with 4.6 Wins Above Replacement, while Baseball-Reference credited him with 4.5; MLB’s report said both totals led National League rookie position players.
A Defensive Case for the Award
The finalist selection recognizes a rookie season whose value extended beyond home-run totals or batting average. Wetherholt’s fielding measures ranked at the top of his position, and his baserunning added another positive element. The award considers a player’s overall rookie contribution, making that combination relevant alongside his offensive production.
For St. Louis, the nomination also highlights a player the club has positioned as part of its longer-term plans. Before the All-Star break, the Cardinals signed Wetherholt to an eight-year, $112.5 million extension, according to MLB’s report. The contract and finalist status point to the organization’s confidence in him, though neither guarantees how his career or the team’s fortunes will develop.
A win would carry a particular place in Cardinals history: Wetherholt would be the club’s first NL Rookie of the Year since Albert Pujols in 2001. It would also make him only the third second baseman to receive the award in the past 44 years, following Steve Sax in 1982 and Jonathan India in 2021, as reported by MLB.
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From Prospect to Opening Day Starter
The Cardinals selected Wetherholt seventh overall in the 2024 MLB Draft out of West Virginia University. Before reaching the majors, he played 138 minor league games, including a 2025 season split between Double-A and Triple-A. In 109 games that year, he hit .306/.421/.510, with 17 home runs and 23 stolen bases, according to MLB’s account.
That performance helped place him among the organization’s top prospects, and he made the major league Opening Day roster in 2026 rather than beginning the year in the minors. His rookie season then gave voters a full major league record to consider, including both his offensive work and his defense at second base.
Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom praised Wetherholt’s approach as well as his play. Bloom said that Wetherholt’s preparation, learning and desire to win were qualities the public might not see as readily as his on-field performance. His remarks describe the club’s assessment of the player, rather than a measure used to determine the award.
The Award Result Is Pending
The finalist announcement does not establish which player will win. Wetherholt, Benge and Stewart are all named as finalists, but the supplied report does not give voting totals, ballot rankings or details of the other candidates’ cases. Those details are not available here, so the nomination alone cannot indicate how close the vote is.
The cited performance statistics also use different measures and sources. Statcast supplies the fielding run value and outs-above-average figures; FanGraphs and Baseball-Reference provide separate WAR estimates. These are not interchangeable statistics, and the reported figures should be read with their stated source and measure.
Winner Announcement on Nov. 9
The next scheduled milestone is the winner announcement on MLB Network at 6 p.m. CT on Nov. 9. The source report does not specify whether the network will release additional voting information alongside the result. Until the announcement, Wetherholt remains a finalist rather than the confirmed award winner.
Key Questions
Who are the 2026 NL Rookie of the Year finalists?
The finalists are JJ Wetherholt of the Cardinals, Mets outfielder Carson Benge and Reds first baseman Sal Stewart, according to the Baseball Writers’ Association of America selection reported by MLB.
When will the NL Rookie of the Year winner be announced?
The winner is scheduled to be announced on MLB Network at 6 p.m. CT on Nov. 9.
What were Wetherholt’s rookie-season batting numbers?
Wetherholt hit .242/.339/.365, with 17 home runs and 14 stolen bases in 15 attempts, in his first major league season.
What was Wetherholt’s strongest reported area?
His defense stood out. Statcast credited him with +23 fielding run value, the highest total among major league second basemen last season, and +25 outs above average.
Has a Cardinals player won the award recently?
Albert Pujols was the last Cardinals player to win the NL Rookie of the Year Award, in 2001. If Wetherholt wins, he would be the club’s first recipient since then.
Source: mlb.com
