7/14/2024 baseball Edit

JJ Wetherholt selected seventh overall in 2024 MLB Draft

Wesley Shoemaker • WVSports

Staff Writer

JJ Wetherholt has made history.

With the 7th pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, the St. Louis Cardinals selected West Virginia's JJ Wetherholt.

Wetherholt, a native of Mars, Pa., spent his last three seasons at WVU. In 2023, he was named Big 12 Player of the Year, as he hit .449, slugged 16 home runs, drove in 60 runs, and led the Big 12 in steals while he totaled 101 hits.

This season, Wetherholt was sidelined for about half the season with a hamstring injury, but when he was on the field he was productive. Wetherholt hit .331 in 2024, while he played in only 36 games. He also had eight home runs and 30 RBIs, playing shortstop for WVU.

Wetherholt brings elite bat-to-ball skills to the next level as well as the ability to be a five-tool player. He has speed both on the bases and on defense, and can hit for power and for average.

The defense piece is something Wetherholt was able to show off late in the 2024 season. As WVU made a run to their first-ever Super Regional, Wetherholt flashed the leather on a national stage, as across his three years at WVU, he saw significant time at third base, second base, and shortstop.

Wetherholt is the fifth first round pick in WVU history and the first since Alex Manoah was taken 11th overall in the 2019 MLB Draft.

Wetherholt is the highest pick in WVU baseball history as well as the first to be taken in the top-ten. WVU was Wetherholt's only offer when he committed to the Mountaineers prior to his sophomore year of high school.

Wetherholt's career at West Virginia ended with him being a two-time All-Big 12 First Team Selection, Big 12 Player of the Year, a 2022 Unanimous All-American, Dick Howser Trophy Finalist, and was a Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist.

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