Nolan Arenado's future with the St. Louis Cardinals is still somewhat of a mystery. While he is locked into a contract with the club through the 2027 season, he was the topic of trade speculations in the offseason and during the trade deadline. The slugger has a full no-trade clause, which limits St. Louis' ability to play the market.
However, that does not mean a future trade is off the table. Arenado said he would accept one if the situation was right for him and his family.
With Arenado's future uncertain, the Cardinals are trying to stay one step ahead. The club's top prospect, JJ Wetherholt, is playing third base in Triple-A in an attempt to increase his defensive versatility and prepare him for a future role in Major League Baseball.
Wetherholt started at third base and hit leadoff in the Triple-A ballgame on Wednesday. He wasted no time getting things started offensively, hitting a leadoff home run off former Chicago White Sox pitcher Mike Clevinger.
The top prospect has been playing out of his mind this season. Through 62 games, he is hitting .300/.425/.466 with 14 doubles, seven home runs, and 34 runs batted in. His defense has also been something to talk about, especially playing shortstop, second base, and third base this season.
The club does not plan on calling Wetherholt up this season, but if he keeps dominating Triple-A like he has, they may have no choice but to bring him up in 2026.