In fitting fashion, JJ Wetherholt homered in his first game back in Pittsburgh as a professional on Monday night.
At the familiar PNC Park, not only from where he went to games as a kid, but having played there twice in two Backyard Brawls as a Mountaineer, Wetherholt went yard in the ninth inning while facing the Pittsburgh Pirates as a member of the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.
Wetherholt’s home run was hit deep to right center field and his sixth of the season. The Cardinals won the game 4-2.
Drafted with the No. 7 overall pick by the Cardinals in 2024, Wetherholt played in both Double-A and Triple-A throughout 2025. Across both levels, Wetherholt hit 28 doubles, 17 home runs, 59 RBI, and stole 23 bases. He was named the St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Player of the Month in July.
Wetherholt made an impact during his three seasons with the Mountaineers from 2022 to 2024. With West Virginia, Wetherholt hit 29 total home runs, 129 RBI, stole 57 bases, and had an overall batting average of .370. He was named the Big 12 Conference Baseball Player of the Year in 2022.
Find more coverage of JJ Wetherholt at WV Sports Now.
Note: Fellow WVU baseball product Victor Scott scored the go-ahead run as a pinch-hitter.
For a related story, WV Sports Now’s Griffin Floyd spoke with JJ Wetherholt and Victor Scott during their road trip in Miami to play the Marlins.
