JJ Wetherholt is Ready to Work.
The Man from Mars has landed in Jupiter, Florida. JJ Wetherholt, a 21-year-old from Mars, Pennsylvania, made his official professional baseball debut on Tuesday, July 30th. The West Virginia University star left his mark on his collegiate career with being the highest picked draftee from the...
The Man from Mars has landed in Jupiter, Florida.
JJ Wetherholt, a 21-year-old from Mars, Pennsylvania, made his official professional baseball debut on Tuesday, July 30th. The West Virginia University star left his mark on his collegiate career with being the highest picked draftee from the university.
Wetherholt’s journey began when he was four years old with his local T-Ball team. He would bounce around and play a variety of sports, including football, lacrosse, and soccer. But, he ultimately landed on baseball.
“I thought baseball was the sport for me.” said Wetherholt.
Fast forward to today, and it would appear that JJ’s instincts were right. After having a dazzling collegiate career ending with a .370 AV, 206 Hs, 129 RBIs, and 29 HRs, he found himself presented with the opportunity of potentially being the highest drafted player from West Virginia University.
That potential ended up coming true when he was picked 7th overall and became the Cardinal’s number 1 draft pick of 2024. Despite having a whirlwind of success, Wetherholt has kept his mind focused and wants to put in the work it takes to get to the highest level of pro ball.
“It's easy to get obsessed with the level you play at because everyone wants to be in the MLB, but they want me to be here, and I want to be here,” said Wetherholt. “ It’s just about playing as well as I can, and we’ll see what happens from there.”
Now that he’s been learning the ropes, JJ has been taking time thinking about what he wants to accomplish for the rest of the Florida State League season with the Palm Beach Cardinals.
“The most important thing to me right now is building my routine and staying healthy,” said Wetherholt. “You can get over-consumed with baseball, so I want to find that balance of living a normal life.”
And, what’s the best way to find balance and stay grounded, according to Wetherholt? Have a solid support system. Wetherholt’s family did as much as they could to ensure he had all of the resources he needed to pursue baseball at a higher level. His brother inspired him throughout his entire baseball journey, his father traveled with him during summer tournaments, and his mother is his biggest cheerleader.
“Without them, there’s no me.” Wetherholt says.
He says the same about his coaches as well. Every coach has helped shape him into the player he is today while also helping him stay ‘light’ about baseball.
“It’s all about finding ways to keep baseball fun.” said Wetherholt.
Wetherholt’s career is certainly one to watch. Follow along with him and the rest of the Palm Beach Cardinals with our live in-game broadcast here or buy your tickets here.
