Wetherholt finishes third in NL Rookie of the Year voting after standout Cardinals debut

JJ Wetherholt’s rookie campaign ended with a third-place finish in the 2026 National League Rookie of the Year Award voting, according to MLB’s postseason balloting results and the Cardinals’ season recap.

Wetherholt, St. Louis’ Opening Day starting second baseman, drew national attention for a blend of plate patience and infield defense. The Cardinals’ release credits him with an “excellent eye at the plate” and a strong glove at second base during a debut season that began with him on the club’s roster out of camp.

He also recorded 99 total points in the balloting, which placed him behind Cincinnati’s Sal Stewart (170 points) and ahead of New York’s Carson Benge (107 points). The distribution included three first-place votes, 12 second-place votes, six third-place votes, five fourth-place votes, and two fifth-place votes.

Across his season, Wetherholt posted a.242/.339/.365 slash line with 17 home runs and 14 stolen bases in 15 attempts. The Cardinals’ recap also notes that he was limited after the All-Star break by right wrist tendinitis and played 49 games after that point.

Defensively, Wetherholt’s profile stood out even more. The release says his +23 fielding run value ranked highest among MLB second basemen and second-best across all positions, trailing only Cubs NL MVP favorite Pete Crow-Armstrong. It also credits him with +25 outs above average.