The St. Louis Cardinals are undergoing a major rebuild this offseason, moving on from several key veterans such as Brendan Donovan, Nolan Arenado, and Sonny Gray.
Those departures have created opportunities for young players like JJ Wetherholt to step into significant roles at the major league level. Widely regarded as the organization’s top prospect, Wetherholt is already emerging as a strong contender for the National League Rookie of the Year award. He has made an early impact, hitting his first career home run and delivering a walk-off single within his first week in the majors.
However, Wetherholt isn’t the only rookie drawing attention in St. Louis.
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter recently highlighted rookie Nathan Church as another player to watch. While Wetherholt has received much of the spotlight, Church could quietly develop into one of the National League’s standout rookies this season.
Church’s opportunity has been boosted by an injury to Lars Nootbaar, which has opened the door for him to take on a starting role in left field on Opening Day. Originally selected in the 11th round of the 2022 draft, Church had a breakout campaign last season, posting a .329/.386/.524 slash line over 384 plate appearances across three minor league levels. His combination of consistency and upside makes him an intriguing piece for a rebuilding Cardinals squad.
With Nootbaar expected to miss the first few months after undergoing double heel surgery and starting the season on the 60-day injured list, Church is well-positioned to see extended playing time early on.
So far, he has looked comfortable at the major league level. In just three games, Church has already shown flashes of potential, including a three-hit performance in his debut. While his offensive numbers last season weren’t particularly strong, his overall skill set—including solid defense and effective baserunning—adds to his value as he continues to adjust to big league pitching.
In the end, the Cardinals’ future appears promising, with more emerging talent beyond just Wetherholt giving fans reason for optimism this season.
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