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Major League Baseball has unveiled the three finalists for the 2026 National League Rookie of the Year award, with St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt headlining the group. Joining him are Cincinnati Reds infielder Sal Stewart and New York Mets outfielder Carson Benge. The winner will be determined by a vote of one representative from each of the 30 chapters of the Baseball Writers Association of America.
Thanks to the Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI), the outcome carries implications for all 30 MLB clubs, and the Cardinals are among those with something extra at stake. Should Wetherholt take home the honor, St. Louis would receive a pick at the end of the first round. His recent eight-year contract extension does not affect his eligibility, as similar deals for Corbin Carroll and Julio Rodríguez did not disqualify them from PPI rewards in prior seasons.
Analyzing the Rookie of the Year Race
This year's NL Rookie of the Year race is unusually difficult to predict, with no obvious frontrunner. Both Wetherholt and Benge exceeded 4.0 WAR on both Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs. Wetherholt, 24, made his highly anticipated debut on Opening Day and delivered one of the strongest rookie campaigns in the NL by WAR, slashing .242/.339/.365 with 17 home runs, a 102 OPS+, and 4.5 bWAR. His standout defense at second base and aggressive baserunning transformed a league-average bat into a potential All-Star profile.
Benge, however, is right on his heels. The Mets outfielder posted the best offensive season of the trio, leading with a 118 wRC+ while notching a 20-homer, 20-steal campaign and strong right-field defense. Like Wetherholt, he was a Gold Glove finalist before losing the award to Arizona's Corbin Carroll. Meanwhile, Stewart's raw power numbers—32 home runs, 112 RBI, and 15 stolen bases—could sway voters who prioritize offense. The key question is how much weight defense will carry, given that Wetherholt and Benge were both Gold Glove contenders.
Wetherholt clearly stands out as the best defender and baserunner among the finalists, and his value on the bases and in the field could tip the scales. The balloting may split, with the winner decided by first- and second-place votes. It's plausible that Benge edges out Wetherholt for the top spot.
Alternative Path to a PPI Pick
Even if Wetherholt falls short in the ROY race, the Cardinals could still gain a PPI pick if he becomes an MVP finalist before reaching three years of service time. Brice Turang, a similarly skilled player, amassed 7.3 bWAR and was named an MVP finalist in 2026, and Bobby Witt Jr. achieved the feat for the cross-state rival Royals in 2024. To follow that path, Wetherholt would need to maintain Gold Glove-caliber defense, elite baserunning, and an OPS+ of at least 120. He already checks two of those boxes, having contributed +12 fielding runs and +3 baserunning runs per Baseball-Reference. If he can add around +20 batting runs and +20 defensive runs, he could enter the MVP conversation.
Regardless of the PPI outcome, the Cardinals have already secured a significant win with Wetherholt's team-friendly extension: an eight-year, $112.5 million deal that keeps him in St. Louis through 2034. Paired with shortstop Masyn Winn, the Cardinals boast one of the best double-play combinations in baseball.