Central STL News

The Central divisions in baseball are showcasing promising talent with players like Walker Jenkins and JJ Wetherholt making significant impacts. Both are ranked among the top 20 prospects in baseball, and their recent performances highlight their potential.

In a game where Springfield defeated Wichita 12-6 at Riverfront Stadium, Wetherholt made an early impact. The Cardinals' No. 1 prospect hit a two-run homer off Darren Bowen, marking his fifth of the season. "Oh, he's a stud, man," said Jenkins about Wetherholt's performance.

Jenkins, MLB's No. 6 prospect from the Twins affiliate, showed patience by walking on five pitches during his first at-bat despite being down four runs. "I'm going to do everything I can to help guys that I'm playing with win the game," Jenkins stated.

Wetherholt attempted another strong hit in the second inning but was caught by Jenkins in center field. Later, Jenkins responded with his first Double-A home run in the fourth inning, putting Wichita on the board. Reflecting on this moment, he said it was "awesome" to share it with his teammates.

Despite past injuries affecting his seasons, Jenkins remains optimistic and committed to improving both as a player and person. He remarked on facing challenges: "Sometimes there are things that I feel like the Lord puts in my life that are out of my control."

The game also saw Jenkins adding a single in the seventh inning while Wetherholt reached base after being hit by a pitch in the eighth inning. Wetherholt's OPS increased to .888 for the year—second highest in the Texas League.

Jenkins expressed admiration for Wetherholt saying, "He's a great ball player... It's really fun to watch him play."