photo: JJ Wetherholt (PJ Maigi/Springfield Cardinals)
Memphis Redbirds infielder JJ Wetherholt and Peoria Chiefs left-handed starting pitcher Braden Davis are the system’s top pitcher and player during July per the St. Louis Cardinals.
St. Louis Cardinals press release
The St. Louis Cardinals today (Monday, August 11) announced their selections for Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Month for July, with Memphis Redbirds (AAA) infielder JJ Wetherholt and Peoria Chiefs (High-A) left-handed starting pitcher Braden Davis taking home the honors.
Wetherholt, 22, slashed .306/.395/.708 with seven home runs, 16 RBI, 18 runs scored, 14 extra-base hits and 10 walks in 19 games played with Memphis (14g) and Double-A Springfield. He ranked first among all Cardinals qualified minor leaguers in HR, OPS (1.103), runs scored, hits (22), extra-base hits and total bases (51). His outstanding month included an extra-inning walk-off single on July 1 vs. Northwest Arkansas, his first career multi-homer games on July 6 and July 23, and career-high four-hit game on July 18 at Toledo. He also led off back-to-back games with a home run on July 22 & 23.
“July was the perfect example of JJ being JJ! Although he worked through multiple ‘changes’, many things stayed consistent from an offensive profile standpoint,” said Cardinals Director of Player Development Larry Day. “While JJ made the jump from Springfield to Memphis, he continued to be very productive offensively: impacting the baseball with a quality contact exit velocity of 106 mph, quality contact launch angle at 16.4 degrees, and making contact 76.4% of the time. From a process standpoint, he has assimilated into the Memphis group nicely and always has a plan when he steps in the box. He’s also been putting in the work at third base and looks to be getting more comfortable there each game played.”
Selected with the 7th overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft out of West Virigina University, the club’s consensus top prospect and Baseball America’s 5th-ranked overall prospect also participated in the MLB All-Star Futures Game on July 12. The Mars, Pa. product went 1-for-4 with a double out of the leadoff spot as one of only two NL starters to play the entire game. On the season, Wetherholt is slashing .299/.417/.505 with 13 home runs, 19 doubles, 47 RBI and 58 runs scored with more walks (56) than strikeouts (54) in 83 games played.
Davis, 22, posted a 2-0 record with a 1.14 ERA (3 ER/23.2 IP), 0.80 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts across five starts with Single-A Palm Beach (three) and Peoria (two). Davis ranked first among all Cardinals qualified minor league hurlers in ERA, WHIP, SO, SO/9 (14.45), and opponent average (.115) (min. 15.0 IP). His month was highlighted by a 13.0-inning scoreless streak to start the month, including a career-high 6.0 shutout innings allowing four hits with 11 strikeouts vs. Dunedin on July 8. He produced nearly identical pitching lines after being promoted to Peoria on July 16, tossing 5.0 innings and allowing just one run on two hits with eight strikeouts in each start on July 20 at Quad Cities (no-decision) and July 26 vs. West Michigan (win).
“Over the past month, Braden Davis’ primary focus has been winning the race to two strikes. This has allowed him to make significant strides in both strikeout and walk rates,” stated Day. “Splitting time between Palm Beach and Peoria in July, he posted an impressive 42% strikeout percentage alongside an 11% walk percentage, driven by an uptick in overall strike rate and a focused reliance on his best offerings—the four-seam fastball and changeup.”
Selected in the 5th round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Oklahoma University, the Keller, Texas native has compiled a 4-1 record with a 2.67 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and an organizational-best 128 strikeouts across 21 games (18 starts) this season. Davis was named Midwest League Pitcher of the Week earlier last week, his third weekly league honor of the season and the first Cardinals minor leaguer to win at least three in one season since Quinn Mathews did so in 2024 with Palm Beach and Peoria.
Brian Walton’s take
Congratulations to the organization’s choices.
Earlier, The Cardinal Nation selected Wetherholt as our July Player of the Month and Davis is our choice as the Pitcher of the Month. So, we are in agreement this time.
Refer to the articles below for detailed stats on approximately 10 finalists for each award, including the winners.
The Cardinal Nation July 2025 Player of the Month – JJ Wetherholt
The Cardinal Nation’s July 2025 Pitcher of the Month – Braden Davis
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