Cardinals rookie JJ Wetherholt separating himself in NL Rookie of the Year race

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The St. Louis Cardinals believed they were adding a cornerstone piece when they selected JJ Wetherholt, but few could have predicted just how quickly he'd become one of the National League's best young players.

As the calendar flips to July, Wetherholt isn't simply having an impressive rookie season, he's becoming the clear favorite to capture the National League Rookie of the Year Award.

ESPN's latest MLB Awards Watch reinforced that notion, ranking the Cardinals infielder comfortably atop its rookie leaderboard and suggesting it would take an injury to prevent him from taking home the honor.

For a Cardinals club battling for postseason positioning, Wetherholt has become one of the biggest reasons for optimism during the second half of the season.

ESPN believes Wetherholt has taken control of the race

Award races often tighten as the season progresses. According to ESPN, that hasn't happened in the National League Rookie of the Year race.

Instead, Wetherholt has continued creating separation from the rest of the field through his all-around play.

ESPN described the Cardinals rookie as having a "headlock" on the award entering July, citing the complete nature of his game rather than one standout statistic. Unlike many rookies who rely almost exclusively on offense, Wetherholt has consistently impacted games in multiple ways.

He has shown advanced plate discipline, worked deep counts, drawn walks, put the ball in play consistently, contributed on the bases and provided excellent defense for St. Louis. That combination has made him one of the most valuable first-year players in baseball.

It's the complete package that stands out

One of the biggest reasons Wetherholt has separated himself is that there isn't a glaring weakness in his game. ESPN noted that he continues to control at-bats with a veteran approach while making quality swing decisions that have translated into consistent offensive production. At the same time, his value extends well beyond the batter's box.

His defensive versatility has given the Cardinals stability in the infield, while his instincts on the bases have helped manufacture runs in close games. For many rookies, development revolves around improving one or two specific areas. Wetherholt has already shown the type of complete skill set teams typically expect from established veterans.

The advanced metrics tell the same story

Traditional numbers tell only part of Wetherholt's breakout season. ESPN's Awards Watch uses its proprietary AXE metric, which combines several advanced value statistics, including Baseball Reference WAR, FanGraphs WAR, Win Probability Added and Championship Probability Added, to evaluate overall player impact.

By that measure, Wetherholt sits comfortably atop the National League rookie rankings. He leads a group that includes Foster Griffin of the Nationals, TJ Rumfield of the Rockies, Nolan McLean of the Mets and several other highly regarded rookies.

His lead isn't built on one hot month or one statistical category. Instead, it's the result of consistently helping the Cardinals win games in virtually every facet.

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Another building block for the Cardinals

St. Louis entered the season hoping its next wave of young talent would help keep the franchise in contention for years to come. Wetherholt's emergence has accelerated that timeline.

The rookie has quickly earned the trust of the coaching staff while becoming an everyday contributor on a club with postseason aspirations. Just as importantly, his mature approach has allowed him to avoid many of the prolonged slumps that often accompany a player's first full major league season.

That consistency has become increasingly valuable as the Cardinals navigate the stretch run.

Plenty of baseball remains—but Wetherholt has set the standard

Award races can change quickly over the final three months of a season. A hot streak from another rookie or an extended slump could always tighten the competition. But as things stand entering July, Wetherholt has placed himself in an enviable position.

ESPN's latest evaluation suggests the Cardinals rookie has become the player everyone else is chasing in the National League Rookie of the Year race. If he continues performing at this level while helping St. Louis stay in the playoff hunt, Wetherholt won't just become one of the league's top rookies. He'll further cement himself as one of the Cardinals' foundational players for years to come.