Qualification issues block Cardinals' top prospect Wetherholt from representing Korea in the Classic

The Korean squad for this World Baseball Classic (WBC) initially intended to include multiple Korean-descended players from the MLB system to boost their strength. After news yesterday that St. Louis Cardinals reliever Riley O'Brien agreed to participate, the Cardinals' top prospect JJ Wetherholt, who also expressed willingness to join, confirmed today that due to eligibility issues, he will not be able to represent Korea in the tournament.

Although Wetherholt has Korean heritage (his grandmother is a Korean citizen), his father does not hold Korean nationality. According to the WBC and Korean legal regulations, he cannot directly acquire Korean citizenship and thus is ineligible to represent Korea. "Unfortunately, I’m not 'Korean' enough," Wetherholt said. "The rule requires one parent to be a Korean citizen, but only my grandmother is. In theory, my father could apply, but it depends on whether he can first obtain citizenship."

He added, "Playing for Korea has been my dream because my grandmother is elderly, and I sincerely want to compete for her—it means a lot to her. But sadly, I won’t be able to fulfill this wish this year."

Ranked 25th among the top 100 prospects for the 2025 season by Baseball America, Wetherholt was the 7th overall pick in the 2024 draft and remains the Cardinals’ top prospect for the 2026 season. He advanced to Triple-A last year, posting a .314/.416/.562 slash line over 221 plate appearances. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol revealed today that Wetherholt has a chance to make the major league opening roster this season.

The Korean team originally included several MLB players such as Lee Jung-hoo, Kim Ha-seong, Kim Hye-seong, and soon-to-debut Song Seung-moon. However, recent setbacks have emerged: Song’s participation is uncertain due to a side abdominal injury, and the Atlanta Braves officially announced today that Kim Ha-seong underwent surgery for a torn tendon in his right middle finger and will require 4-5 months of recovery, ruling him out of this Classic.