How aggressive should Cards be with Wetherholt?

[AZ_Cardsfan]

I let him rake in AA all season and if he is still hot and STL is out of the playoffs give him a cup of coffee in September. never a bad idea to open their eyes to ML pitching so they understand why they are going back to AAA the next year.

[Basil Shabazz]

No rush.

Walker is proof of that.

Let him rake and gain work habits at the lower levels.

Skipping steps in his development is not needed.

Walker was a HS to pro player. JJW is an accomplished D1 player to the pros. Those situations are different. I also think all situations should be judged individually. Some tools in some players are already major league ready and some aren't.

Players do not come out of cookie molds. Some need slow progression through the ranks and some move faster.

For instance, Paul Skenes pitched just 34 MiLB innings before his promotion. He moved from Rookie, A, AA allin same year and briefly at AAA the next year. Should the Pirates have kept him down? And for every Skenes there is a Walker maybe. The players performance and the MLB team's need should dictate the players promotion.

[BrockFloodMaris]

I let him rake in AA all season and if he is still hot and STL is out of the playoffs give him a cup of coffee in September. never a bad idea to open their eyes to ML pitching so they understand why they are going back to AAA the next year.

I would cosign the above strategy. What on earth is the rush? We have four pending free agents and Nado that may all be moving on by 30july. Even at five games over .500, the Cards are not preparing for a playoff run. Maybe Roby, Koperniak and Sagesse and a few others get some playing time in August and September. JJ can get a whiff of MLB pitching.

[Monsieur De Treville]

they're not putting JJ in the OF...not anytime soon.

He can play SS, 2B really, really well...and he has good footwork at 3B, but it's been a few years since he played the position.

stay the course with his defensive assignments for now...don't put him in the OF. It's a waste of a good fielder if you do.

Could you see Hurdy Gurdy at third, Winn at short, and JJ at second as soon as next season?

[Shady]

Who do Cardinals have in mind for 3B when Arenado leaves? Gorman, Donovan, Saggese or Wetherholt seem to be the current choices. Unless Gorman really starts hitting, why not Wetherholt for 3B? Donovan and Saggese as 2B options. Of course Donovan is an option in LF if Saggese really hits and Walker doesn't.

[rockondlouie]

they're not putting JJ in the OF...not anytime soon.

He can play SS, 2B really, really well...and he has good footwork at 3B, but it's been a few years since he played the position.

stay the course with his defensive assignments for now...don't put him in the OF. It's a waste of a good fielder if you do.

IMO he's ticketed for 2b some time in 2026.

[Monsieur De Treville]

I let him rake in AA all season and if he is still hot and STL is out of the playoffs give him a cup of coffee in September. never a bad idea to open their eyes to ML pitching so they understand why they are going back to AAA the next year.

I would cosign the above strategy. What on earth is the rush? We have four pending free agents and Nado that may all be moving on by 30july. Even at five games over .500, the Cards are not preparing for a playoff run. Maybe Roby, Koperniak and Sagesse and a few others get some playing time in August and September. JJ can get a whiff of MLB pitching.

The rush is the Cards may have him pencilled in for a starting role in St Louis as soon as next season.

What was the rush with Skenes? Or Pujols? Or Al Kaline? Jackson Holliday? Bobby Witt Jr? Countless other young stars.

If he's not ready, he's not ready. BUT...if he's ready, why not be aggressive?

[ScotchMIrish]

Teams tend to be more aggressive with college players but he is blocked in St Louis so I doubt they will rush him to AAA. Turns 23 in September. Average age AA 22-23. AAA 23-24. Both he and Saggesse are shortstops. Which one moves?

Keep him at AA. Move him up maybe late in the season.

[Goldfan]

Could he hit better than Walker? Bring him up and stick him in LF

[Futuregm2]

Could he hit better than Walker? Bring him up and stick him in LF

Or play him at 2B and move Donovan to LF.

[rockondlouie]

Could he hit better than Walker? Bring him up and stick him in LF

Or play him at 2B and move Donovan to LF.

^^^THIS is how it's going to play out^^^

2026 OF:
Donny-LF
VSII-CF
Noot-RF

*Walker fourth OFer

2026 Infield:
NADO (assumes still here)
Winn
JJ (sometime in 2026, could be on opening day w/a 2025 VSII like spring or mid season if he's tearing up AAA)
WillyC

*Saggese could be your 2026 super utility man
*Burleson your backup 1st baseman

DH:
Hererra

Catcher:
Pages & ????? (Could be Pozo, could be one of the kids)


Gorman on the other hand could end up trade bait (unless NADO is gone at which time hell be given first shot at 3rd base)

JMO

[ScotchMIrish]

Could he hit better than Walker? Bring him up and stick him in LF

Or play him at 2B and move Donovan to LF.

Why would you bring Weterholt up instead of Saggese? Saggese had better numbers at AA and at a younger age.

[renostl]

Could he hit better than Walker? Bring him up and stick him in LF

Or play him at 2B and move Donovan to LF.

Put him at 3B
Watch the NA increase the length of his list.

Halfway kidding since this can play out for awhile.

If Gorman never hits, the best arm I've witnessed of
Donovan, Saggese, and JJ belongs to JJ. Only BD currently does the OF,
along with IF Herrera moves off C and he may or may not.

I currently doubt any of those players get traded anytime soon,
should put them where they are most likely headed IMO.

[Futuregm2]

Could he hit better than Walker? Bring him up and stick him in LF

Or play him at 2B and move Donovan to LF.

Why would you bring Weterholt up instead of Saggese? Saggese had better numbers at AA and at a younger age.

Saggese will probably be a super utility player for the team or traded. They’ll have to figure out 3B though, too.

[1_12_1968]

He seems light on power for a world class 3rd baseman

Fair enough, but how much power did Brett or Boggs or Molitor have? If he hits 40 doubles with 15-20 HR would that work?

Sure but 15-20 seems a long way away

[BrockFloodMaris]

I let him rake in AA all season and if he is still hot and STL is out of the playoffs give him a cup of coffee in September. never a bad idea to open their eyes to ML pitching so they understand why they are going back to AAA the next year.

I would cosign the above strategy. What on earth is the rush? We have four pending free agents and Nado that may all be moving on by 30july. Even at five games over .500, the Cards are not preparing for a playoff run. Maybe Roby, Koperniak and Sagesse and a few others get some playing time in August and September. JJ can get a whiff of MLB pitching.

The rush is the Cards may have him pencilled in for a starting role in St Louis as soon as next season.

What was the rush with Skenes? Or Pujols? Or Al Kaline? Jackson Holliday? Bobby Witt Jr? Countless other young stars.

If he's not ready, he's not ready. BUT...if he's ready, why not be aggressive?

The 22 year old has an .832 OPS in 98 AA at bats. I just don't see the need for an emergency double promotion. He certainly met the eye test in spring training, but I don't want to repeat the mistakes we have made with Walker. When he gets here, I want him to stick for the next ten years.