JJ's AAA Stats Converted to Full Season

[pitchingandefense]

As everyone knows, JJ Wetherholt has been absolutely dominant in the high minors this year, and he now carries a perfect 1.000 OPS in AAA. His wRC+ has even increased with each level progressed. Current rookies like Jacob Wilson, Roman Anthony and Drake Baldwin are experiencing MLB success after similar success in AAA at a young age. JJ shows traits that indicate his AAA success will also carry over to MLB, mainly exhibited in his very high BB%, very low K%, and excellent exit velocities. The Cardinals will likely hit him leadoff to maximize his plate appearances, as this is what he has done at AAA. Most MLB leadoff hitters are getting 700 plate appearances or more over a full season. For fun, here are his current AAA stats extended to 700 PA:

Hits 183
2B 46
3B 4
HR 32
RBI 81
R 123
BB 95
SO 106
HBP 21
SB 25

There is a very good chance he becomes the consistent 5+ WAR player the Cards need to be the face of this team. Health looks to be the only potential roadblock, the reason he "fell" in the draft. Several franchises have been locking up players of his profile to long contracts before they reach the majors. Might Bloom do this in his first offseason in charge?

[blackinkbiz]

As everyone knows, JJ Wetherholt has been absolutely dominant in the high minors this year, and he now carries a perfect 1.000 OPS in AAA. His wRC+ has even increased with each level progressed. Current rookies like Jacob Wilson, Roman Anthony and Drake Baldwin are experiencing MLB success after similar success in AAA at a young age. JJ shows traits that indicate his AAA success will also carry over to MLB, mainly exhibited in his very high BB%, very low K%, and excellent exit velocities. The Cardinals will likely hit him leadoff to maximize his plate appearances, as this is what he has done at AAA. Most MLB leadoff hitters are getting 700 plate appearances or more over a full season. For fun, here are his current AAA stats extended to 700 PA:

Hits 183
2B 46
3B 4
HR 32
RBI 81
R 123
BB 95
SO 106
HBP 21
SB 25

There is a very good chance he becomes the consistent 5+ WAR player the Cards need to be the face of this team. Health looks to be the only potential roadblock, the reason he "fell" in the draft. Several franchises have been locking up players of his profile to long contracts before they reach the majors. Might Bloom do this in his first offseason in charge?

After the debacles of Walker, Gorman, DC, and others, this franchise would be foolish to lock up any minor league player before he shows he can produce at MLB for more than one season. All the peripherals are there for JJ, but this FO has been so awful at judging talent, why risk shooting themselves in the foot yet again?

That's why I hate Jackson Chourio so much. It's like the Brewers just can't miss on anything. That's the first and only large, international contract they've ever offered and of course, the guy is already a stud before his 22nd birthday.

He'd be toiling in high A ball right about now if he were a Cards prospect. lol

[Goldfan]

As everyone knows, JJ Wetherholt has been absolutely dominant in the high minors this year, and he now carries a perfect 1.000 OPS in AAA. His wRC+ has even increased with each level progressed. Current rookies like Jacob Wilson, Roman Anthony and Drake Baldwin are experiencing MLB success after similar success in AAA at a young age. JJ shows traits that indicate his AAA success will also carry over to MLB, mainly exhibited in his very high BB%, very low K%, and excellent exit velocities. The Cardinals will likely hit him leadoff to maximize his plate appearances, as this is what he has done at AAA. Most MLB leadoff hitters are getting 700 plate appearances or more over a full season. For fun, here are his current AAA stats extended to 700 PA:

Hits 183
2B 46
3B 4
HR 32
RBI 81
R 123
BB 95
SO 106
HBP 21
SB 25

There is a very good chance he becomes the consistent 5+ WAR player the Cards need to be the face of this team. Health looks to be the only potential roadblock, the reason he "fell" in the draft. Several franchises have been locking up players of his profile to long contracts before they reach the majors. Might Bloom do this in his first offseason in charge?

After the debacles of Walker, Gorman, DC, and others, this franchise would be foolish to lock up any minor league player before he shows he can produce at MLB for more than one season. All the peripherals are there for JJ, but this FO has been so awful at judging talent, why risk shooting themselves in the foot yet again?

That's why I hate Jackson Chourio so much. It's like the Brewers just can't miss on anything. That's the first and only large, international contract they've ever offered and of course, the guy is already a stud before his 22nd birthday.

He'd be toiling in high A ball right about now if he were a Cards prospect. lol

Gorman and Walker are poor comps. Review their swings compared to JJ. The person or team who promoted those 2 should be exiled from MLB

[Swuhgen]

As everyone knows, JJ Wetherholt has been absolutely dominant in the high minors this year, and he now carries a perfect 1.000 OPS in AAA. His wRC+ has even increased with each level progressed. Current rookies like Jacob Wilson, Roman Anthony and Drake Baldwin are experiencing MLB success after similar success in AAA at a young age. JJ shows traits that indicate his AAA success will also carry over to MLB, mainly exhibited in his very high BB%, very low K%, and excellent exit velocities. The Cardinals will likely hit him leadoff to maximize his plate appearances, as this is what he has done at AAA. Most MLB leadoff hitters are getting 700 plate appearances or more over a full season. For fun, here are his current AAA stats extended to 700 PA:

Hits 183
2B 46
3B 4
HR 32
RBI 81
R 123
BB 95
SO 106
HBP 21
SB 25

There is a very good chance he becomes the consistent 5+ WAR player the Cards need to be the face of this team. Health looks to be the only potential roadblock, the reason he "fell" in the draft. Several franchises have been locking up players of his profile to long contracts before they reach the majors. Might Bloom do this in his first offseason in charge?

NOOOOOOOOO.
Haven't we been burned enough with can't miss prospects. And don't tell me this time is different.
Let the kid earn it. Sometimes the motivation to get paid can help a guy perform better.

[imadangman]

Well, 32 would definitely be on the high side for how many home runs I think he would hit in a full major league season. I see him as a consistent 20-25 hr guy maybe 27-28 on the high side. I'm hoping he is a perennial .300+ .390+ guy who can also slug around 0.500.

[pitchingandefense]

Well, 32 would definitely be on the high side for how many home runs he would hit in a full major league season. I see him as a consistent 20-25 hr guy maybe 27-28 on the high side. I'm hoping he is a perennial .300+ .390+ guy who can also slug around 0.500.

That would be an excellent outcome. Others have mentioned Walker and Gorman as reasons for apprehension. I get that, but JJ's profile is quite a bit different than theirs. It has been fun watching him play this season. He is the real deal. Health is the only potential roadblock in front of him.

[imadangman]

Well, 32 would definitely be on the high side for how many home runs he would hit in a full major league season. I see him as a consistent 20-25 hr guy maybe 27-28 on the high side. I'm hoping he is a perennial .300+ .390+ guy who can also slug around 0.500.

That would be an excellent outcome. Others have mentioned Walker and Gorman as reasons for apprehension. I get that, but JJ's profile is quite a bit different than theirs. It has been fun watching him play this season. He is the real deal. Health is the only potential roadblock in front of him.

He's part of a 2024 draft class that already has 6 in the majors. He was part of a strong class and you could argue he may be as talented (and ready) as any of the other 6 were. He just turned 23 too. It's not like a Walker being forced up at age 20. Walker can develop but for him it's the size factor that will continue to give him challenges, finding an offensive approach at his size that translates to the big leagues. I wonder if Wetherholt in the Cardinals mind is more similar to Donovan in stature. Maybe they decided they have better luck with short guys, having the hit tool translate to MLB. Let's see Gorman, he never really hit in the minors besides a few hot streaks. Another high school pick like Walker. Those high school picks end up with a lot of the development in the hands in the organization. There's clearly a lot that has to happen between being a raw talented high school pick and an MLB player. Maybe that's another point in favor of Wetherholt. He looks pretty good doesn't he.

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Big difference in the profiles and development level of Walker, Gorman, and Carlson when they were rising prospects and where Wetherholt is at at right now coming out of college as basically a fully developed player. That's why I think you can be more confident in his ability to succeed at the major league level.

Not sure I'd make that healthy of a projection on his numbers as that at the major league level, at least not right now. Springfield and Memphis are pretty good offensive parks and leagues. But I also wouldn't rule out him being able to hit 30+ HRs. I've heard some scouting types say that they believe that he has the ability to develop that kind of power.

[renostl]

As everyone knows, JJ Wetherholt has been absolutely dominant in the high minors this year, and he now carries a perfect 1.000 OPS in AAA. His wRC+ has even increased with each level progressed. Current rookies like Jacob Wilson, Roman Anthony and Drake Baldwin are experiencing MLB success after similar success in AAA at a young age. JJ shows traits that indicate his AAA success will also carry over to MLB, mainly exhibited in his very high BB%, very low K%, and excellent exit velocities. The Cardinals will likely hit him leadoff to maximize his plate appearances, as this is what he has done at AAA. Most MLB leadoff hitters are getting 700 plate appearances or more over a full season. For fun, here are his current AAA stats extended to 700 PA:

Hits 183
2B 46
3B 4
HR 32
RBI 81
R 123
BB 95
SO 106
HBP 21
SB 25

There is a very good chance he becomes the consistent 5+ WAR player the Cards need to be the face of this team. Health looks to be the only potential roadblock, the reason he "fell" in the draft. Several franchises have been locking up players of his profile to long contracts before they reach the majors. Might Bloom do this in his first offseason in charge?

NOOOOOOOOO.
Haven't we been burned enough with can't miss prospects. And don't tell me this time is different.
Let the kid earn it. Sometimes the motivation to get paid can help a guy perform better.

Doesn't that cut both ways?
Those players struggling has nothing to do with
JJ. Each is there own man and JJ isn't coming from HS
like those players.

I'd say he's already earned a chance. Does he need to
repeat those numbers for another season in MiLB or does he need to improve them.