JJ Wetherholt selected by BA in Best Tools & Players in Futures Game

[scoutyjones2]

Wow sounds like all the hype we had with Walker, Gorman, Carlson………………….,etc.

Let the kid breathe not his job to be your Superman.

Easy does it Lois Lane.

[scoutyjones2]

Gorman has power. JJ can actually make consistent contact.

this

I love the Wetherholt pick, but I hate revisionist history, and I know many on this board wanted a power hitter for a while -- and the Gorman and Walker picks were not panned -- at the time. They just didn't pan out, but remember: both were in the #20 pick range for picks before the draft - not #1 as JJ was barring the hammy issues.

High school picks are very suspect and a huge gamble, vs college players...to me

[ClassicO]

Gorman has power. JJ can actually make consistent contact.

this

I love the Wetherholt pick, but I hate revisionist history, and I know many on this board wanted a power hitter for a while -- and the Gorman and Walker picks were not panned -- at the time. They just didn't pan out, but remember: both were in the #20 pick range for picks before the draft - not #1 as JJ was barring the hammy issues.

High school picks are very suspect and a huge gamble, vs college players...to me

The stats bear that out, especially in more recent times (the early 2000s had a few success stories - mostly hitters).

[Goldfan]

Guy is going to be a terror when he comes up.
He's got all the tools.
Best Cardinals prospect ever?

JD Drew and Rick Ankiel

I’d put Oscar Taveras 3rd

matt morris worked out pretty well.. and lankford.. and coleman.. and herr.. pretty good history of prospects here..

Right, but the question was best ever, and I think that’s easily Drew and Ankiel

So what are we talking about here? The highest ranked picked? Best Cards prospect? A prospect is any minor leaguer in Cards uni…..Pujols all day, any day

[An Old Friend]

Guy is going to be a terror when he comes up.
He's got all the tools.
Best Cardinals prospect ever?

JD Drew and Rick Ankiel

I’d put Oscar Taveras 3rd

matt morris worked out pretty well.. and lankford.. and coleman.. and herr.. pretty good history of prospects here..

Right, but the question was best ever, and I think that’s easily Drew and Ankiel

So what are we talking about here? The highest ranked picked? Best Cards prospect? A prospect is any minor leaguer in Cards uni…..Pujols all day, any day

All of the above, and Pujols was nowhere close. 13th round pick and just a top-50 guy in Baseball America before he debuted.

You can argue that it's a miss, but that's not what we're talking about.

[Goldfan]

Guy is going to be a terror when he comes up.
He's got all the tools.
Best Cardinals prospect ever?

JD Drew and Rick Ankiel

I’d put Oscar Taveras 3rd

matt morris worked out pretty well.. and lankford.. and coleman.. and herr.. pretty good history of prospects here..

Right, but the question was best ever, and I think that’s easily Drew and Ankiel

So what are we talking about here? The highest ranked picked? Best Cards prospect? A prospect is any minor leaguer in Cards uni…..Pujols all day, any day

All of the above, and Pujols was nowhere close. 13th round pick and just a top-50 guy in Baseball America before he debuted.

You can argue that it's a miss, but that's not what we're talking about.

Question:
Best Cards Prospect Ever?

So what does that mean to you? You must have a specific definition of prospect?

[rockondlouie]

Baseball America compiled a list of Superlatives : Best Tools & Players in yesterday's Futures Game performances
The categories were : Best Player, Best Hitter, Power, Best Batting Practice , Best Defensive Player among pitching categories too.

JJ was their selection for BEST POWER

Their analysis was :
Best Power: JJ Wetherholt, SS, Cardinals

Wetherholt just missed a homer in the opening at-bat for the NL squad, instead putting it off the center field wall at 105.9 mph. He hit a second ball 102.4 mph on a lineout. Wetherholt was the only player in this year’s Futures Game with multiple balls in play above 100 mph.

Keep the JJW train streaming towards St. Louis by Sept. 1st!

[imetsatchelpaige]

Guy is going to be a terror when he comes up.
He's got all the tools.
Best Cardinals prospect ever?

Per similar hype over Taveras and Walker too.
Faberge eggs do not age well and spoil quickly.

[moose-and-squirrel]

Guy is going to be a terror when he comes up.
He's got all the tools.
Best Cardinals prospect ever?

JD Drew and Rick Ankiel

I’d put Oscar Taveras 3rd

matt morris worked out pretty well.. and lankford.. and coleman.. and herr.. pretty good history of prospects here..

Right, but the question was best ever, and I think that’s easily Drew and Ankiel

best prospect? or best prospect that had the best career?

[Ronnie Dobbs]

People don't think of power when they think of Wetherholt, but I heard some guy, I think from Baseball America, saying that he wouldn't be surprised if he ends up as a guy who can hit 30+ HRs in his prime years.

I think that's pretty (bleep) optimistic, but when you watch him hit with that seemingly easy power to the opposite field, and his exit velocity is pretty impressive, you can see how he might be able to develop some pretty good power.

[Othawhitemeat]

Wow sounds like all the hype we had with Walker, Gorman, Carlson………………….,etc.

Let the kid breathe not his job to be your Superman.

Easy does it Lois Lane.

Walker, Carlson, and Gorman all had hype (especially Walker) but with Walker/Gorman, they were both known for contact issues and Carlson was noy known for batting average. Just think more peeps, health aside(hamstrings) think Wetherholt is a higher chance of success. Truthfully, JJ was projected as number 1 pick if not for health.

[hugeCardfan]

Guy is going to be a terror when he comes up.
He's got all the tools.
Best Cardinals prospect ever?

JD Drew and Rick Ankiel

I’d put Oscar Taveras 3rd

Oscar wasn’t a draft pick but he was a dandy prospect.

[12xu]

Guy is going to be a terror when he comes up.
He's got all the tools.
Best Cardinals prospect ever?

JD Drew and Rick Ankiel

I’d put Oscar Taveras 3rd

matt morris worked out pretty well.. and lankford.. and coleman.. and herr.. pretty good history of prospects here..

Right, but the question was best ever, and I think that’s easily Drew and Ankiel

Ted Simmons was the Cardinals' #1 draft pick (#10 overall) in 1967 and he's in the freaking HOF.

[scoutyjones2]

Wow sounds like all the hype we had with Walker, Gorman, Carlson………………….,etc.

Let the kid breathe not his job to be your Superman.

Easy does it Lois Lane.

Walker, Carlson, and Gorman all had hype (especially Walker) but with Walker/Gorman, they were both known for contact issues and Carlson was noy known for batting average. Just think more peeps, health aside(hamstrings) think Wetherholt is a higher chance of success. Truthfully, JJ was projected as number 1 pick if not for health.

Huge difference...JJ played college.

Stop drafting High Schoolers. Very simple

[ScotchMIrish]

He has hit at every level. No doubt he will be good but he is the same age as Caglianone. Probably a good idea to leave him in Memphis and then look at him in the spring.

[ScotchMIrish]

Guy is going to be a terror when he comes up.
He's got all the tools.
Best Cardinals prospect ever?

When he gets 3,631 hits in a Cardinals uniform he will be the best prospect ever - and Musial did that while missing 2 seasons due to military service.