When St. Louis Cardinals hitting coach Brant Brown compares rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt’s makeup to that of All-Star catcher Will Smith, it’s about as big a compliment as he can offer.
Brown got to know Smith during his tenure with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2018 to ‘22, and the thing that strikes him about Wetherholt is the same thing that struck him about Smith: The kid never panics.
Cardinals reliever Ryne Stanek, a 10-year veteran, also had high praise for Wetherholt, saying, “He just acts like he’s been here, in a good way. He isn’t trying to make any moment too big. He’s just playing his game.”
Stanek added, “For him to go out of his way to be a jerk, it just feels like it would be hard for him.”
The biggest story with the Cardinals — and one of the biggest in baseball — is the awakening of right fielder Jordan Walker, who on Sunday hit his major-league leading seventh home run. After making mechanical adjustments to correct his bat path, better enabling him to elevate the ball, Walker says, “What I’m trying to do, and what I need to keep doing, is turn my brain off during my at-bats. All the work happens in the cage.”
Wetherholt, like Walker, is 23, and also figures to be part of the Cardinals’ renaissance, whenever it might occur. The Cardinals drafted him seventh overall out of West Virginia University in 2024, two places ahead of where the Pittsburgh Pirates took shortstop Konnor Griffin, a high schooler from Mississippi. Wetherholt, listed at 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds, previously went undrafted out of Mars Area H.S. in western Pennsylvania, where his coach was Andy Bednar, the father of Yankees closer David Bednar.
“I had no looks,” Wetherholt said. “I wasn’t that good.”
Steve Sabins, a longtime West Virginia assistant who took over as head coach in June 2024, recalled Wetherholt as a lightly recruited, undersized second baseman for a Pittsburgh-area travel-ball team. Wetherholt played in men’s leagues, college leagues, anywhere he could. Even then, he showed a unique ability to drive the ball to the opposite field.
One stunning play Wetherholt made in the field helped West Virginia finalize its decision to offer him a scholarship, and sticks with Sabins to this day. Wetherholt, playing second base, had a terrific read and got an excellent jump on a blooper down the right-field line, and laid out to make an outstanding grab.
Wetherholt played third base for West Virginia as a freshman, second baseman as a sophomore when he led the nation with a .449 batting average and shortstop as a junior when a hamstring strain sidelined him for six weeks and limited him to 36 games in his draft year.
Asked how Wetherholt went from an undrafted player out of high school to the seventh pick overall three years later, Sabins said, “Work, grit, a deep desire to be the best he can possibly be. And then a commitment level that is unmatched.”
Wetherholt, after hitting a home run in his debut and a two-run walk-off single in his second game, is 9-for-47 (.191) with one extra-base hit since. Still, he remains part of a tremendous class of rookies, and — like any quality young player in today’s game — a candidate for a lucrative long-term contract. He has discussed such a deal with the Cardinals, but the talks have not progressed, according to people briefed on the discussions.
All in due time. Wetherholt has done just fine making his own way.
Warren: An overlooked Yankee?
During spring training, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone described right-hander Will Warren as “the under-the-radar guy no one is talking about.” Warren has been good but not great thus far, posting a 3.07 ERA while averaging fewer than five innings in two of his first three starts. But he might be capable of more.
After a videoconference with Yankees pitching coaches and statistical analysts at the end of season, Warren moved to the third-base side of the rubber. He had thrown some from that side at Southeastern Louisiana, but eventually drifted back to the first-base side and hadn’t given it much thought since.
The idea of going back was to give him more deception, and the plan worked. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton mentioned to Warren early in the spring that his stuff was sharper from the third-base side, giving the pitcher the confidence to keep going.
Warren led all rookies with 33 starts last season, finishing with a 4.44 ERA. He said he was surrounded by so many accomplished veterans, he felt pressure to be like Gerrit Cole or Carlos Rodón. But over time, he came to realize he was perfectly fine just being himself. That he was in the majors for a reason, and good enough to succeed.
“It was really believing and trusting to have the confidence to be myself, pitch like myself,” Warren said. “Not try to be anything more.”
Warren, who will try to end the Yankees’ five-game losing streak when the team returns home Monday night to face to the Los Angeles Angels, is not assured of a place in the Yankees’ rotation once Rodón and Cole return from their respective surgeries. But along with Cam Schlittler, the eighth-round pick in 2021 could emerge as homegrown mainstays in the rotation.
Tibbs: Another Dodgers find
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect James Tibbs III mashed seven home runs in his first eight games at Triple A, then hit No. 8 on Sunday to end a 2-for-22 slump. His emergence is rather fascinating, considering that last summer he was traded twice within a span of six weeks.
The first trade, in which Tibbs went from the San Francisco Giants to the Boston Red Sox as part of the package for Rafael Devers, is easy to explain. The Red Sox wanted two young players for Devers, according to a person briefed on the discussions. The Giants met that demand only after the Red Sox also agreed to take back right-hander Jordan Hicks, who was earning $12 million annually through 2027.
The second trade — Tibbs and outfielder Zach Ehrhard from the Red Sox to the Dodgers for righty Dustin May at last year’s deadline — looks like more of a head-scratcher. May had a 5.40 ERA in 28 1/3 innings for the Red Sox, and missed a chunk of September with right elbow neuritis.
Executives generally hate acting as buyers at the deadline, knowing they often will overpay. The Red Sox might have fallen into that trap. They also might have moved too quickly on Tibbs, whom they also dangled to teams before the draft for a competitive-balance pick, according to a person briefed on their maneuverings.
The Athletic’s Keith Law wrote that the Sox tweaked Tibbs’ swing, leading to a .207/.319/.267 line in 30 games at Double A. The Dodgers had him go back to the swing he used at Florida State to become the 13th overall pick in 2024, and his results improved.
Law ranked him before the season as the No. 11 prospect in the Dodgers’ talent-rich system. Ehrhard was No. 14.
“We liked the guys as well,” Red Sox president of baseball operations Craig Breslow said. “We felt we had an opportunity for a postseason run. We wanted to prioritize our major-league team and give ourselves the best chance we could. And we felt Dustin was someone who could fit us.”
Breslow said he knew the Red Sox were giving up good players. But the team, deep in young outfielders, was dealing from somewhat a position of strength. Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela and Kristian Campbell (currently in the minors) are signed long-term. Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu are prominent pieces as well.
The problem with the trade is that May did not perform to expectations and created an opportunity cost for the Red Sox because they did not receive a better return.
Guardians’ kids coming
It’s not just Chase DeLauter. In a recent phone conversation, I asked Cleveland Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti to list the team’s position prospects who might reach the majors this season. Antonetti rattled off eight names, including second baseman Juan Brito, who got off to an excellent start at Triple A and has stayed hot since making his major-league debut on Tuesday.
The Guardians are so loaded with young hitters, perennial MVP candidate José Ramírez joked with manager Stephen Vogt at one point this spring, “Cleveland or Columbus for me?” Kidding aside, so many of the young players are close to the majors, the Guardians’ roster seems likely to evolve as the season progresses. The promotion of Brito to replace the injured Gabriel Arias likely is only the start.
George Valera, recovering from a left calf strain, figures to enter the outfield picture once he is healthy. Travis Bazzana, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft, could force the issue at second base. Ralphy Velazquez, the 23rd overall pick in 2023, could do the same at first. Among the other names who might draw consideration: Outfielder Petey Halpin, shortstop Angel Genao and catcher Cooper Ingle.
The Athletic’s Zack Meisel wrote at length about 12 Guardians prospects to watch shortly before the season started.
Antonacci on the way?
The Chicago White Sox are discussing a promotion for Triple-A infielder/outfielder Sam Antonacci, who starred in Team Italy’s 8-6 victory over Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. Antonacci hit a two-run homer that night, scored on a wild pitch and made an impressive backhand play at shortstop on a 106.4 mph grounder by Brice Turang.
Antonacci, 23, was only 2-for-19 in the WBC, but he also walked, reached three other times after getting hit by pitches and sparked Italy with his all-out, hard-nosed style. I knew he wasn’t a top prospect — Law had him only No. 10 in his White Sox top 20 — so I reached out to Sox GM Chris Getz, asking him to tell me more.
This is what Getz said about Antonacci, who was the White Sox’s fifth-round pick out of Coastal Carolina in 2024:
“He’s been turning heads since we drafted and signed him. How Sam is playing the game in the WBC is how he plays every game, hair on fire, locked in every pitch, always on the attack.
“In the past year, he has gotten stronger so the exit velos have increased. He can play all over the diamond, high contact, good decisions at the plate and overall advanced process with growing power. If we have interest in acquiring a player from another team, the first player they ask for is Sam.
“He’s a top prospect and has been — for some reason public rankings haven’t caught up, but projection systems (including ours) have him in our top tier of prospects. We anticipate he’ll be on our major-league club at some point this season. If you surveyed staff throughout our org what we want a White Sox player to look and play like it’s Sam Antonacci.”
It shouldn’t be long before the White Sox make room for Antonacci, who is 5-foot-11, 193 pounds. After drawing two walks Sunday, he’s batting .289 with a .484 on-base percentage and .928 OPS at Triple A. He’s also 5-for-5 in stolen-base attempts.
The passion of Sanoja
Miami Marlins superutility man Javier Sanoja was another player who made an impression on me during the WBC, even though he rarely took the field for Venezuela.
Sanoja, 23, was the most energetic player in Venezuela’s dugout, bouncing from one end to the other, loudly supporting his teammates, urging on the crowd. Watching him from my position as Fox’s dugout reporter, I thought he was maybe drinking a little too much Red Bull.
Nah, that’s just Sanoja, a favorite of Marlins manager Clayton McCullough. His passion for his country was unmistakable. And while he tones down his energy to a more realistic level for the 162-game regular season, he is a unique, fascinating player.
Sanoja (right) and Marlins infielder Otto Lopez celebrate the team’s Opening Day win over Colorado last month. (Megan Briggs / Getty Images)
Sanoja as a rookie last season won the Gold Glove for the National League utility position, playing center field, left and every infield spot but first base (he also pitched 9 1/3 innings, with an unsightly 16.39 ERA). Like Antonacci, he excels at making contact, and in the offseason he added muscle to his 5-foot-7, 150-pound frame.
The Marlins would like Sanoja to improve his plate discipline — his career walk rate is just 5.1 percent, in part because he is so proficient getting his bat to the ball. But Sanoja, who doesn’t turn 24 until September, still should have offensive upside.
“Bottom line, he’s a really good player, young and has baseball IQ,” McCullough said in a text. “I trust him anywhere on the field, and for a young player, he is very mature with how he takes his role. (He’ll get) lots of playing time, but where he plays is dependent on current roster construction and team needs. Room to improve offensively but already does the hard part (making contact) at a plus rate.”
DBacks making it work
Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (.597 OPS), shortstop Geraldo Perdomo (.541), center fielder Alek Thomas (.410) and third baseman Nolan Arenado (.392), are all off to poor offensive starts. Catcher Gabriel Moreno is expected to join outfielder Jordan Lawlar and numerous others on the injured list. But the DBacks, who won four of six while visiting the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies, are plugging along.
Rookie first baseman Jose Fernandez, infielder Ildemaro Vargas and catcher Adrian Del Castillo are making unexpected offensive contributions, and more help is on the way.
Left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is about 10 days away from his return from ACL surgery. And at some point, the team’s top prospect, outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt, is expected to make his debut.
Waldschmidt, the 31st overall pick out of the University of Kentucky in 2024, is off to a strong start at hitter-friendly Triple-A Reno. He also is playing center field. The DBacks value Thomas’ defense at that position, and Waldschmidt ultimately might project better in a corner. But if he continues to hit, he could force the team’s hand.
Around the horn
• Many statistical analysts believe hitting successfully with runners in scoring position is not a repeatable skill. Well, how does one explain Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford, whose eighth career walk-off hit Saturday night made him 30-for-77 in his career with the bases loaded?
Those numbers include six grand slams, two triples and seven doubles, good for a .390 batting average, 1.162 OPS and 88 RBIs in 91 plate appearances.
“I do think there’s skill involved,” Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said. “The pitcher is almost always more anxious than J.P., who has always been a low pulse, selective hitter in these situations.
“I think many guys get themselves out with aggression. J.P. is calm in the moment. He makes them come to him.”
• Through seven games, Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman had a 3.1 percent chase rate and 31.3 percent swing rate, both unusually low. Bregman through Saturday had raised those rates to 13.2 percent and 37.5 percent, respectively. He wanted to be more aggressive than he was initially, but said it’s a fine line.
If Bregman gets too aggressive, his knack for making contact on even pitches outside the zone will lead to too many easy outs. So, Bregman only wants to swing at pitches on which he can do damage. Wrigley Field, though, presents another variable. On days when the wind is blowing in, Bregman knows he will need to settle for singles and walks.
• First baseman Alec Burleson, 27, is one of the Cardinals’ more senior homegrown players, and probably the one with the most trade value. At the end of the season, Burleson will be under club control for only two more years, the same position Brendan Donovan was in when the Cardinals sent him to the Mariners in February.
No player is untouchable, especially for a rebuilding club. But Burleson is one of the Cardinals’ better hitters, and one of their leaders along with shortstop Masyn Winn. The same, of course, could have been said of Donovan. But at some point the Cardinals will need to retain a few veterans. Even if they resist signing Burleson to an extension, they need not be in a rush to trade him.
• Why is it that a team forfeits its eligibility for a Prospect Promotion Incentive draft pick if it signs a top 100 prospect before his major-league debut? The answer stems from the original intent of the program: Incentive.
The players and owners agreed upon PPI as a way to reward teams for promoting players they might not have otherwise. Once a player is under contract, no extra inducement is necessary.
The Pittsburgh Pirates played it just right with shortstop Konnor Griffin, meeting PPI criteria by promoting him in time for him to reach a full year of service and waiting until he made his debut to finalize his nine-year, $140 million contract.
• New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Corbin Carroll and Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday underwent surgeries to repair fractured hook of hamates within a two-day span in early February. Lindor and Carroll returned by Opening Day. Holliday, 11 games into a rehab assignment at Triple A, is batting .167 with a .453 OPS.
The difference with Holliday is that his surgery was on his right hand, which is both his throwing hand and dominant hand as a left-handed hitter. Lindor, a switch-hitter, and Carroll, a left-handed hitter, had their hamates removed from their non-throwing hands. Lindor’s surgery was to his dominant hand when batting right-handed, Carroll’s to his dominant hand.
• And finally, raise your hand if you expected the Washington Nationals to rank second in scoring at any point this season, much less 15 games in.
Well, it’s happening.
The Dodgers lead the majors at 6.07 runs per game, followed by the Nationals’ at 5.93 and the Houston Astros at 5.81. How real is the Nats’ surge? Check back in a month. No one saw this coming in spring training, when the Nats ranked next-to-last in runs per game.
