JJ Wetherholt finally knows where his life may take him after this season.
Junior and projected first overall pick JJ Wetherholt enters the MLB draft this July, and while he still has a season ahead of him as a Mountaineer, the recent draft lottery must have him thinking about what comes next.
Now that the dust has settled since the Dec. 5 lottery, it is time to look deeper at how Wetherholt fits in with his potential future employers. No current mock draft has Wetherholt falling below the second pick, so the teams with the top three selections stand out as potential landing spots for the WVU star.
No. 1 Pick – Cleveland Guardians: Wetherholt solves infield question marks and becomes roster’s best hitter
A versatile infielder, JJ Wetherholt is expected to shift this season from a primary second baseman to a true shortstop. If this minor change takes place, the Mountaineer will perfectly fill Cleveland’s voids.
The Guardians currently consist of decent infield prospects, ranging from Minor League call-ups to 2x Gold Glove winner Andrés Giménez. Outside of Giménez, though, Cleveland’s infielders lack experience at any given position.
As such, the Guardians are currently looking to fill a void at shortstop. If Giménez is moved to fill that spot, that would leave Wetherholt an opening in his primary position at second base.
Regardless of where Wetherholt ends up defensively, his presence there provides stability that few Guardians can. Perhaps most importantly, though, he provides offensive power that is completely unseen on Cleveland’s current roster.
Even if infield prospects Gabriel Arias, Tyler Freeman, or Brayan Rocchio are looked at as better fielders than Wetherholt, which is unlikely, none of those players can match his bat. Wetherholt had a .449 batting average in 225 at bats last season, tallying 101 hits and 16 home runs.
Even with triple the number of games in the MLB season, only two Guardians hit more home runs, and no MLB player came close to his .449 average. Obviously, these statistics will not translate perfectly against the league’s top pitchers, but it is a start- one that Cleveland desperately needs.
No. 2 Pick – Cincinnati Reds: A bigger hitter to pair with India could make the team scary
Cincinnati second baseman Jonathan India won the Rookie of the Year in 2021, and now, three years later, the Reds have a chance to draft another.
Unlike Cleveland, the Reds finished with a winning record in 2023 and had 11 players in double digit home run totals. This production puts Cincinnati in the lower top half of MLB in hits, runs, home runs, and batting average.
Adding JJ Wetherholt propels the team forward significantly on that front.
The main issue with a Wetherholt fit in Cincinnati, though, is the team’s strong infield depth. With India likely to stay at second base, Wetherholt would have to fight for a position at shortstop, which is held by Matt McLain.
In McLain’s 89-game debut season, he hit 106 hits and 16 home runs along with 50 RBIs. As a hitter, Wetherholt’s value is unquestioned, but with a growing cast of solid hitters in Cincinnati, his exact role for the team remains uncertain.
No. 3 Pick – Colorado Rockies: Colorado could grab its franchise player
While Cleveland and Cincinnati both jumped drastically in the lottery, Colorado definitely deserves a top pick.
A 59-win team last season, Colorado would have no issues inserting Wetherholt. 31-year-old Kris Bryant is slated to make a bit of a return this season for the Rockies, but despite playing three positions, none of them are ones Wetherholt would be targeting.
In fact, if there are any crowded positions in Colorado, it would be first base and right field, leaving Wetherholt free to experiment at both second base and shortstop. Wetherholt also fills hitting voids, as Colorado had no player with over 250 at-bats hit above .300 last season.
If Colorado can do anything to build a new face of the franchise, the Rockies will do it. The likelihood that they get their hands on Wetherholt is low, but if they do, he will fit nicely despite taking on a much greater responsibility.
Photo from WVU Baseball
