2014 St. Louis Cardinals Preview – Second Base

He doesn’t have a lot of pop, but he will hit a few into the gap. He’s got a controlled swing and managed 39 extra base hits in Memphis, including ten home runs. On the basepaths, he won’t be Billy Hamilton (333 stolen bases the last three seasons in the minors, 13 in just 13 games [while being caught just once] with Cincinnati), but he did manage to steal 20 bases last season at Memphis while being caught just once, and he did get three stolen bases with the Cardinals, which sadly was good enough to tie him for fourth on the team.

In the field, Wong may not win any accolades, but he’s played decently enough that scouts think he’ll be a league average second baseman.

He did make this lovely gem as a defensive replacement in Game 3 of the World Series as well (the play itself starts around the 30 second mark):

Prospects

Really, Kolten Wong has been one of the top second base prospects the farm clubs have produced. Beyond him, the most intriguing talent comes in the low minors. Jacob Wilson has shown some pop (18 home runs in 2013), and he’s done decently defensively, but he’s 23 and has yet to play a game above the high-A level. Breyvic Valera hit .309 last year at A-level Peoria but played more games in the outfield than at second, indicating perhaps an organizational shift in where his future may lay.