JJ Wetherholt is a key member of the West Virginia squad and a vital part of their batting rotation. His skills have been displayed at numerous levels, and the only question is whether he can translate them to the highest level of baseball.
Here, we analyze the left-handed hitter's draft stock and whether he has a chance of being selected in the 2024 MLB Draft.
JJ Wetherholt MLB draft projection
Yes, JJ Wetherholt will be selected in the 2024 MLB Draft but will likely be off the board rather early. MLB.com projects him to be chosen with the seventh overall pick.
According to MLB.com, Wetherholt is the best pure hitter in the 2024 Draft class. The West Virginia star has scouts admiring his form; some even consider him the best amateur bat they've ever seen.
Wetherholt is known to drive the ball to all parts of the field with stunning authority, excellent pitch recognition and phenomenal bat-to-ball skills. Furthermore, he has shown his fearlessness in hitting the ball for home runs in all directions and should have at least average power at the MLB level.
What will JJ Wetherholt bring to the MLB?
It's tough to predict the performance of collegiate baseball prospects when they get drafted into the MLB.
That could be because of the gulf in quality between amateurs and professionals. However, scouts believe that Wetherholt should do just fine when transitioning to the professional level after his West Virginia career ends.
However, the only cause for concern for Wetherholt is his defensive home. The left-handed hitter hoped to improve that area of his game by playing the shortstop position for the first time in spring, but a pesky hamstring injury kept him from seeing too much time on the collegiate dirt. Hence, that question still looms as he prepares for the MLB Draft.
However, many scouts believe he'd be just fine in the MLB with the profile of a second baseman. This dynamic hitter out of West Virginia is generally projected for the top ten draft.
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