Patrick Wisdom

Patrick Ian-Cashel Wisdom

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 210 lb.
• School St. Mary's College of California
• High School Murrieta Valley High School
• Debut August 12, 2018

• Born August 27, 1991 in Murrieta, CA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Infielder Patrick Wisdom was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the supplemental 1st round of the 2012 amateur draft, with the 52nd overall pick. He made his pro debut that summer with the Batavia Muckdogs. He reached the majors with the Cardinals in 2018. In his debut game on August 12th, he went 2 for 4 with 2 runs and an RBI starting at first base and batting ninth in an 8-2 win over the Kansas City Royals. He hit .260 in 32 games in his rookie season, with 4 homers and 10 RBIs, good for an OPS+ of 139. In spite of this promising debut, he played only sporadically over the next two seasons: 9 games with the Texas Rangers in 2019 and 2 with the Chicago Cubs in 2020. He went a combined 4 for 28 over those two seasons.

It would be no exaggeration to say Wisdom had become a forgotten man by the time the 2021 season rolled along. He still - barely - had his rookie eligibility, not that it mattered much as he was targeted to spend the year in AAA. However, a rash of injuries on the Cubs led to his being called up in late May, and when he got his chance to play, he did not waste it. He hit .467 in 7 games in May, then hit .260 with 8 homers and 16 RBIs as a regular in June, pushing All-Star Kris Bryant to the outfield with his solid play. He was named the National League Rookie of the Month for June. He continued to hit after that, and the Cubs' fire sale of veterans at the end of July ensured that he would have a regular job for the remainder of the season. On September 19th, he hit his 27th homer, breaking the Cubs rookie record previously held by Bryant. He finished the year at .231 with 28 homers and 61 RBIs in 106 games, and an OPS+ of 117. He and 1B Frank Schwindel combined to win three of the last four Rookie of the Month titles that season, as both corner infielders greatly surpassed expectations.

Entering the 2022 season, many predicted that Wisdom would come crashing down given the surprising nature of his success the previous season, his low batting average and high strikeout rate. However, he basically reproduced his 2021 production over the Cubs' first 40 games. From May 20-23, he homered in four consecutive games, becoming the first Cubs player to do so since Anthony Rizzo in 2015. He was also leading the National League with 58 strikeouts at the time, so the underlying issues with his hitting approach were still there.

Notable Achievements

• 2021 Topps All-Star Rookie Team
• 20-Home Run Seasons: 3 (2021-2023)

Related Sites

• Patrick Wisdom on mlb.com
• BR Minors page
• St. Mary's College bio