AAP: Wes Whisler

[Rowand44]

 

Complements of Uclabruins.com

 

Class:

Junior

 

Hometown:

Noblesville, IN

 

High School:

Noblesville HS

 

 

Height / Weight:

6-5 / 237

 

Position:

P/1B

 

Birthdate:

04/07/1983

 

Experience:

2V

 

Bats/Throws:

L/L

 

Overview — One of the Bruins’ top offensive threats ... Will start at first base, when not on the mound ... “We really are counting on Wes this season,” said Head Coach Gary Adams. “He will hit in the middle of our order and is capable of hitting the ball out of any ballpark in America.” ... Looks to be in the weekend rotation ... The Bruins’ premier left-handed starter ... “Wes is one of our best pitchers and we expect he can give us six to nine innings every time he goes out,” said Adams.

 

2003 (Summer) — Played for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod League ... Posted a 2.63 ERA in 13.2 innings of work ... Also hit .167 with 13 RBI and a home run.

 

2003 — Only Bruin to start all 59 games (15 as a pitcher/designated hitter and 45 at first base) ... Tops on the pitching staff with 15 starts on the mound ...Named to Baseball America’s Preseason All-America First Team ... Also picked up second-team preseason All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball and the NCBWA ... Named collegiatebaseballinsider.com Third Team All-American ... First Team All Pac-10 selection ... Hit .310 with nine home runs ... Led UCLA with 70 hits ... Tops among Bruins with 21 multiple hit games ... Also posted 10 multiple RBI games ... Named to the All-tournament team at the Dominos Pizza Aggie Baseball Classic after driving in three runs on five hits in the six games ... Exploded at the Kia Baseball Bash leading UCLA to wins over defending national champion Texas and nationally-ranked Tulane ... Was 3-for-5 against the Longhorns with a home run and three runs ... Went 2-for-4 against the Green Wave with three RBI and another homer ... Honored as the Kia Baseball Bash’s Co-Outstanding Player ... Put together an eight-game hitting streak from March 29 - April 12, highlighted by a 3-for-4 performance against Arizona on March 30 ... Posted his fourth career multiple home run game on May 18 at Stanford, driving in three runs ... Drove in a season-high four runs against Washington State on May 23, going 3-for-4 with three runs and a double ... Finished the season on an eight-game hitting streak ... Did not commit an error during Pac-10 play (118 chances) ... Posted a 5.66 ERA, lowest among the Bruin weekend starters ... Threw a team-high 82.2 innings with 53 strikeouts ... Ranked sixth in the conference with 50.1 innings of Pac-10 action ... Also was tied for ninth in the Pac-10 with 31 conference strike-outs ... Dealt a six inning complete game shutout against Utah on February 23 to pick up his first win of 2003, allowing only two hits in the outing ... Notched his second win of the season against crosstown rival USC, throwing six innings and allowing one run on five hits ... Was impressive on March 29 against Arizona, lasting seven innings and giving up only two hits, without allowing an earned run ... Hurled nine innings in back-to-back outings in May ... Threw a complete game on May 10 against Washington, striking out a career-high nine batters ... On May 17, threw nine innings against Stanford to push the game into extra innings and help lift the Bruins to a victory.

 

2002 (Summer) - Named top-prospect from the Cape Cod League by Baseball America after playing for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox ... Also named to Baseball America’s Summer All-America team as a designated hitter ... Hit .309, which ranked fourth in the league ... Recorded 38 hits, including seven doubles and six home runs ... Did not pitch for the Red Sox.

 

2002— Appeared in 56 games, starting 53 ... Split time at first base, designated hitter and as a weekend starter ... Named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year ... Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball All-Freshman selection ... Third-team All-American (Baseball America) ... Broke the UCLA freshman home run record with 18 ... Went 2-for-4, with first home run, 3 RBI and two runs against Loyola Marymount (Mar. 5) ... Posted first multi-home run game against Washington State (Apr. 26), going 2-for-3 with two home runs, three RBI and 2 runs ... Had best offensive performance in Bruins’ 9-4 win over Stanford (May 18), with two home runs, including a grand slam, two doubles and five RBI ... Earned Pac-10 Player of the Week honors after the Stanford series ... Put together an 11-game hit streak from Apr. 19 to May 10 ... Led the team with 15 multi-RBI games ... Also recorded 18 multi-hit games ... Moved into starting rotation at Tulane (Mar 3) ... Led the team with 4.06 ERA ... Posted a team-best 4-1 record in Pac-10 play with a 3.62 ERA ... Earned first win in first collegiate start at Hawaii-Hilo (Feb. 14) allowing no runs on three hits in seven innings ... Got off to a hot Pac-10 start allowing four earned runs in 22.1 innings ... Hurled first complete game at Oregon State (Apr. 20), earning the win after giving up only one run on four hits ... Helped lead the Bruins to a 9-4 win over the Cardinal (May 18), allowing only one earned run in six innings of work and striking out a career-high eight batters.

 

Noblesville HS—Lettered four times each in baseball and basketball for coaches Dennis Kos and Dave McCollough, respectively … Second-team All-American and first-team all-state selections capped off stellar year … Was named “Mr. Baseball” Indiana … Hit .440 with 15 homers and 35 RBI in 2001 … Ranks second in Indiana prep baseball history with 41 career home runs … Set state single-season RBI record with 49 and hit .469 as a freshman … Named all-conference, all-area, and all-county each of his four seasons … Also collected Indianapolis Star Most Valuable Player award … Hit .390 with 10 home runs in junior season, and was named to the U.S. team at the Pan American Games … Hit .400 as a sophomore with nine homers and 28 RBI … Had a career pitching record of 12-2 with a 1.40 ERA … Earned team awards as Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player of the Year … Registered career basketball averages of 13.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest as a forward.

 

Personal—Full name: Wesley Guy Whisler … Born on April 7, 1983 in Indianapolis … Parents are Mike and Kristie Whisler … Has one brother, Brandon … Loves the competition and has a profound love of the game.

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Also just to add, he was a 2nd round pick this year(53rd) overall. He's got a pretty low mileage arm and from what I've heard he has great mechanics and some people have even compared him to Mark Prior mechanically. While he was drafted to be a pitcher down the road he also hit while he wasn't pitching this year. All you minor league experts feel free to add anything. Also, sorry it took me so long to post this, I've been pretty busy as of late.

[Rowand44]

Stats for Wes this year:

 

In Kanny: 4 and 1, 3.38 era, 45.1 ip's, 52 hits, 11 walks, 28 k's.

Hitting in Kanny: .289 ba, .308 obp, .421 slugging, 11 hits, 1 homer, 5 rbi's, 7 k's, 1 walk in 38 ab's.

 

For Winston Salem: 2 and 1, 3.38 era, 26.2 ip's, 17 hits, 7 walks and 13 k's.

 

All this from baseball america.

[redandwhite]

Named top-prospect from the Cape Cod League by Baseball America after playing for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox ... Also named to Baseball America’s Summer All-America team as a designated hitter ... Hit .309, which ranked fourth in the league ... Recorded 38 hits, including seven doubles and six home runs ... Did not pitch for the Red Sox.

 

I go to Cape Cod every year, and the place I always stay at in the Cape is closest to the home of the YD Red Sox. I have been going all of my life, but for the last 6 or 7 years I have really grown attached to the league and actually remember thing vividly.

 

Well anyways, I saw Wes play 4-5 times that year and in every game the kid looked like he had the potential to be a 30-40 homer guy in the majors. His swing was so perfect, and I remember sitting next to scouts that were drooling over this kids bat.

 

How valuable would a player that can be both a situational lefty out of the bullpen and a pinch hitter off the bench.

[DBAHO]

4 quality pitches including a splitter. Could become a very good pitcher if he can learn to use his stuff better.

[Old Socks]

Baseball would go ape s*** if someone came along and played both pitcher and some other position, and played both well, AND hit. Just a thought.

[Cerbaho-WG]

4 quality pitches including a splitter. Could become a very good pitcher if he can learn to use his stuff better.

 

Um, no. His splitter is still miles away from where it's a "quality" pitch and his changeup needs refinement. He has a solid fastball-slider combination going right now, but he's definitely a project on the mound. Kirk Champion seemed to like him a lot when Jason, Mario, Ian and I ran into him.

[Rowand44]

Wes getting back into the swing of things in his 2nd start since coming back from injury he went 7 innings today giving up 1 run(0 earned), 1 walk and 5 k's. His era dipped to 2.73 after today's performance.

[Rowand44]

Wes finally starting to get healthy, he's thrown very well his last two times out. Tonight he went 5 innings giving up 3 hits 2 runs but none earned, 2 k's and 1 walk. His era is now 5.89

[Rowand44]

Wes's line tonight: 6IP, 1ER, 3BB's and 7K's

[dasox24]

Wes's line tonight: 6IP, 1ER, 3BB's and 7K's

Good to see Wes do well. He's had quite and up and down year. Unfortunately for him this year, he doesn't have me to blame for his bad outings.

[Rowand44]

Been a while since I updated this so... thought this would be a good time. Wes, after getting off to a rough start has really settled down and has been very solid over his last several starts.

 

Overall line this year: 3.34 era on 91 hits. He also has 50 k's and 41 walks in 99.2 innings pitched.

[DBAHO]

He's been real good for the past 2 months or so. It may be a long winding road, but the potential is still there for everyone to see with those 4 pitches he can throw.

[Rowand44]

He's been real good for the past 2 months or so. It may be a long winding road, but the potential is still there for everyone to see with those 4 pitches he can throw.

Yup. He's definitely someone you're going to have to be patient with considering how raw he is. It is very nice to see him improving though and hopefully it's the start of good things to come from Wes.

[GoodAsGould]

Well not that it seems he has officially turned the corner can anyone post an updated scouting report on Wes with the kind of stuff he has and possible ceiling in the majors.

[maggsmaggs]

Well not that it seems he has officially turned the corner can anyone post an updated scouting report on Wes with the kind of stuff he has and possible ceiling in the majors.

Wes has a solid four pitch aresenal: fastball, slider, curve and change-up. Fastball is in the low 90's, but he can touch 95. Has a hard slider. A good change and curve. Fields his position well and is a very good athelte. Ceiling is a #2 pitcher, but that is if everything went right, but more likely he is a 4/5. His stuff is much better than his strikeout results would show, but as long as his ERA remains below 3.00, I'll take it. Very much like Tyler Lumsden where you would expect better strikeouts and less hits, but Tyler has a better fastball and slider.

Edited August 11, 2006 by maggsmaggs

[kwolf68]

Early returns from Birmingham are positive on Wes...Definately a prospect to keep our eyes on...will probably be a couple years, but I think he has the potential to really become a keeper.

[NorthSideSox72]

Saw Wes pitch in ST a few days ago, and he looked pretty good out there, threw one inning giving up one hit. Here is a pic of him pitching...

 

 

I can't find any batting stats for him after 2004. I wonder if he'd still be considered as a PH or utility guy if he reaches MLB as a pitcher.

[RockRaines]

His arm motion really reminded me of Kenny Rogers and buehrle. I like his stuff.

[BearSox]

He has about what, 7 different types of pitches?

[Chet Lemon]

From the stats I have seen, I've been impressed with his low HR/9 rate. This has to bode well for Whisler given the high HR rate at U.S. Cellular.

[NorthSideSox72]

Whisler's line so far this year...

 

W L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB SO GO/AO AVG

6 11 5.28 24 23 0 0 0 131.1 165 92 77 9 39 65 1.81 .307

 

Not real good, especially pitching in a pitcher-friendly park. A .307 average against?! And he isn't improving. ERA in last 10 is even higher than his season number. About the only positive so far is his low walk rate. And from what I have read, his velocity just isn't great.

 

Thing is, the guy did hit .289 in his one year of minor league offensive play (low A). Had decent college hitting numbers too. And he hit .309 in that summer exhibition league before being drafted, with good power.

 

So I'm thinking... this organization could use more position player depth, and the signs are that this kid isn't going anywhere as a pitcher (probably). Can we Ankiel him? Put him back on the field, while he still remembers how to hit?

 

[Jake]

Wes has again seemed to turn a corner, possibly the best starter we have in Charlotte, as far as success rate.

 

11 5 3.13 21 21 0 0 0 118.0 122 55 41 9 37 49 1.65 .265

 

Since we have heard of him having 6 or 7 different pitches, does anyone know what he's been using and how fast he's throwing and what not?

[NorthSideSox72]

Wes has again seemed to turn a corner, possibly the best starter we have in Charlotte, as far as success rate.

 

11 5 3.13 21 21 0 0 0 118.0 122 55 41 9 37 49 1.65 .265

 

Since we have heard of him having 6 or 7 different pitches, does anyone know what he's been using and how fast he's throwing and what not?

I've been wondering about Wes too. Every indication, going into this year, was that he just wasn't a major league-potential pitcher. I had even suggested in this thread that maybe they need to put him back in the field.

 

And yet, seemingly out of nowhere, the guy has pitched quite well this year in that band box in Charlotte. I can't figure it out. I'd also be curious to hear some first hand reports, or scouting info. His K numbers are low, but so are his walks, and he induces a lot of ground balls. He definitely looks like a pitch-to-contact guy, which jives with the reports of him not having great velocity. Before anyone goes and thinks LOOGY, he's actually doing better against righties than lefties. The guy is really kind of a mystery to me.

 

[NorthSideSox72]

Whisler was traded to the Marlins, he gone.