WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2005
R+:  381/427/427, 281 AB, 10 2B, 1 HR, 18 BB, 27 K, 36-49 SB 

Wimberly debuted in the advanced rookie Pioneer League, where he was a little old for the league.  He hit for a very high average, with no power and low walk and K rates.  He played third, second and short, in that order of frequency.

2006
A+:  325/404/383, 342 AB, 6 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR, 30 BB, 42 K, 50-66 SB 

Moving up to the high A California League, Wimberly continued to hit for average while increasing his walk rate a little and still seldom striking out.  He stole 50 bases despite missing a third of the season due to a leg muscle pull.  He played second exclusively in 2006-07.

2007
AA:  268/323/348, 365 AB, 15 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 19 BB, 52 K, 36-45 SB 

Wimberly struggled in his initial shot at AA, with his average and walk rate both dropping off badly.  He was also hampered again by a pulled muscle.

2008
AA:  291/370/345, 388 AB, 17 2B, 2 3B, 41 BB, 45 K, 59-75 SB 

Back in AA, Wimberly had a much better season, hitting well and doubling his walk rate.  He played second, short, third and center.

2009
R:  000/083/000, 11 AB, 1 BB, 1 K, 1-1 SB
AA:  296/363/350, 297 AB, 10 2B, 3 3B, 24 BB, 31 K, 21-29 SB 

Wimberly was thought to have good chance of being selected in Rule 5 draft, but he wasn’t taken.  The Rockies instead traded him to Oakland for Matt Murton.  He returned for a third season in AA, but lost part of the season to hamate surgery.  Otherwise, he had pretty much the same season as 2008.  He played mainly in the outfield.

2010
AAA:  284/373/354, 531 AB, 13 2B, 7 3B, 3 HR, 58 BB, 64 K, 56-74 SB 

Continued to hit for average and get on base in AAA, again playing mainly in the outfield.  Oakland had prospects Adrian Cardenas and Jemile Weeks in upper minors, which probably led A’s to trade Wimberly.

2011
AAA:  238/288/302, 172 AB, 5 2B, 3 3B, 8 BB, 19 K, 15-21 SB 

The Pirates looked at Wimberly in spring training as a potential backup in the middle infield and center.  He got a long look initially, as Clint Hurdle made it clear he wanted somebody with speed on the bench.  Wimberly didn’t have a good spring, though, and instead went to Indianapolis.  With several infield prospects and Gorkys Hernandez in center, the Indians didn’t really have a role for Wimberly and he played only sporadically, mainly at second and in the outfield.  His hitting fell off sharply, which included a steep drop in his walk rate.  He went on the DL with another leg muscle injury in May, returned in June, then went on the DL for the rest of the year in late July.

Wimberly will be a free agent in the off-season.  The Pirates have a lot of middle infielders and centerfielders at the upper levels now, so it’s unlikely he’ll be back.