Brett Wallace: Player Profile

Brett Wallace, a junior at Arizona State University, was selected with the 13th overall pick by the St. Louis Cardinals.

Wallace was listed as high as sixth on draft boards, so he should be a great player for the Cardinals. Here's the breakdown:

WHAT HE DID IN COLLEGE:

Wallace was the 2007 Pac-10 Player of the Year as a sophomore, and had a brilliant season in 2008, as well. He hit .414 at the dish, with 21 HRs and 81 RBIs. Wallace has been considered by many as the "best pure college hitter in the draft". Just like many picks before him, Wallace was incredible in college. He even won the Triple Crown in his sophomore season. The Sun Devils were given a great player for three seasons, but now must part ways.

WHAT HE WILL DO IN THE MAJORS:

It may take a little time for Wallace to reach the majors, but with Troy Glaus getting old, Wallace should be the long-term third baseman for the Redbirds. Many experts like the fact that he is very patient at the plate, and draws a lot of walks. This will be very beneficial for the Cardinals, especially if you can imagine Wallace in the two-hole, getting on-base for Pujols. As you can see in the picture, Wallace is a left-handed hitter, but has a leg up on the competition because he hits left-handed pitching with absolute consistency.

WHAT I EXPECT FROM WALLACE:

It should be really interesting to see how he adjusts to the pro game, but coming from an excellent team at ASU, I think he will be ahead of the rest of the Cardinal draft class. He could work on his defense, after making 10 errors last season, but his offense will perform very well in the minors. I could see Wallace as the Cardinals' third baseman as early as 2011. The 13th-overall pick should not spend that long in the minors, because he is almost 22 years old. I expect him to use his experience to catch on quickly.