Where does Patrick Wisdom rank all-time among Chicago Cubs rookies?

Chicago Cubs Greatest Rookie Seasons of All-Time – #5: Patrick Wisdom (2021)

A disclaimer before discussing the details of Wisdom’s 2021 season: There is still a month to go, and it is possible that Wisdom could climb up this list during the month of September. That being said, Wisdom, who just turned 30, is putting together a rookie season for the ages, all the more incredible when we consider that he didn’t even join the big league team until May 25.

Wisdom was a first-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2012, and he didn’t reach the majors until receiving a brief taste in 2018. He also saw a little action with the Texas Rangers in 2019 before signing as a free agent with the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners let him go, and the Cubs picked him up, giving him two at-bats toward the end of 2020.

When the big league club called him up in late May, no fan could have foreseen the success he would have. Through 82 games – roughly half a full season – Wisdom had pounded 25 home runs and driven in 50 while posting a .907 OPS. He’s also made quite a few nice defensive plays at third base. For a team that has had a rough season overall and left many of their fans disgruntled following all the trades of the star players, Wisdom has been a nice and a welcome story.

We Cubs fans are now wondering: Is Wisdom for real? Can he continue his newfound success into 2022 and beyond? Well, the power is clearly there, but he still strikes out a ton, so we’ll have to see whether that high whiff rate will catch up to him. For now, suffice it to say that Wisdom is quickly winning over Cubs fans who are starving for a hero.