If you were around last year when I did my top 25 FYPD Starting Pitcher rankings, you may have noticed that I snuck Matt Wilkinson in there at #26. This was not a joke. I absolutely love the kid. While his physique (6’1″, 270) is what initially caught my attention, it was everything else that held it. He dominated the NJCAA Division 1. He’s been filthy in the Cape Cod summer league since 2019. He’s also nicknamed ‘Tugboat’.
Wilkinson debuted at the complex last year, facing 3 hitters, and striking them all out. This year, he’s shined for Single-A Lynchburg over his first 3 starts: 14.2 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 5 BB, 26 K.
Btw, if we’re in a league together, he’s long gone
Let’s get to the timeline:
8/21/15: Someone named MortgageScott tweets that Tugboat hit 79mph with his FB. Some quick math shows that Wilkinson was 12 years old at this time. Also impressive is that he’s had that nickname this whole time.
5/21/18: 3 years later, the FB is up to 86mph and a 3-pitch mix is reported by Prep Baseball Alberta
4/16/22: 4 years later, Perfect Game Four Corners lists the FB in the high 80’s, paired with a mid 70’s slider. They also note some deception and command in the profile.
2/3/23: The same account, a year later, now lists a mid 70’s slider. No change on the heater.
7/6/23: Pitcher DIGS highlights Wilkinson’s performance in the Cape Cod League:
7/10/23: @JL_Baseball updates the heater to low 90’s.
8/16/23: Guardians Prospective calls out the electric debut
4/13/24: Wilkinson’s 8th strikeout. Weird angle. I zoomed in a little bit, since the original clip seems to be shot from the roof of a nearby apartment building. No comment from the announcer on velo either.
4/20/24: Here’s a grainy clip of his 9th K on the day. The FB may be higher than 91mph. Can we please get Statcast data across the board please? What is this nonsense? We know it exists. Level the playing field, you cowards.
I’m not really sure what Wilkinson is. He’s performed everywhere, he’s easy to root for, and he’s in a great org for pitcher development. I would roster him (1% owned on Fantrax) over teammates Will Dion (7%) Parker Messick (6%), Ethan Hankins (5%), Justin Campbell (5%), or Doug Nikhazy (2%). If he moves up to A+ and struggles, turn the spot over to someone else. For now, Tugboat has earned every bit of our attention.
Thanks for reading!
-Rick ✌🏼