Will Wilson, MIF
DOB: July 21, 1998
BATS: R / THROWS: R
ACQUIRED: Trade with LA Angels (Wilson and Zack Cozart for PTBNL)
ORIGINALLY DRAFTED: 1st Round (#15), 2019
LAST LEVEL: Rookie
VOLATILITY: Medium
GiantFutures Ranks: #1 Second Base
Performance: After being drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in 2019, Wilson went up to their then-rookie level team in Orem, and had a perfectly cromulent short season, slashing .275/.328/439, with 10 doubles, 3 triples, and 5 home runs. He didn’t stand out, but he did not look overwhelmed either. Wilson was invited to the Giants Alternate Training Site in 2020, but didn’t get into the Majors.
Over his three years at NC State, Wilson was a regular top hitter for average, and showed solid plate discipline and power, knocking out 15 home runs his sophomore year of 2018, and 16 home runs his junior year of 2019.
Strengths and Weaknesses: Wilson is one of those players who puts together a lot of average to above-average tools, and doesn’t have the highest ceiling but has a high floor. Wilson has a good approach at the plate, and tends to barrel the ball well, and should be an above-average all-around hitter, with scouts projecting power in the 15-20 home run range.
On defense, he was a shortstop in college, and has the tools to be an average shortstop defensively, notably having just an average arm. He has good instincts on defense, which has made up for his lack of standout tools. In 2020, Wilson said the team will keep him at shortstop as long as possible, but he was getting experience playing all over the infield, and many project him to end up as a second baseman if he becomes a starting player.
The weakest part of Wilson’s game is speed, where he’s notably below-average while playing positions like shortstop where some speed is expected. It’s not a major limit defensively, but it is for his offensive profile.
2021 Outlook: Wilson came out of college with more polish, and though he’s only played in the Rookie league so far, he should move fast. It would be a surprise not to see him start 2021 at High-A Eugene and be a fast mover, to keep up with the top tier of Giants prospects.
Future Profile: Wilson looks like a Zaidi type of prospect, and it’ll probably be impossible to wedge him into any one position for the future. If he does start somewhere regularly, it would likely be at second base, though he may have a future at shortstop if Marco Luciano moves to third. More likely, Wilson might be used similar to Mauricio Dubón, starting in different positions to allow for the best matchups. That will really put Wilson’s adaptability to play different positions regularly to the test.
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