Cole Wilcox

Mitchell Cole Wilcox (born July 14, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Tampa Bay Rays organization.

Cole Wilcox
Tampa Bay Rays
Pitcher
Born: (1999-07-14) July 14, 1999
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  United States
U-18 Baseball World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2017 Thunder Bay Team

Amateur career

Wilcox attended Heritage High School in Ringgold, Georgia, where he played baseball, basketball, and football.[1] He committed to play college baseball at the University of Georgia as a freshman.[2] In 2018, his senior year, he went 9–2 with a 1.59 ERA, striking out 95 batters over 65+2⁄3 innings.[3][4] He was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the 37th round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign and instead chose to fulfill his college commitment.[5]

In 2019, Wilcox's freshman year at Georgia, he appeared in 19 games (six starts) in which he went 3–2 with a 4.07 ERA, striking out 64 over 59+2⁄3 innings.[6] He specifically excelled during SEC play, compiling a 2.29 ERA and a .184 batting average against over 43+2⁄3 innings pitched during conference play.[7] He was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team.[8] That summer, he played for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, and also played briefly for the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[9][10][11] Wilcox compiled a 3–0 record and a 1.57 ERA over four starts in 2020 before the college baseball season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[12]

Professional career

San Diego Padres organization

Wilcox was considered a top prospect for the 2020 Major League Baseball draft.[13][14] He was selected by the San Diego Padres in the third round with the 80th overall selection.[15] He signed with the Padres on June 30 for a $3.3 million signing bonus, a record among players drafted in the third round.[16] He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the pandemic.[17]

Tampa Bay Rays organization

On December 29, 2020, Wilcox, along with Luis Patiño, Blake Hunt, and Francisco Mejía, were traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for pitcher Blake Snell.[18] To begin the 2021 season, he was assigned to the Charleston RiverDogs of the Low-A East.[19] He was placed on the 10-day injured list with an elbow strain on July 19, and transferred to the 60-day injured list on August 9, effectively ending his season.[20] Over ten starts prior to the injury, Wilcox was 1-0 with a 2.03 ERA, striking out 52 batters over 44+1⁄3 innings.[21] He underwent Tommy John surgery in early September.[22]

Wilcox was activated off the injured list in early August 2022 and made seven appearances between the Rookie-level Florida Complex League Rays and Charleston.[23] Over seven starts between the two teams, he went 0-2 with a 3.94 ERA and 24 strikeouts over 16 innings.[24] To open the 2023 season, he was assigned to the Montgomery Biscuits of the Double-A Southern League.[25]

References
  1. "Heritage Hard Throwing Pitcher Cole Wilcox Attracts Plenty of Attention". April 19, 2018.
  2. "Heritage pitcher Cole Wilcox makes it official by signing with 'dream school'". timesfreepress.com.
  3. "Draft profile: Cole Wilcox". MLB.com.
  4. "Cole Wilcox turns down MLB Draft for Georgia". Dawgs247.
  5. Janes, Chelsea (June 6, 2018). "Nationals scoop up position players on Day 3 of MLB draft". Washington Post.
  6. Banner-Herald, Mason Cantrell / Athens. "Bulldogs open season with 'Unfinished business'". Athens Banner-Herald.
  7. "Heritage graduate Cole Wilcox was sharp in SEC play as Georgia freshman". timesfreepress.com.
  8. ATHLETICS, MEDIA RELEASE FROM UGA (May 20, 2019). "Baseball: Five Bulldogs Earn All-SEC Honors". WGXA.
  9. Staff Reports. "Georgia pitchers Hancock and Wilcox Earn USA Baseball Team Invitations". Albany Herald.
  10. "Cole Wilcox helps Team USA one-hit Japan". WSB Radio. July 19, 2019.
  11. "Cole Wilcox". pointstreak.com. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  12. "UGA baseball player Cole Wilcox begs SEC for one more game". Dawgs247.
  13. "Top Draft Prospects". MLB.com.
  14. "Pair of Georgia pitchers projected top-10 in 2020 MLB Draft". Dawgs247.
  15. "Padres wait till third round to snatch Georgia's Cole Wilcox".
  16. "Padres sign third-rounder Cole Wilcox for record $3.3 million". June 30, 2020.
  17. "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Canceled".
  18. Cassavell, AJ. "Padres' blockbuster trade for Snell official". San Diego Padres. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  19. "Where TB top prospects are starting season". MLB.com.
  20. "Rays' Cole Wilcox: Out with undisclosed injury".
  21. "Rays' Cole Wilcox: Out with elbow strain".
  22. "Top Rays pitching prospect Cole Wilcox undergoes Tommy John surgery". September 10, 2021.
  23. "Rays' Cole Wilcox: Kicks off rehab assignment".
  24. "Cole Wilcox Stats, Fantasy & News".
  25. https://www.mlb.com/news/where-rays-top-prospects-are-starting-2023-season
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