Cole Wilcox Stats & Scouting Report

IP	104.2
ERA	3.18
WHIP	1.27
BB/9	2.32
SO/9	7.05

Full name Mitchell Cole Wilcox
Born 07/14/1999 in Chattanooga, TN
Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 232 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Georgia
Drafted in the 3rd round (80th overall) by the San Diego Padres in 2020 (signed for $3,300,000).

View Draft Report

Wilcox was in the middle of an extremely talented Georgia prep pitching class in 2018, along with arms like Indians righty Ethan Hankins and Vanderbilt righty Kumar Rocker. Wilcox was seen as a day one talent at the time, with a projectable frame, plus fastball and two promising secondary offerings, but the depth of the class and his commitment to Georgia allowed him to slide. Two years later, Wilcox is again a potential first-round pick and one of many impressive draft-eligible sophomores in the 2020 class. Wilcox has worked with Georgia’s strength and conditioning coach, Ryan Gearhart, to add significant muscle to his 6-foot-5 frame in his two years at school. He’s now listed at 232 pounds and is one of the more physically intimidating pitchers in the country. His stuff matches his size, as Wilcox attacks hitters with a fastball that frequently gets into the 97-98 mph range and has touched 100 mph. After spending most of his time as a reliever in 2019, Wilcox entered the 2020 season as the Bulldogs’ Saturday starter behind Emerson Hancock and was off to a great start before the season was cut short. Wilcox posted a 1.57 ERA in four starts, with 32 strikeouts and just two walks in 23 innings. That walk rate is encouraging for teams, who are skeptical of Wilcox’s strike-throwing ability after he walked close to six batters per nine innings in 2019. Scouts would have liked to see him continue that trend against SEC batters, as Wilcox has a tendency to get scattered and miss the zone, but his stuff is overpowering enough that overmatched hitters would still chase out of the zone. Wilcox pitched mostly off of a 93-96 mph fastball as a starter, with a mid-80s slider that also grades as plus. He also throws a changeup in the same mid-80s range that could give him an average or better third offering. Wilcox was trending in the right direction prior to the season ending and was already a first round-type of talent entering the year, so how much a team likes his upside and buys into his improved control will determine where he goes. As an eligible sophomore, Wilcox will have more leverage than most college players and could be a costly sign.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade: 45/High

Track Record: Wilcox was a third-round pick of the Padres who got first-round money. The Rays acquired Wilcox as one of three players the team received when Blake Snell was traded to San Diego. Wilcox looked like a potential front-of-the-rotation starter early in his Rays career, but he tore his elbow ligament early in 2021 and had Tommy John surgery. He returned to action late in 2022. In 2023, he was durable but rarely dominated.

Scouting Report: While Tommy John surgery has a high recovery rate, Wilcox is a cautionary tale. Wilcox sat at 93-95 mph both in college and early in his pro career. He had touched 100 mph and regularly got to the high 90s. Post surgery, Wilcox’s fastballs—he throws a two- and four-seamer—have dipped into the 91-93 mph range and he rarely tops 94. His slider is still above-average, but it doesn’t have the same power and effectiveness in the 85-87 mph range that it did when he was 88-89. The same can be said for his fringe-average, hard 87-89 mph changeup. Wilcox is now a sinker/slider pitcher who is looking to generate ground balls and weak contact. He has to nibble more, which has also spiked his once impressive walk rate.

The Future: The Rays left Wilcox off their 40-man roster, gambling correctly that no team would be willing to pick him in the Rule 5 draft. His ranking here and his prospect status in general is buoyed by what everyone saw before his elbow injury. The hope remains that he will regain some of that arm speed, but right now he’s more of a savvy righthander with modest stuff.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 45 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Very High

Track Record: The Padres drafted Wilcox in the third round as an eligible sophomore out of Georgia in 2020. He signed for $3.3 million, or first-round money. Wilcox never threw an official pitch with the Padres because he was shipped to the Rays in the Blake Snell trade after the 2020 season that also brought Francisco Mejia and Blake Hunt to Tampa Bay. Wilcox was effective in his pro debut in 2021 but was shut down in July with an elbow injury that eventually needed Tommy John surgery. He returned to the mound in August 2022 to make three rehab appearances in the Florida Complex League and four abbreviated starts with Low-A Charleston.

Scouting Report: Getting back on the mound and demonstrating his health was an important milestone for Wilcox, but his velocity didn't fully bounce back in his late-season stint. He touched 98-99 mph and sat 93-95 pre-injury, but he maxed out at 95 and sat 91-93 in 2022. Assuming his arm strength returns to his pre-surgery levels in 2023, Wilcox should profile as a sinker/slider power pitcher. Both are potentially plus pitches. He gets sink and run on his fastball, and it pairs well with his 84-87 mph power slider. He largely shelved his changeup in his briefer return outings, but it's flashed fringe-average. When Wilcox was in high school, teams were highly concerned about his control, but that has proven to be a significant strength rather than a weakness. He has walked fewer than 1.5 batters per nine innings in his final year of college and his first two years of pro ball. His command is not as sharp.

The Future: The 2023 season will be a big one for Wilcox. He showed his feel and control has returned to where it was before his injury, but he still needs to show he has the same power stuff that has long been his calling card. He should be ticketed for High-A Bowling Green.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 60
Track Record: Wilcox spent two years in Georgia’s rotation and was considered a potential first-round pick in 2020, but he slid because of his bonus demands. The Padres drafted him 80th overall and gave him a $3.3 million bonus, a record for the third round and more than 11 first-rounders received that year. The Rays acquired Wilcox in the deal that sent Blake Snell to San Diego, and he was dominant for the first half of the season at Low-A Charleston before he suffered an elbow injury that he unsuccessfully tried to rehab for two months before having Tommy John surgery in September.

Scouting Report: Wilcox is a big, powerful pitcher at 6-foot-5, 232 pounds. He pounds the strike zone with a plus, mid-90s fastball that has sink and run and has touched 98-99 mph at his best. Wilcox’s fastball sets up a plus, high-80s slider that he commands even better than his fastball. It is a power pitch with tilt and modest depth when he doesn’t get on the side of it. His 84-88 mph fringe-average changeup has some sink but isn’t as effective or consistent. Wilcox has always had some length in his arm action and he will fly open early in his delivery sporadically, leading to a lack of deception. He has long faced questions about his control, but he walked less than one batter per nine innings in his final college season and first year in pro ball combined.

The Future: Wilcox will miss all of the 2022 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. If he makes a full recovery, he gives the Rays yet another very promising future starter with a fallback option of being a power reliever.
Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 45.

TRACK RECORD: Scouts viewed Wilcox as a potential first-round talent out of high school, but his strong commitment to Georgia deterred teams from picking him early. After struggling with his control as a Bulldogs freshman, Wilcox went 3-0, 1.57 with 32 strikeouts and two walks in four starts as a drafteligible sophomore before the college season shut down in 2020. He dropped to the third round because teams were wary of his bonus demands, but the Padres stopped his slide and signed him for a third round-record $3.3 million. The Rays acquired him in the trade that sent Blake Snell to San Diego after the season.

SCOUTING REPORT: Wilcox is a big, physical righthander at 6-foot-5, 232 pounds with stuff to match his size. His fastball ranges from 93-97 mph with natural sink and run and touched 99 in short bursts at the alternate training site. His slider is a powerful offering at 86-89 mph with short, three-quarters break and projects to above-average when he stays on top of it. His hard changeup mirrors his fastball and dives with heavy sink at 85-87 mph. Wilcox has the physicality and durability to start, but he lacks a soft offering and his control can be inconsistent. As such, many observers predict a bullpen future.

THE FUTURE: The Padres will give Wilcox every chance to start. How his command and control progress will determine his ultimate role.

Draft Prospects

Wilcox was in the middle of an extremely talented Georgia prep pitching class in 2018, along with arms like Indians righty Ethan Hankins and Vanderbilt righty Kumar Rocker. Wilcox was seen as a day one talent at the time, with a projectable frame, plus fastball and two promising secondary offerings, but the depth of the class and his commitment to Georgia allowed him to slide. Two years later, Wilcox is again a potential first-round pick and one of many impressive draft-eligible sophomores in the 2020 class. Wilcox has worked with Georgia’s strength and conditioning coach, Ryan Gearhart, to add significant muscle to his 6-foot-5 frame in his two years at school. He’s now listed at 232 pounds and is one of the more physically intimidating pitchers in the country. His stuff matches his size, as Wilcox attacks hitters with a fastball that frequently gets into the 97-98 mph range and has touched 100 mph. After spending most of his time as a reliever in 2019, Wilcox entered the 2020 season as the Bulldogs’ Saturday starter behind Emerson Hancock and was off to a great start before the season was cut short. Wilcox posted a 1.57 ERA in four starts, with 32 strikeouts and just two walks in 23 innings. That walk rate is encouraging for teams, who are skeptical of Wilcox’s strike-throwing ability after he walked close to six batters per nine innings in 2019. Scouts would have liked to see him continue that trend against SEC batters, as Wilcox has a tendency to get scattered and miss the zone, but his stuff is overpowering enough that overmatched hitters would still chase out of the zone. Wilcox pitched mostly off of a 93-96 mph fastball as a starter, with a mid-80s slider that also grades as plus. He also throws a changeup in the same mid-80s range that could give him an average or better third offering. Wilcox was trending in the right direction prior to the season ending and was already a first round-type of talent entering the year, so how much a team likes his upside and buys into his improved control will determine where he goes. As an eligible sophomore, Wilcox will have more leverage than most college players and could be a costly sign.
One of the many talented prep righthanders out of Georgia this year, Wilcox is a projectable, 6-foot-5 Georgia commit who has a solid low to mid-90s fastball with natural running action and a slider that could develop into a plus offering. He also possess a low to mid-80s changeup that could be an above-average pitch in the future. Wilcox has impressive makeup and throws a ton of strikes, leading some scouts to believe that he could turn into a middle-of-the-rotation starter someday with three above-average pitches. The concern with Wilcox is in regards to his delivery. He throws from a low, three-quarter arm slot with some funk and recoil in his finish and a deep arm action in the back, which raises his chances of eventually having to slide to the bullpen. The stuff has been good though, and Wilcox's slider has even been a tick sharper this spring. He has a lot of projection left to offer as well, with an ideal pitcher's frame at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds. He should be an attractive arm for a team who believes they can clean up the delivery and continue to develop him as a starter.

Scouting Reports

BA Grade/Risk: 55/Very High

Track Record: The Padres drafted Wilcox in the third round as an eligible sophomore out of Georgia in 2020. He signed for $3.3 million, or first-round money. Wilcox never threw an official pitch with the Padres because he was shipped to the Rays in the Blake Snell trade after the 2020 season that also brought Francisco Mejia and Blake Hunt to Tampa Bay. Wilcox was effective in his pro debut in 2021 but was shut down in July with an elbow injury that eventually needed Tommy John surgery. He returned to the mound in August 2022 to make three rehab appearances in the Florida Complex League and four abbreviated starts with Low-A Charleston.

Scouting Report: Getting back on the mound and demonstrating his health was an important milestone for Wilcox, but his velocity didn't fully bounce back in his late-season stint. He touched 98-99 mph and sat 93-95 pre-injury, but he maxed out at 95 and sat 91-93 in 2022. Assuming his arm strength returns to his pre-surgery levels in 2023, Wilcox should profile as a sinker/slider power pitcher. Both are potentially plus pitches. He gets sink and run on his fastball, and it pairs well with his 84-87 mph power slider. He largely shelved his changeup in his briefer return outings, but it's flashed fringe-average. When Wilcox was in high school, teams were highly concerned about his control, but that has proven to be a significant strength rather than a weakness. He has walked fewer than 1.5 batters per nine innings in his final year of college and his first two years of pro ball. His command is not as sharp.

The Future: The 2023 season will be a big one for Wilcox. He showed his feel and control has returned to where it was before his injury, but he still needs to show he has the same power stuff that has long been his calling card. He should be ticketed for High-A Bowling Green.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 60
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Very High

Track Record: The Padres drafted Wilcox in the third round as an eligible sophomore out of Georgia in 2020. He signed for $3.3 million, or first-round money. Wilcox never threw an official pitch with the Padres because he was shipped to the Rays in the Blake Snell trade after the 2020 season that also brought Francisco Mejia and Blake Hunt to Tampa Bay. Wilcox was effective in his pro debut in 2021 but was shut down in July with an elbow injury that eventually needed Tommy John surgery. He returned to the mound in August 2022 to make three rehab appearances in the Florida Complex League and four abbreviated starts with Low-A Charleston.

Scouting Report: Getting back on the mound and demonstrating his health was an important milestone for Wilcox, but his velocity didn't fully bounce back in his late-season stint. He touched 98-99 mph and sat 93-95 pre-injury, but he maxed out at 95 and sat 91-93 in 2022. Assuming his arm strength returns to his pre-surgery levels in 2023, Wilcox should profile as a sinker/slider power pitcher. Both are potentially plus pitches. He gets sink and run on his fastball, and it pairs well with his 84-87 mph power slider. He largely shelved his changeup in his briefer return outings, but it's flashed fringe-average. When Wilcox was in high school, teams were highly concerned about his control, but that has proven to be a significant strength rather than a weakness. He has walked fewer than 1.5 batters per nine innings in his final year of college and his first two years of pro ball. His command is not as sharp.

The Future: The 2023 season will be a big one for Wilcox. He showed his feel and control has returned to where it was before his injury, but he still needs to show he has the same power stuff that has long been his calling card. He should be ticketed for High-A Bowling Green.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 60
BA Grade: 55/Extreme

August Update: Wilcox made his return to the mound on Aug. 8 as he threw one inning in the Florida Complex League.

Track Record: Wilcox twice slid in the draft because of his asking price, but the Padres paid him a third-round record $3.3 million (which topped the bonus of 11 first-rounders in that year&#39s class). Wilcox never threw an official pitch for the Padres before being traded to the Rays in the deal that sent Blake Snell to San Diego. Wilcox was dominant for half a season at Low-A Charleston, but he injured his elbow in a June 27 start. After rehabbing the injury for two months, he had Tommy John surgery in September.

Scouting Report: Wilcox has always had some length in his arm action and he will fly open early in his delivery sporadically. For all the concerns about his control, he&#39s walked less than one batter per nine innings over the abbreviated final season of his college career and his first year in pro ball combined. Wilcox pounds the zone with a mid-90s potentially plus fastball that has sink and run. He has touched 98-99 mph at his best. The heater sets up a plus high-80s slider that he commands even better than his fastball. It is a power pitch with tilt and modest depth when he doesn&#39t get on the side of it. His 84-88 mph fringe-average changeup has some sink but isn&#39t as effective or consistent.

The Future: Wilcox is expected to miss the entirety of the 2022 season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. He should be full speed for spring training in 2023. If he makes a full recovery, he gives the Rays yet another very promising future starter with a fallback option of being a power reliever.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 50.
Track Record: Wilcox spent two years in Georgia’s rotation and was considered a potential first-round pick in 2020, but he slid because of his bonus demands. The Padres drafted him 80th overall and gave him a $3.3 million bonus, a record for the third round and more than 11 first-rounders received that year. The Rays acquired Wilcox in the deal that sent Blake Snell to San Diego, and he was dominant for the first half of the season at Low-A Charleston before he suffered an elbow injury that he unsuccessfully tried to rehab for two months before having Tommy John surgery in September.

Scouting Report: Wilcox is a big, powerful pitcher at 6-foot-5, 232 pounds. He pounds the strike zone with a plus, mid-90s fastball that has sink and run and has touched 98-99 mph at his best. Wilcox’s fastball sets up a plus, high-80s slider that he commands even better than his fastball. It is a power pitch with tilt and modest depth when he doesn’t get on the side of it. His 84-88 mph fringe-average changeup has some sink but isn’t as effective or consistent. Wilcox has always had some length in his arm action and he will fly open early in his delivery sporadically, leading to a lack of deception. He has long faced questions about his control, but he walked less than one batter per nine innings in his final college season and first year in pro ball combined.

The Future: Wilcox will miss all of the 2022 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. If he makes a full recovery, he gives the Rays yet another very promising future starter with a fallback option of being a power reliever.
Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 45.

TRACK RECORD: Scouts viewed Wilcox as a potential first-round talent out of high school, but his strong commitment to Georgia deterred teams from picking him early. After struggling with his control as a Bulldogs freshman, Wilcox went 3-0, 1.57 with 32 strikeouts and two walks in four starts as a drafteligible sophomore before the college season shut down in 2020. He dropped to the third round because teams were wary of his bonus demands, but the Padres stopped his slide and signed him for a third round-record $3.3 million. The Rays acquired him in the trade that sent Blake Snell to San Diego after the season.

SCOUTING REPORT: Wilcox is a big, physical righthander at 6-foot-5, 232 pounds with stuff to match his size. His fastball ranges from 93-97 mph with natural sink and run and touched 99 in short bursts at the alternate training site. His slider is a powerful offering at 86-89 mph with short, three-quarters break and projects to above-average when he stays on top of it. His hard changeup mirrors his fastball and dives with heavy sink at 85-87 mph. Wilcox has the physicality and durability to start, but he lacks a soft offering and his control can be inconsistent. As such, many observers predict a bullpen future.

THE FUTURE: The Padres will give Wilcox every chance to start. How his command and control progress will determine his ultimate role.
Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 45.

TRACK RECORD: Scouts viewed Wilcox as a potential first-round talent out of high school, but his strong commitment to Georgia deterred teams from picking him early. After struggling with his control as a Bulldogs freshman, Wilcox went 3-0, 1.57 with 32 strikeouts and two walks in four starts as a drafteligible sophomore before the college season shut down in 2020. He dropped to the third round because teams were wary of his bonus demands, but the Padres stopped his slide and signed him for a third round-record $3.3 million. The Rays acquired him in the trade that sent Blake Snell to San Diego after the season.

SCOUTING REPORT: Wilcox is a big, physical righthander at 6-foot-5, 232 pounds with stuff to match his size. His fastball ranges from 93-97 mph with natural sink and run and touched 99 in short bursts at the alternate training site. His slider is a powerful offering at 86-89 mph with short, three-quarters break and projects to above-average when he stays on top of it. His hard changeup mirrors his fastball and dives with heavy sink at 85-87 mph. Wilcox has the physicality and durability to start, but he lacks a soft offering and his control can be inconsistent. As such, many observers predict a bullpen future.

THE FUTURE: The Padres will give Wilcox every chance to start. How his command and control progress will determine his ultimate role.
Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 45.

TRACK RECORD: Scouts viewed Wilcox as a potential first-round talent out of high school, but his strong commitment to Georgia deterred teams from picking him early. After struggling with his control as a Bulldogs freshman, Wilcox went 3-0, 1.57 with 32 strikeouts and two walks in four starts as a drafteligible sophomore before the college season shut down in 2020. He dropped to the third round because teams were wary of his bonus demands, but the Padres stopped his slide and signed him for a third round-record $3.3 million. The Rays acquired him in the trade that sent Blake Snell to San Diego after the season.

SCOUTING REPORT: Wilcox is a big, physical righthander at 6-foot-5, 232 pounds with stuff to match his size. His fastball ranges from 93-97 mph with natural sink and run and touched 99 in short bursts at the alternate training site. His slider is a powerful offering at 86-89 mph with short, three-quarters break and projects to above-average when he stays on top of it. His hard changeup mirrors his fastball and dives with heavy sink at 85-87 mph. Wilcox has the physicality and durability to start, but he lacks a soft offering and his control can be inconsistent. As such, many observers predict a bullpen future.

THE FUTURE: The Padres will give Wilcox every chance to start. How his command and control progress will determine his ultimate role.