Austin Wilson
| AB | 1339 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .242 |
| OBP | .337 |
| SLG | .396 |
| HR | 42 |
- Full name Austin H. Wilson
- Born 02/07/1992 in Los Angeles, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 250 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Stanford
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Drafted in the 2nd round (49th overall) by the Seattle Mariners in 2013 (signed for $1,700,000).
View Draft Report
Wilson was one of the top high school prospects in the 2010 draft out of Harvard-Westlake High in Studio City, Calif., but a Stanford commitment drove him down to the Cardinals in the 12th round. He didn't sign, and three years later still is more about potential than performance. Few players in this year's class can match Wilson's tools. He's a chiseled specimen at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, a prototype right fielder and a solid-average runner who could play center field in a pinch. He gets great jumps on the ball and takes instinctive routes. With his cannon arm, he'll be an above-average defender, but he still needs to prove himself with the bat. He has plenty of bat speed and strength, but has a lot of moving parts to his swing and struggles with pitch recognition. He has racked up big strikeout numbers in college, so scouts wonder if he'll be able to tap into his above-average power. Wilson is even more of a wild card because he missed a chunk of the season with a mild stress reaction in his right elbow.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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A possible first-round pick in 2010 coming out of high school in the Los Angeles area, Wilson's parents both held MBAs from Harvard, so teams knew that education was important to the Stanford commit and he fell to the 12th round. Three years later, Wilson fell to the second round but got first-round money ($1.7 million) to forgo his senior year. Wilson has long impressed with a physical, athletic build. Unfortunately, that physicality has not led to good health. He missed half of his junior year at Stanford with an elbow injury and missed more than a month in 2014 with a strained Achilles tendon. He then missed instructional league with minor elbow surgery. Wilson has shortened his lengthy swing as a pro, but evaluators still worry about his ability to turn on quality fastballs. He has made strides to become more fluid and athletic at the plate--he's not as upright in his stance, and he's using his legs more in his swing. He needs to take pitches on the outer half the other way more often. Defensively he's an average right fielder. Moreso than most premium college draftees, Wilson is a high-ceiling outfielder who still is a long way from that ceiling. The struggles of former Stanford outfielder Michael Taylor have led some evaluators to be more skeptical of Wilson, but if he puts it all together, he will be an impact outfielder. -
The Mariners needed to go well over the recommended slot value for the 49th overall pick in 2013 to sign Wilson and keep him from returning to Stanford for his senior season. He missed half the college season with a stress reaction in his right elbow and wound up singing for $1.7 million, which was $590,000 over slot. Wilson is a physical specimen and has the raw tools to match. The most intriguing tool is the one that hasn't fully developed yet--power. He hit 20 homers total in college but worked to add loft in his swing after signing with Seattle and hit five of his six home runs at short-season Everett in August. A poor bet to hit for a high average, Wilson has the type of raw power to make that tradeoff acceptable. He has a very strong arm and is an above-average runner, making him a natural for right field. He would need to tighten his route-taking to be able play center. The Mariners will take it slowly with Wilson and have him begin 2014 at low Class A Clinton with an eye on an in-season promotion to high Class A High Desert. Wilson is still somewhat raw for a college player, but his tools, intelligence and work ethic give him a chance to potentially become a first-division regular.
Draft Prospects
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Wilson was one of the top high school prospects in the 2010 draft out of Harvard-Westlake High in Studio City, Calif., but a Stanford commitment drove him down to the Cardinals in the 12th round. He didn't sign, and three years later still is more about potential than performance. Few players in this year's class can match Wilson's tools. He's a chiseled specimen at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, a prototype right fielder and a solid-average runner who could play center field in a pinch. He gets great jumps on the ball and takes instinctive routes. With his cannon arm, he'll be an above-average defender, but he still needs to prove himself with the bat. He has plenty of bat speed and strength, but has a lot of moving parts to his swing and struggles with pitch recognition. He has racked up big strikeout numbers in college, so scouts wonder if he'll be able to tap into his above-average power. Wilson is even more of a wild card because he missed a chunk of the season with a mild stress reaction in his right elbow.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Wilson hit .296/.367/.606 with five home runs in 71 at-bats after Aug. 1, giving him numbers more in line with what most see as his potential. An elbow injury that affected his final year at Stanford may have contributed to his slow start. Regardless, he ranked fourth in the league in slugging (.414), showcasing the plus raw power that made him a second-round pick. Wilson showed a plus arm and Gold Glove potential in right field (while mixing in time in left and center), though his routes could use a little improvement. ?I definitely like his size, the way he moves and his arm,? Tri-City manager Drew Saylor said. ?His swing is a little long, but he?s a Ferrari. If he swings at 100 miles per hour instead of 200, he?s still better than a Toyota Camry at 75. He looks like he could be playing linebacker for the Cleveland Browns.?
