Will Wilson Develops A Well-Rounded Skill Set

Will Wilson played mostly second base as a freshman at North Carolina State, shortstop in his final two seasons with the Wolfpack and then split time between second and short in his first pro season with the Angels’ Rookie-level Orem affiliate last year.

Acquired by the Giants in a December trade, the 2019 first-rounder worked at both middle infield spots and spent a good deal of time at third base during summer camp at Oracle Park. The team still projects him as a shortstop, primarily.

“They want me to stay there as long as I can,” Wilson said.

However, having defensive versatility could open the door to Wilson getting additional playing time.

“If my bat’s ready,” Wilson said, “they want me to be able to play different positions, so that I can move up quicker—and I appreciate that.”

On July 21, Wilson celebrated his 22nd birthday by playing third base in the final four innings of the Giants’ 4-2 exhibition win against the Athletics. He handled both grounders hit to him, making a fine play on a sharply hit ball by Khris Davis that became a 5-4-3 double play in the ninth inning.

“When all is said and done,” Giants farm director Kyle Haines said, “he might get called up and play second, third and short, and then we look up and he settles in to being a very nice shortstop or maybe even one of the other (positions) in the long haul.”

Listed at 6 feet, 184 pounds, Wilson hit a combined 31 homers over his final two seasons at NC State before hitting .275/.328/.439 with five home runs in his pro debut. The Angels parted with him in a deal that shed veteran Zack Cozart and the $12.7 million he is owed in 2020.

The Angels selected Wilson with the 15th overall pick in 2019. The Giants had considered taking Wilson before they chose Arizona State outfielder Hunter Bishop at No. 10.

“We really like (Wilson’s) well-rounded skill set,” Haines said.

A well-rounded skill set certainly helps a player navigate multiple positions. Wilson seems ready for that task.

“Consistency is my big thing,” he said.

 

 

 

 

 

GIANTICS

— Catcher Chadwick Tromp put himself in the mix to make the 30-man Opening Day roster before suffering a hamstring injury in a 6-2 exhibition win against the Athletics on July 20. After beginning at the club’s alternate training camp in Sacramento, he earned a callup on July 28 after the club designated Rob Brantly for assignment.

Tromp, listed at 5-foot-8, 221 pounds, spent seven seasons in the Reds’ organization before the Giants signed him as a free agent in January. The 25-year-old impressed the team with his power during summer camp; he hit two homers in an intrasquad game.

— Dany Jimenez, a righthander the Giants obtained from the Blue Jays in the Rule 5 draft, made the Opening Day roster but had a rough debut in the Giants’ 8-1 loss to the Dodgers on July 23. He gave up a run, a hit and three walks in one-third of an inning. The one bright spot for Jimenez came when he struck out Mookie Betts with the bases loaded to end the seventh.