The Cincinnati Reds have bolstered their starting pitching depth by signing right-hander to a minor league deal, as reported by Jon Morosi of MLB Network. Wilkerson has spent the last three years pitching internationally in Japan and Korea, with a brief stint in Triple-A during that time.
Wilkerson’s journey to professional baseball was unconventional. After going undrafted out of college, he pitched for four independent league teams before signing with the Boston Red Sox as a 25-year-old free agent.
He advanced to Double-A before being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in 2016. He made his MLB debut with Milwaukee in 2017, appearing in three games. He pitched in three more games in 2018 and eight games in 2019, totaling 35.1 MLB innings with a 6.88 ERA over three seasons.
After the 2020 minor league season was canceled and he didn’t receive a big-league call-up, He became a free agent. In 2021, he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers and spent the year with their Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City. In 2022, he pitched in Japan, appearing in 20 games.
He returned to the U.S. in 2023 to pitch in Triple-A for Oakland but was released in July after posting a 6.51 ERA. He then joined the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) with Lotte, where he recorded a 3.39 ERA over 276.1 innings between the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
In his most recent stint in Triple-A, Wilkerson’s arsenal included a four-seam fastball averaging 91 MPH, along with a changeup, slider, cutter, and curveball. His changeup and slider were in the low 80s, the cutter was in the mid-to-upper 80s, and his curveball sat in the mid-70s.
Notably, his control has significantly improved since 2021, as he has managed to reduce his walk rate while pitching in Triple-A, Japan, and Korea.
Wilkerson, who will turn 36 in May, is unlikely to compete for a rotation spot in spring training. However, given the Reds’ experience using veteran depth pitchers like Brandon Leibrandt, David Buchanan, and Casey Kelly in 2024, Wilkerson could serve as valuable Triple-A insurance if needed during the season.
Be the first to comment