Top Prospect #38: LHP, Joe Wilson

Joe Wilson came to the Phillies from the University of Maryland – Baltimore County in the 13th round of the 2003 Draft. Before long, Wilson was showing his stuff in the Phillies minor league system and took one step up the organizational ladder in just his first season of professional ball.

You have to love a young college arm that doesn’t have too much mileage on it. Especially when that arm is a left one. That’s what Joe Wilson brought to the Phillies when they grabbed him in the 2003 Draft.

Wilson spent most of his time as a starter at the University of Maryland’s Baltimore County Campus. Still, he didn’t put the mileage on his arm that a lot of young pitchers do. Wilson pitched 152 innings between 2002 and 2003 in college. Not a huge amount of innings, but enough that he was able to show what he can do on a mound.

The Phillies drafted Wilson and started him slowly by putting him in the Gulf Coast League. Wilson quickly started to impress and was bumped to Batavia after pitching in 11 games, 9 of which were starts. Wilson went 4-2, 2.06 before his promotion and didn’t miss a beat after arriving at Batavia. The 21 year old made two more starts at Batavia, going 1-1, 2.40 for the Muck Dogs.

Wilson is a control pitcher who relies on location. He has enough velocity that he can fire up a strong fastball and throw it by a hitter when he has to, but also features good movement on his pitches that keeps hitters off guard. Wilson won’t turn 22 until the 2003 season is nearly finished and by then, he should be at Lakewood. It’s possible that he will even start the season at Lakewood depending on how roster spots fall and how Wilson does in minor league camp in the spring.