Cole Wilcox
{{short description|American baseball player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Cole Wilcox
|image =
|team = Tampa Bay Rays
|number = 87
|position = Pitcher
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|7|14}}
|birth_place = Chattanooga, Tennessee
|bats = Right
|throws = Right
|debutleague =
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{{MedalSport | Men's baseball}}
{{MedalCountry | {{bb|USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition | U-18 Baseball World Cup}}
{{MedalGold | 2017 Thunder Bay | Team}}
}}
Mitchell Cole Wilcox (born July 14, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Tampa Bay Rays organization.
Amateur career
Wilcox attended Heritage High School in Ringgold, Georgia, where he played baseball, basketball, and football.{{Cite web|url=https://wdef.com/2018/04/18/heritage-hard-throwing-pitcher-cole-wilcox-attracts-plenty-attention/|title = Heritage Hard Throwing Pitcher Cole Wilcox Attracts Plenty of Attention|date = April 19, 2018}} He committed to play college baseball at the University of Georgia as a freshman.{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/preps/story/2017/nov/09/heritage-pitcher-cole-wilcox-makes-it-officia/456621/|title=Heritage pitcher Cole Wilcox makes it official by signing with 'dream school'|website=timesfreepress.com}} In 2018, his senior year, he went 9–2 with a 1.59 ERA, striking out 95 batters over {{fraction|65|2|3}} innings.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-draft-profile-on-prospect-cole-wilcox-c278198762|title=Draft profile: Cole Wilcox|website=MLB.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/georgia/Article/2018-MLB-Draft-Cole-Wilcox-turns-down-draft-prep-pitcher-will-play-for-Georgia-Bulldogs-118803947/|title=Cole Wilcox turns down MLB Draft for Georgia|website=Dawgs247}} He was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the 37th round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign and instead chose to fulfill his college commitment.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/nationals-journal/wp/2018/06/06/nationals-scoop-up-position-players-on-day-3-of-mlb-draft/|title=Nationals scoop up position players on Day 3 of MLB draft|first=Chelsea|last= Janes |date=June 6, 2018|newspaper=Washington Post}}
In 2019, Wilcox's freshman year at Georgia, he appeared in 19 games (six starts) in which he went 3–2 with a 4.07 ERA, striking out 64 over {{fraction|59|2|3}} innings.{{Cite web|url=https://www.onlineathens.com/sports/20200213/bulldogs-open-season-with-rsquounfinished-businessrsquo|title=Bulldogs open season with 'Unfinished business'|first=Mason Cantrell / Athens|last=Banner-Herald|website=Athens Banner-Herald}} He specifically excelled during SEC play, compiling a 2.29 ERA and a .184 batting average against over {{fraction|43|2|3}} innings pitched during conference play.{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/college/story/2019/jun/16/cole-wilcox-sharp-sec-play-georgifreshman/496798/|title=Heritage graduate Cole Wilcox was sharp in SEC play as Georgia freshman|website=timesfreepress.com}} He was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team.{{Cite web|url=https://wgxa.tv/sports/college/baseball-five-bulldogs-earn-all-sec-honors|title=Baseball: Five Bulldogs Earn All-SEC Honors|first=MEDIA RELEASE FROM UGA|last=ATHLETICS|date=May 20, 2019|website=WGXA}} That summer, he played for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, and also played briefly for the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.albanyherald.com/georgia-pitchers-hancock-and-wilcox-earn-usa-baseball-team-invitations/article_8cd6da40-8a2f-11e9-850d-e784d7d6f33b.html|title=Georgia pitchers Hancock and Wilcox Earn USA Baseball Team Invitations|author=Staff Reports|website=Albany Herald}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsbradio.com/events/sports/baseball/cole-wilcox-helps-team-usa-one-hit-japan/f5dPm40H6NwSgmn7zZavMO/|title=Cole Wilcox helps Team USA one-hit Japan|website=WSB Radio|date=July 19, 2019}}{{cite web|author= |url=https://baseball.pointstreak.com/player.html?playerid=1384847&seasonid=31871 |title=Cole Wilcox |publisher=pointstreak.com |date= |accessdate=May 6, 2020}} Wilcox compiled a 3–0 record and a 1.57 ERA over four starts in 2020 before the college baseball season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/georgia/Article/Georgia-Bulldogs-Baseball-Cole-Wilcox-begs-SEC-one-more-game-144988942/|title=UGA baseball player Cole Wilcox begs SEC for one more game|website=Dawgs247}}
Professional career
=San Diego Padres organization=
Wilcox was considered a top prospect for the 2020 Major League Baseball draft.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/prospects/2020/draft|title=Top Draft Prospects|website=MLB.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/georgia/Article/Georgia-Baseball-Emerson-Hancock-Cole-Wilcox-2020-MLB-Draft-132648975/|title=Pair of Georgia pitchers projected top-10 in 2020 MLB Draft|website=Dawgs247}} He was selected by the San Diego Padres in the third round with the 80th overall selection.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/college/padres-wait-3rd-round-snatch-georgia-cole-wilcox/5PgsyD0u8fhrVb2JYHe26L/|title = Padres wait till third round to snatch Georgia's Cole Wilcox}} He signed with the Padres on June 30 for a $3.3 million signing bonus, a record among players drafted in the third round.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/story/2020-06-30/padres-sign-third-rounder-cole-wilcox-record-3-3-million|title = Padres sign third-rounder Cole Wilcox for record $3.3 million|date = June 30, 2020}} He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the pandemic.{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2020/06/30/minor-league-baseball-season-canceled-2020-coronavirus|title = 2020 Minor League Baseball Season Canceled}}
=Tampa Bay Rays organization=
On December 29, 2020, Wilcox, along with Luis Patiño, Blake Hunt, and Francisco Mejía, were traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for pitcher Blake Snell.{{cite web |last1=Cassavell |first1=AJ |title=Padres' blockbuster trade for Snell official |url=https://www.mlb.com/padres/news/blake-snell-traded-to-padres |website=San Diego Padres |access-date=29 December 2020}} To begin the 2021 season, he was assigned to the Charleston RiverDogs of the Low-A East.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/where-rays-top-prospects-are-starting-2021|title = Where TB top prospects are starting season| website=MLB.com }} He was placed on the 10-day injured list with an elbow strain on July 19, and transferred to the 60-day injured list on August 9, effectively ending his season.{{cite web | title=Rays' Cole Wilcox: Out with undisclosed injury | website=CBSSports.com | date=2021-07-19 | url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/rays-cole-wilcox-out-with-undisclosed-injury/ | access-date=2025-02-09}} Over ten starts prior to the injury, Wilcox was 1-0 with a 2.03 ERA, striking out 52 batters over {{fraction|44|1|3}} innings.{{cite web | title=Rays' Cole Wilcox: Out with elbow strain | website=CBSSports.com | date=2021-08-04 | url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/rays-cole-wilcox-out-with-elbow-strain/ | access-date=2025-02-09}} He underwent Tommy John surgery in early September.{{Cite web|url=https://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/top_rays_pitching_prospect_cole_wilcox_undergoes_tommy_john_surgery/s1_13237_35830760|title = Top Rays pitching prospect Cole Wilcox undergoes Tommy John surgery|date = September 10, 2021}}
Wilcox was activated off the injured list in early August 2022 and made seven appearances between the Rookie-level Florida Complex League Rays and Charleston.{{cite web | title=Rays' Cole Wilcox: Kicks off rehab assignment | website=CBSSports.com | date=2022-08-08 | url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/rays-cole-wilcox-kicks-off-rehab-assignment/ | access-date=2025-02-09}} Over seven starts between the two teams, he went 0-2 with a 3.94 ERA and 24 strikeouts over 16 innings.{{cite web | url=https://www.milb.com/player/cole-wilcox-677961 | title=Cole Wilcox Stats, Fantasy & News }} To open the 2023 season, he was assigned to the Montgomery Biscuits of the Double-A Southern League.{{cite web | last=Dykstra | first=Sam | title=Where Rays' top prospects are starting 2023 season | website=MLB.com | date=2023-04-05 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/where-rays-top-prospects-are-starting-2023-season | access-date=2025-02-09}}
References
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External links
{{baseballstats|brm=wilcox000col}}
- [https://georgiadogs.com/sports/baseball/roster/cole-wilcox/4563 Georgia Bulldogs bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilcox, Cole}}
Category:Baseball players from Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Georgia Bulldogs baseball players
Category:Orleans Firebirds players