This season, Wilkinson has gone 6-6, with an earned run average of 3.40 in 20 games this year \u2014 all of them starts. He may not be dominant, at least in terms of his record or his high-80s fastball, but he can throw the ball past his opponents at a high rate. <\/p>\n
The lefty struck out 96 hitters in 90 innings this season at the Triple-A<\/a> level. He was acquired by Giants president of baseball operations, Buster Posey<\/a>, in the May trade that sent catcher Patrick Bailey to the Cuyahoga Valley. <\/p>\n The southpaw certainly fits the stereotype of some prominent portside pitchers… eccentric, but in the kind of ways that can put a smile on the face of both fans and his fellow Giants. He may not be straight from central casting; he doesn’t look the part. The youngster even relies on a mysterious pitch called the ‘Invisi-Ball’ to record outs. Putting all that together is what makes Wilkinson a different kind of competitor.<\/p>\n What’s In A Name? Wilkinson, pitching in the 2026 World Baseball Classic | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n So, there’s the nickname, and it’s a moniker that has literally been attached to the 23-year-old since he was a kid. He was a standout in the Little League World Series, having once struck out 17 batters in one game. From there, he has tranisitoned all the way to the big-league level, by staying (pretty much) the same guy.<\/p>\n For his pure mass, many would think he is a prototypical power pitcher. But he relies less on the gas and more on guile to register outs. San Francisco fans will get a first look at him later this week once he joins the team.<\/p>\n![\"Big](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/01m08q7er7fm0z774w28.jpg\" "\\"Big")
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