School: Wake Forest University; Class: Junior
Position: 3B; B/T: R/R
Height: 6-4; Weight: 225
Previously Drafted: N/A
High School: Bloomingdale High School
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 45/50 | 60 | 30 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
Background: Wake Forest teams have featured some pretty impressive bats at the corner infield positions in recent years. Gavin Sheets, a second round pick by the White Sox in 2017, slugged .317/.424/.629 with 21 homeruns during his final collegiate season. Will Craig, the Pirates’ 2016 first rounder, posted OPS totals north of 1.100 over his final two years with the Demon Deacons. First baseman Allan Dykstra, who may be the ultimate minor league saber-darling, was drafted by the Padres with the 23rd overall pick in 2008 after bashing .323/.519/.645 as a junior.
Despite all the offensive firepower each showed, none compares to the fantastical showing by Brock Wilken in 2023.
A product of Bloomingdale High School, home to former Rule 5 darling Richie Martin, Wilken put together two remarkably similar showings during his freshman and sophomore seasons, batting .279/.365/.618 and .272/.362/.602, respectively. He also made a pair of jaunts through the Cape Cod League with the Harwich Mariners following each season as well – though those production lines couldn’t have been more dissimilar.
Wilken would slug a rock solid .302/.430/.519 during the summer of 2021, but he managed only a .229/.368/.413 showing the following year.
Which brings us to his 2023 campaign.
The big third baseman appeared in a career best 66 contests, he mashed .345/.506/.807 with 15 doubles, one triple, and 31 homeruns, tied with Florida’s Jac Caglianone for the nation’s lead. He also swiped a base – just for good measure.
Scouting Report: To put Wilken’s dominance in proper context, consider the following:
- Since 2011, there have been only 16 instances in which a Division I hitter slugged at least .800 in season (min. 250 PA). Of those aforementioned 16 times, only eight walked more than they struck out: Kris Bryant, Andrew Vaughn, D.J. Peterson, Ivan Melendez, Nolan Schanuel, Cam Fisher, Michael Carico, and – of course – Brock Wilken.
Wilken’s stance, swing, and general approach at the plate is so impressively simple. Very little moving parts – if any. Basic stance, almost as if someone took Stan Musial’s stance and moved the hands high and the hump in his back slightly. Wilken looks a lot bigger than his already large 6-foot-4 frame would suggest. Above-average bat speed. Wilken’s shaved noticeable percentage points off his glaring swing-and-miss ratio from his sophomore season, now sporting something in the 18% range. Plus in-game power backed up by plus-plus raw power. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him battle some contact issues in the minors. The pitch recognition may be spotty at times.
Ceiling: 2.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
Grade: First / Second Round
