First, it meant the non-major-league-affiliated leagues equaled the record set one year ago when 45 players who have worn one or more Indy league uniforms have been in the major leagues this season.
But Wilkerson started his professional career in an Indy league, a feat only shared by three active big-leaguers (James Paxton, Tanner Roark and Max Scherzer along with Stephen Drew and Daniel Nava, both currently on disabled lists).
Wilkerson has been touted as a
potential major leaguer for some time now, but that was not the case back in
2011 when his career was stalled--threatened, one might say--when the
Cumberland University product (Lebanon, TN) was sidelined to undergo the
dreaded Tommy John surgery. He did not
pitch for nearly two years, with some of his time spent working in the grocery
store.
The 28-year-old Wilkerson went undrafted, with the elbow injury playing an obvious role. So he worked his way through three leagues in 2013 and Boston finally gave him an opportunity the next season out of the American Association (Grand Prairie, TX). (He also worked in the United and Frontier Leagues.)
The Red Sox nurtured his development from the rookie New York-Penn League to its top farm club in Pawtucket,
RI before reluctantly giving the 6-foot-3 hurler up midway in the 2016 season
as part of a 2-for-1 swap that netted the Fenway Park residents needed
experience in the form of veteran infielder Aaron Hill.
"It (reaching the majors) means
the world," Wilkerson told MLB.com. "It's almost surreal right now."
Wilkerson earned the trip to the
majors by allowing only 117 hits in 142.1 innings and winning 11 of 15
decisions (3.16 ERA) this summer for Double-A Biloxi, MS, then throwing seven
no-hit innings with 11 strikeouts for Triple-A Colorado Springs in a Pacific
Coast League playoff game.
The right-hander has worked twice for manager Craig Counsell so far, a two-strikeout inning in relief and a start. He has allowed four hits and three runs in 3.1 innings with more work possible yet this week.
Wilkerson is the 46th player to start in an Independent League and make it all the way to the majors, according to records maintained by IndyBaseballChatter.com. Thirty-three of them are pitchers.
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The right-hander has worked twice for manager Craig Counsell so far, a two-strikeout inning in relief and a start. He has allowed four hits and three runs in 3.1 innings with more work possible yet this week.
Wilkerson is the 46th player to start in an Independent League and make it all the way to the majors, according to records maintained by IndyBaseballChatter.com. Thirty-three of them are pitchers.
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