Adam Wilk

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Detroit Tigers #10 prospect in 2013
  At Cypress (Calif.) High, Wilk played with Josh Vitters and Tigers minor leaguer Mike Morrison while setting school records for career wins (23) and ERA (1.50). He went undrafted, however, and spent three years at Long Beach State before signing for $68,000 as an 11th-rounder in 2009. He's the 11th 49ers pitcher selected in the last 11 drafts to make the big leagues, joining the likes of Jered Weaver and Jason Vargas. A classic pitchability lefthander, Wilk doesn't blow hitters away with his 86-89 mph fastball but can run it up to 91 when needed. He has an average slider and the ability to change its shape and speed, throwing it anywhere from 79-85 mph. He has an average changeup with a 10 mph differential from his fastball and occasionally uses a curveball as a show-me pitch. Wilk's biggest asset is his excellent command and feel for pitching, which allowed him to lead Detroit farmhands with 128 strikeouts in 2012. He's a student of the game and shows excellent poise on the mound. While he's been roughed up in his brief big league stints, Wilk has the command and moxie to pitch at the back of a big league rotation. He compares favorably with Tommy Milone.
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  Ranked Detroit Tigers #22 prospect in 2012
  Wilk was the ace on a bad 2009 Long Beach State team, going 7-4, 2.78 for a sub-.500 club. He has gone from an 11th-rounder signed for $68,000 that June to the Tigers' minor league pitcher of the year in 2010 to making his big league debut last May. He rose through the system on his feel for pitching more than his pure stuff. Wilk has the best control among Detroit farmhands and is one of the most prepared pitchers in the system. He's disciplined, knows how to read swings and understands how to mix and locate his pitches to keep hitters off balance. Wilk needs those attributes because his stuff is mostly below average. His fastball ranges from 85-88 mph when he starts, ticks up slightly when he relieves and touches 89-90 mph on occasion. His cutter is his best weapon. Hitters don't have an easy time picking up on its rotation, and it rides in on the handle against righties and hits the end of the bat against lefties. He also mixes in a decent changeup and a fringy curveball. Wilk gets the most out of his limited stuff and could help the Tigers as occasional fifth starter or reliever.
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  Ranked Detroit Tigers #27 prospect in 2011
  Wilk went from an 11th-round pick in 2009 to the Tigers' minor league pitcher of the year in 2010. He led Detroit farmhands with a 2.74 ERA and topped the Florida State League in fewest walks per nine innings (1.2). While many of the Tigers' best pitching prospects have big-time velocity, Wilk gets by more with command and control, a four-pitch mix and guile. His fastball sits at 86-89 mph, reaching 92 on occasion. He locates his fastball to all four quadrants of the strike zone, and he changes speeds to keep hitters off balance. He has good feel for an average curveball and a cutter/slider. His best pitch is a 77-80 mph changeup that he throws with the same arm speed as his fastball. Wilk has some funk to his delivery, which adds to his deception. He helps his cause with his attention to detail, including meticulous preparation between starts. He projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter. Wilk finished his first full pro season in Double-A and should return there in 2011.

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: At Cypress (Calif.) High, Wilk played with Josh Vitters and Tigers minor leaguer Mike Morrison while setting school records for career wins (23) and ERA (1.50). He went undrafted, however, and spent three years at Long Beach State before signing for $68,000 as an 11th-rounder in 2009. He's the 11th 49ers pitcher selected in the last 11 drafts to make the big leagues, joining the likes of Jered Weaver and Jason Vargas. Scouting Report: A classic pitchability lefthander, Wilk doesn't blow hitters away with his 86-89 mph fastball but can run it up to 91 when needed. He has an average slider and the ability to change its shape and speed, throwing it anywhere from 79-85 mph. He has an average changeup with a 10 mph differential from his fastball and occasionally uses a curveball as a show-me pitch. Wilk's biggest asset is his excellent command and feel for pitching, which allowed him to lead Detroit farmhands with 128 strikeouts in 2012. He's a student of the game and shows excellent poise on the mound. The Future: While he's been roughed up in his brief big league stints, Wilk has the command and moxie to pitch at the back of a big league rotation. He compares favorably with Tommy Milone.