Bryse Wilson

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #5 prospect in 2021
  Fastball: 55. Curveball: 40. Slider: 50. Changeup: 55. Control: 55.
  Track Record: Wilson has pitched in the majors in minor roles during each of the last three seasons but still has just 42.2 big league innings. He was called on to start Game 4 of the NL Championship Series against Clayton Kershaw, and he responded by outpitching the future Hall of Famer over six innings, allowing only one run and one hit.
  
  Scouting Report: A durable righthander, Wilson has impressive fastball command and knows how to establish the strike zone early. He throws four-seam and two-seam fastballs that each average 93-95 mph. He gets ahead of hitters with first-pitch strikes using both. Wilson’s best secondary pitch has always been his changeup, which sits around 85-86 mph with solid drop. Some evaluators believe it could be a plus offering. Wilson’s best breaking ball is a hard slider that could be classified as a cutter due to its lack of horizontal movement and firm velocity in the 87-89 mph range. He occasionally throws a curveball in the upper 70s, but the pitch has below-average spin and is a distant fifth offering.
  
  The Future: Wilson profiles as a back-of-the-rotation workhorse type who will throw strikes and compete. He’ll be just 23 in 2021 and still has plenty of time to continue adjusting and improving.
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #6 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: A 2016 fourth-round pick out of high school, Wilson flew through the minors and dominated three levels before making his major league debut in 2018 as a 20-year-old. He spent the bulk of 2019 adding polish at Triple-A and as a big league spot starter.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A strong, physical righthander, Wilson's fastball has long been his best pitch. It gets into the upper 90s at its best but sits in the 94-95 mph range. His pure velocity, natural sinking life and precision was more than enough to overwhelm minor league batters, but he was susceptible to the long ball in the major leagues. That might be due to the fact that Wilson currently lacks a swing-and-miss breaking ball. His firm, mid-80s slider has progressed, but he rarely generates whiffs with the pitch and relies more on an 84-87 mph changeup with fade and sink to get batters to swing and miss. There are few successful fastball/changeup righthanded starters in the big leagues, so Wilson will need to sharpen his breaking ball, but he has the strike-throwing ability and physicality to be a durable, innings-eating back-of-the-rotation type.
  
  THE FUTURE: Wilson has done all he can do in the minors and will look to establish himself in the big leagues in 2020.
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #6 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: The Braves move their pitchers fast, but no one has moved faster than Wilson. He was an excellent high school football player as a wide receiver, quarterback, running back and linebacker. In 2018, Wilson began the season by allowing one run in five starts at high Class A. He blitzed through Double-A, dominated Triple-A (including an eight-inning, one-hit, 13-strikeout gem) and threw five scoreless innings in his major league debut.
  
  Scouting Report: Wilson's success depends on his 92-98 mph fastball, which is one of the best in an organization filled with quality fastballs. It's a future plus-plus pitch, largely because of its late life and his above-average control. He can sink or cut it as needed. He can locate it armside and gloveside. When he's on, Wilson can dominate with just his fastball, and that's often what he did in 2018. That may be to his minor detriment developmentally, because he's yet to find a need to develop his less advanced secondary offerings. His slurvy curveball flashes plus when he tightens it, but some scouts believe his arm action will prevent the pitch from ever being consistent. His fringe-average changeup needs to improve. It has some fade, but he tips it at times.
  
  The Future: It's hard not to enjoy watching Wilson pitch because he attacks hitters with ferocious competitiveness and self-confidence. The Braves have pitchers with better secondary pitches, but Wilson's strength, fastball and makeup give him a shot to be a durable No. 4 starter for a long time.
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #12 prospect in 2018
  Football was always Wilson's second-best sport, but he still received scholarship offers from various Division I teams after they watched him excel as a quarterback, running back, wide receiver, linebacker and punter. Whenever there was an injury for his Orange High team, Wilson just slid to another spot and did the job. That same attitude is apparent on the mound. The Braves believe Wilson has special makeup. He pitches off of his above-average 92-94 mph fastball, but it's the development of his changeup into an above-average pitch that has really helped him take a step forward. He was a fastball/slider pitcher before 2017, but his newly-refined changeup has surpassed his breaking ball already. Wilson's delivery has a lot of length in his takeaway and a wrap, which leads some scouts to worry that it will be difficult for him to ever consistently snap off his slider, but when it's on, it's an above-average pitch. Wilson's potentially above-average control, strong frame and three-pitch mix gives him a shot to be a future mid-rotation starter. He's ready for high Class A Florida.
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #25 prospect in 2017
  A North Carolina commit, Wilson was a football standout on both sides of the ball and a power pitcher who overwhelmed hitters in high school as well as those in Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in his first taste of pro ball. At Orange High he threw three no-hitters as a senior, including a perfect game in the playoffs, while working with current North Carolina State freshman catcher Brad Debo. Wilson signed for an above-slot $1.2 million as a 2016 fourth-round pick. The uber-athletic righthander brings a football mentality to the mound by challenging hitters without fear. Wilson pounds the strike zone with his 93-95 mph fastball that touches 97 with armside run and a hard slider in the mid-80s. Scouts questioned his ability to spin his breaking ball due to his long arm action, but the Braves were encouraged with Wilson's progress after making minor alterations. He needs a third pitch to remain a starter and has a long way to go for his changeup to be anything more than a show-me offering. His thick, physical frame lacks much projection, but he possesses the arm strength and mentality succeed at higher levels. Wilson is projected to open the 2017 season at low Class A Rome.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #93 prospect in 2016 draft
  Wilson has carved out quite the legacy for himself at Orange High in Hillsborough, N.C., where he's started football games as a linebacker, quarterback and wide receiver and has served as the baseball team's ace. Batterymates with top prep catcher Brad Debo, Wilson has thrown three no-hitters this spring, including a perfect game on May 10 in the first round of the state playoffs. Thick with a physically mature football player body, the 6-foot-1, 215-pound righthander has touched as high as 96 mph but sits a few ticks lower than that with arm-side run. Scouts question Wilson's ability to consistently spin a breaking ball due to his long arm action, and some see a reliever more than a starter, but his slider has flashed above-average potential at times. A North Carolina signee, Wilson has garnered early round interest and seems likely to sign should he be taken there.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked International League #11 prospect in 2019
  Wilson was the IL’s ERA leader (3.42). It’s an impressive feat considering he sported a 5.74 ERA halfway through May. Wilson has yet to carry that success over to the major leagues, but against Triple-A hitters, his 93-97 mph plus fastball has consistently stymied hitters. He also led the league with a 1.21 WHIP. Wilson’s mid-80s changeup has improved, as it now has some fade at the plate to go with solid separation. His slider continues to be inconsistent. “He eats up innings,” Stripers manager Damon Berryhill said. “He runs into trouble trying to do too much when he’s up (in the majors). He’s really starting to learn about himself. He’s getting comfortable with who he is.” Wilson is athletic and durable. “He’s a strong kid, and still a kid,” Berryhill said.
• 
  Ranked Southern League #5 prospect in 2018
  The Braves selected high school pitchers with four of their first six picks in the 2016 draft. Wilson, the fourth of the prep pitchers taken, was the first high school player from the 2016 draft to reach the big leagues when he debuted with Atlanta on Aug. 20. He made 15 of 25 minor league appearances in the SL, , but he looked sharp at all three of his stops, recording a 3.44 ERA with 143 strikeouts in 126 innings. Wilson works fast and aggressively attacks both sides of the plate with a fastball that tops out at 97 mph and sits comfortably at 93-95. His fastball projects as plus or double-plus because of late life on the pitch. Wilson throws a slurvy low-80s breaking ball that flashes plus and improved as the season progressed. He tends to slow his arm when throwing his changeup and needs to refine the pitch. With a thick, durable build and loose arm action, Wilson projects to be a starter who can work deep into games.
• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #11 prospect in 2017
  Wilson's 91-95 mph sinking fastball dominated the SAL. He aggressively worked in and out, showing advanced control and command of the pitch. Generally he kept the ball down in the zone and finished second in the league in ERA (2.50), third in strikeouts (139) and fourth in opponent average (.211).

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #80 prospect in 2019

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 55. Curveball: 40. Slider: 50. Changeup: 55. Control: 55.
  Track Record: Wilson has pitched in the majors in minor roles during each of the last three seasons but still has just 42.2 big league innings. He was called on to start Game 4 of the NL Championship Series against Clayton Kershaw, and he responded by outpitching the future Hall of Famer over six innings, allowing only one run and one hit.
  
  Scouting Report: A durable righthander, Wilson has impressive fastball command and knows how to establish the strike zone early. He throws four-seam and two-seam fastballs that each average 93-95 mph. He gets ahead of hitters with first-pitch strikes using both. Wilson’s best secondary pitch has always been his changeup, which sits around 85-86 mph with solid drop. Some evaluators believe it could be a plus offering. Wilson’s best breaking ball is a hard slider that could be classified as a cutter due to its lack of horizontal movement and firm velocity in the 87-89 mph range. He occasionally throws a curveball in the upper 70s, but the pitch has below-average spin and is a distant fifth offering.
  
  The Future: Wilson profiles as a back-of-the-rotation workhorse type who will throw strikes and compete. He’ll be just 23 in 2021 and still has plenty of time to continue adjusting and improving.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 55. Curveball: 40. Slider: 50. Changeup: 55. Control: 55.
  Track Record: Wilson has pitched in the majors in minor roles during each of the last three seasons but still has just 42.2 big league innings. He was called on to start Game 4 of the NL Championship Series against Clayton Kershaw, and he responded by outpitching the future Hall of Famer over six innings, allowing only one run and one hit.
  
  Scouting Report: A durable righthander, Wilson has impressive fastball command and knows how to establish the strike zone early. He throws four-seam and two-seam fastballs that each average 93-95 mph. He gets ahead of hitters with first-pitch strikes using both. Wilson’s best secondary pitch has always been his changeup, which sits around 85-86 mph with solid drop. Some evaluators believe it could be a plus offering. Wilson’s best breaking ball is a hard slider that could be classified as a cutter due to its lack of horizontal movement and firm velocity in the 87-89 mph range. He occasionally throws a curveball in the upper 70s, but the pitch has below-average spin and is a distant fifth offering.
  
  The Future: Wilson profiles as a back-of-the-rotation workhorse type who will throw strikes and compete. He’ll be just 23 in 2021 and still has plenty of time to continue adjusting and improving.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A 2016 fourth-round pick out of high school, Wilson flew through the minors and dominated three levels before making his major league debut in 2018 as a 20-year-old. He spent the bulk of 2019 adding polish at Triple-A and as a big league spot starter.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A strong, physical righthander, Wilson’s fastball has long been his best pitch. It gets into the upper 90s at its best but sits in the 94-95 mph range. His pure velocity, natural sinking life and precision was more than enough to overwhelm minor league batters, but he was susceptible to the long ball in the major leagues. That might be due to the fact that Wilson currently lacks a swing-and-miss breaking ball. His firm, mid-80s slider has progressed, but he rarely generates whiffs with the pitch and relies more on an 84-87 mph changeup with fade and sink to get batters to swing and miss. There are few successful fastball/changeup righthanded starters in the big leagues, so Wilson will need to sharpen his breaking ball, but he has the strike-throwing ability and physicality to be a durable, innings-eating back-of-the-rotation type.
  
  THE FUTURE: Wilson has done all he can do in the minors and will look to establish himself in the big leagues in 2020.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A 2016 fourth-round pick out of high school, Wilson flew through the minors and dominated three levels before making his major league debut in 2018 as a 20-year-old. He spent the bulk of 2019 adding polish at Triple-A and as a big league spot starter.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A strong, physical righthander, Wilson's fastball has long been his best pitch. It gets into the upper 90s at its best but sits in the 94-95 mph range. His pure velocity, natural sinking life and precision was more than enough to overwhelm minor league batters, but he was susceptible to the long ball in the major leagues. That might be due to the fact that Wilson currently lacks a swing-and-miss breaking ball. His firm, mid-80s slider has progressed, but he rarely generates whiffs with the pitch and relies more on an 84-87 mph changeup with fade and sink to get batters to swing and miss. There are few successful fastball/changeup righthanded starters in the big leagues, so Wilson will need to sharpen his breaking ball, but he has the strike-throwing ability and physicality to be a durable, innings-eating back-of-the-rotation type.
  
  THE FUTURE: Wilson has done all he can do in the minors and will look to establish himself in the big leagues in 2020.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Wilson was the IL’s ERA leader (3.42). It’s an impressive feat considering he sported a 5.74 ERA halfway through May. Wilson has yet to carry that success over to the major leagues, but against Triple-A hitters, his 93-97 mph plus fastball has consistently stymied hitters. He also led the league with a 1.21 WHIP. Wilson’s mid-80s changeup has improved, as it now has some fade at the plate to go with solid separation. His slider continues to be inconsistent. “He eats up innings,” Stripers manager Damon Berryhill said. “He runs into trouble trying to do too much when he’s up (in the majors). He’s really starting to learn about himself. He’s getting comfortable with who he is.” Wilson is athletic and durable. “He’s a strong kid, and still a kid,” Berryhill said.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  After cruising through Class A, Wilson had to adjust to Double-A hitters. He found that what worked for him in the Florida State League (fastballs in the zone, offspeed out of it) was not as effective against more advanced hitters. But Wilson has commanded his fastball better of late and was showing he can throw his breaking ball for strikes when needed.