Austin

Wilson

Wilson is receiving $590,000 more than the recommended slot value for the No. 49 overall selection. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound outfielder suffered a stress reaction in his right elbow during Stanford’s opening series against Rice that limited him to only 31 games this spring. Overall, the junior batted .288/.387/.475 while trimming his once-concerning strikeout rate.

The former second-round pick out of Stanford batted just .226/.338/.375 with 13 home runs and seven stolen bases in 104 games this past season at High-A Bakersfield. Wilson will try to revitalize his prospect stock in the Cardinals organization, though he’s already 24 years old and will turn 25 in February.

The dinger was just the second of the season for Wilson, who’s batting just .202/.311/.281 with 26 strikeouts through 26 games. The 23-year-old outfielder’s slow start is disappointing, as he’s coming off a breakout 2014 campaign in which he posted an .893 OPS with 32 extra-base hits (12 home runs) and 54 RBI in 72 games at Low-A Clinton. There is concern about how Wilson’s approach and lengthy swing will translate against Double-A pitching, but few expected him to struggle like he has at the High-A level, let alone in the hitter-friendly California League.

Wilson knocked in six runs as part of the 16-13 slug fest, and sits at .309/.382/.495 with seven doubles, one triple, and three home runs for the season. He has the potential to be a force in the middle of the order, but he is surprisingly raw given the fact that he spent three years in college. He is a future corner outfielder, so he will have to hit in order to reach the major leagues.

The 22-year-old was also 3-for-4 with two runs and a walk. The No. 49 overall selection in the 2013 draft, Wilson spent his professional debut last summer at Short-Season Everett, where he batted .241/.319/.414 with 11 doubles, six home runs and a 42/17 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 56 games. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound outfielder is an impressive talent and loaded with upside, but he’s also very raw for a player of his age and college background.

He drove in four of Bakersfield’s 19 runs on Saturday. The 23-year-old has hit .368 during his 10-game hitting streak and is now batting .292 in 48 games since the All-Star break. In the first half, he hit just .191 with an embarrassing .299 slugging percentage. The Mariners have to be pleased with Wilson’s rapid improvement.