11/2/20

Scouting Report - OF - Ethan Wilson


 Ethan Wilson

 

OF South Alabama 

 

Next On Deck -

 

13. Ethan Wilson, OF, South Alabama

 

6-foot-2, 205 pounds. Proportionally strong frame with athleticism. Left/left prospect that swings a quick bat, loose and easy power to pair. Profiles best as a corner outfielder that should hit for enough power to stick. One of the best freshman in the country back in 2018, hitting 17 home runs and winning Sunbelt Conference Player of the year.

  

AZ Snakepit -

 

Ethan Wilson, OF, South Alabama

 

The run of elite pitching prospects could be gone when the Diamondbacks are on the clock. Vanderbilt right-handers Kumar Rocker, Jack Leiter and LSU’s Hill could be picked with the first five selections.

 

If that’s the case, Arizona can stand pat and take a bat-first college prospect in South Alabama outfielder Ethan Wilson. Wilson’s untapped power was unleashed in his freshman year with 17 homers at a 1.139 OPS. He totaled three home runs during the shortened 2020 season.

 

Wilson’s sturdy 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame produces heavy pull-side power that ranks amongst the top in the class. A left handed batter, Wilson has quick hands and creates good extension on pitches low and inside. He creates great torque within his swing path to attack mistakes high or low in the zone, inevitably sending them over the right field bleachers.

 

Strikeouts have plagued Wilson’s effectiveness at the plate. He needs to be more patient and selective for his hit tool and power to reach its full potential. He has a can improve his plate discipline if a college baseball season rolls around. Being from a mid-major conference may hurt his stock, but he’s showcased enough power and offensive upside to be considered an early Top-10 selection.

 

Lookout Landing -

 

Ethan Wilson is a very good prospect, and I do think he’s got the potential to ascend into top ten consideration next spring. His helium will be incumbent on performing against the best arms he faces early next year. The swing and miss concerns are something to watch, though the small sample size in 2020 after a blistering hot 2019 should quell some of those concerns. The batted-ball data is among the best in the class and there’s reason to believe he may be available to the Mariners with the 12th pick in the draft. 

 

MLB -   

 

9. Ethan Wilson, OF, South Alabama

 

Wilson broke a South Alabama freshman record with 17 homers while hitting .345/.453/.686 in 2019, and there's debate as to which tool is better -- his hitting ability or his left-handed power. He's an average-to-solid runner with fringy arm strength, so he'll likely remain in left field when he transitions to pro ball. 

 

Diamond Digest -   

 

18) Ethan Wilson, OF, South Alabama

Wilson dominated the Sun Belt as a freshman in 2019, hammering 17 homers and slashing .345/.453/.686. He got off to a bit of a slower start to his 2020 campaign (.282/.329/.465), but had a fantastic weekend in Fayetteville against Arkansas shortly before the shutdown that may have gotten him going. Wilson’s power is his calling card. He has a dynamic lower half that generates some great torque that he transforms into plus bat speed. He rotates well to his pull side and he taps in to his monstrous raw power in games occasionally. He does have a considerable amount of swing and miss in his game which limits his ceiling, but he has the makings of a .250ish hitter with 22-25 bombs a year. In Wilson, I see a little bit of a Kyle Schwarber profile offensively. He probably won’t ever hit for as much home run power as Schwarber does now, but he does fit the mold of a high OBP/home run power/high strikeout numbers profile. Defensively he is expected to play CF for South Alabama this season, but I think he is more of a corner OF long term. He has decent speed right now that will almost assuredly get worse as he continues to grow older (he doesn’t have much projectability left, if any), making it harder for him to make up for his subpar jumps with his above average closing speed in the future. The team that drafts Wilson will be betting on his power and approach at the plate, but if he continues to progress he has the makings of an everyday corner outfielder.

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