Ex-infielder Wilson impresses as a pitcher in Blue Jays' system

Toronto Blue Jays prospect Brad Wilson shows off his wind up at spring training. Wilson, along with the rest of the pitchers took to the field on Tuesday for a late morning workout after being rained on for most of the morning. Photo: Luke Simard

By Luke Simard

Dunedin, Fla. - Role models in sports are often spread far and wide, but Brad Wilson’s was close to home - and his influence traveled with him his whole life.

Wilson’s role model was second baseman Brandon Phillips, who played 11 of his 17 big league seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, and whom he met as a youngster.

“The first game I went to, he stopped and took a picture with me and gave me an autograph,” Wilson said, on a wet day at the Toronto Blue Jays’ minor league complex. “The way he plays he has a lot of fun, lots of swagger, he’s always confident and reliable. He’s just always been my favourite.”

Phillips was a second basemen, and that was the goal for a young player who could play everywhere at Johnstown Northridge High School, in Ohio, and then on to college at Ohio Dominican, a Division II school.

“I played everything up until college, where I played third base in my freshman year. Then, after that … I was just much better at pitching so my coaches just made me a pitcher and I just kind of went from there.”

In his final year with ODU, Wilson was 4-3 in 25 appearances, nine saves and a 2.52 earned-run average.

He has grown into a reliever after being selected in the 13th round of the 2018 Major League amateur draft. He is coming off his first professional season with the Rookie League Bluefield Blue Jays where he enjoyed a successful campaign - 3-0, in 22 appearances, with a 1.63 ERA - and is bringing his game to spring training.