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Gopher Baseball Aids Wilson in Paving His Own Baseball Journey
7/25/2019 9:02:00 AM | Baseball
BRISTOL, Va. – In this past June's Major League Baseball Draft, Eli Wilson's name was called on the third day, with the 484th overall pick. Wilson was the third of four Gophers to be taken off the board and the second catcher within his immediate family's history to become a pro selection. Yet, Wilson sees the MLB journey that lies ahead for him as uncharted territory; his own relationship with the game of baseball having no parallels. He is not following in anyone's footsteps. He is making his own.
When Wilson first got word the Pittsburgh Pirates would be selecting him with their 16th round pick, he did not believe it was true until his name officially appeared on the television's draft ticker. His father, Dan, sat next to him, taking in a moment that was quite familiar to him. Dan Wilson was selected by the Cincinnati Reds with the seventh overall pick in the 1990 MLB Draft.
"He was kind of feeling the emotions with me as it was happening," said the younger of the two Wilsons, reflecting on the moment. "Every draft experience is different, and he probably had a different experience than I did. I'm glad he got to be there for that moment when they called."
As a player, Dan Wilson is regarded by many as one of the best defensive catchers in the history of the MLB, owning a .995 career fielding percentage. Over the course of his 14-year big league career, the elder Wilson batted .262 and launched 88 home runs.
Although Eli grew up around major league clubhouses during his dad's playing years, he was always given the opportunity to create his own path through baseball. Wilson describes his father's impact on his own career as very influential, albeit with a conscious hands-off approach.
"He's kind of let me figure it out on my own, which has been a blessing" Wilson said. "He wants me to have fun and try to learn on my own and then when I do ask for help, he's there and helps me in any way he can. There's no feeling or bad game he hasn't had, so it's nice to have someone like that to talk to."
Having spent much of his life immersed in the culture of professional baseball, Wilson's draft moment was something he had envisioned on multiple occasions prior to June 5, 2019. Whether or not it would become a reality was yet to be seen.
"It was something that I always felt like if I worked hard enough that I'd be able to eventually get there," he said. "I really wanted a chance at professional baseball."
Now Wilson has that chance. Just like recently drafted Gophers Brett Schulze, Jake Stevenson and Nick Lackney, Wilson finds himself navigating the transition from amateur baseball to the professional ranks for the first time in his life.
Wilson, an All-Big Ten selection as a junior in 2019, boasts a rock solid collegiate resume at the catcher position. Throughout his Gopher career, he slashed a healthy .295/.391/.433 that is made all the more impressive when considering the demands of his position in the field. In 108 career starts, Wilson swatted 10 home runs, 24 doubles, 77 RBI, and scored 67 runs. Perhaps most importantly, he was a stalwart behind the dish, starting 55 of Minnesota's 56 games in 2019, making just six errors as a junior and only three during his sophomore campaign.
However, as Wilson becomes acclimated to wearing black and gold with the rookie-level Bristol Pirates rather than the maroon and gold, the game will be much different. It will be faster, more challenging and a day-to-day grind – just to mention a few.
"The biggest thing has been getting used to the everyday schedule," said Wilson. "It's all day, it's a full-time job pretty much during the season. It takes a toll on you physically and mentally and just getting used to that has been the biggest change."
As a Bristol Pirate, Wilson is embarking on a 70-game season that will take place during a span of just over three months. Looking back on his time as a Gopher, he feels Head Coach John Anderson and the Minnesota staff played a vital role in priming him for success as a pro ballplayer.
"Minnesota prepared me really well and it's a tribute to the culture they've built there with alumni coming back and just playing the best teams in the country," said Wilson.
The former Gopher backstop complimented Minnesota's strength of schedule as a driving force behind getting him ready for the next step in his career. Wilson compared pro ball to playing Friday night college games all the time, where the best starters and relievers are out there every single day.
In addition to the tangibles, Wilson also left Minneapolis with a handful of lessons passed down to him from his former skipper.
"Something that Coach Anderson preaches is controlling the controllables," Wilson said. "That's something that I've really taken to.
Already in his young pro career, Wilson has encountered his share of highs and lows. He homered twice in his first nine games with Bristol, then ran into a difficult cold spell through the middle portion of July. Now, Wilson is back on track again, collecting hits in each of the team's past three games, two coming as multi-hit performances.
"Another thing Coach Anderson would talk about is getting off the scoreboard and not being paralyzed by wins and losses and things like that," he said "I've noticed that a lot of kids coming from other college programs didn't get that same message."
Perhaps it is the wise words of Coach Anderson that will help guide Wilson throughout the tough times that every aspiring minor leaguer faces. Maybe it will be the calm and steadying presence of his father, who knows as well as any that baseball can be a cruel game.
Then again, it may be Wilson himself, a 21-year-old from Seattle that speaks with wisdom beyond his years.
"I know that the wins and losses and the good games and bad games I have personally in pro ball aren't really going to define who I am," he said. "I just have to keep working hard and see where it takes me."
Similar to the thousands of players that comprise Minor League Baseball, Wilson aspires to reach baseball's highest stage. As a 10th round pick, he likely falls somewhere in the middle of the Pirates' organizational radar. Still, Wilson is focusing on the process and what he has to do to show Pittsburgh he is big league material.
"That's the one nice thing about pro ball," Wilson said. "Once you get picked, it doesn't really matter what round you are. If you come and perform, you've got a chance to make it."
In the end, Wilson credits a single piece of his father's advice as one of the most important lessons he has clawed onto – and it would almost appear to be one right out of the Coach Anderson handbook, whom Dan Wilson also played for as a Gopher from 1988-90.
"A lot of stuff happens in organizations that you can't control," said Wilson. "You just have to try to become the best player you can be. That's kind of what I've been focusing on. If one day that means I make the big leagues, awesome. And if one day I fall up short, so be it. I just try to play to my potential and develop the best way I can."
So far, Eli Wilson has done just that.
When Wilson first got word the Pittsburgh Pirates would be selecting him with their 16th round pick, he did not believe it was true until his name officially appeared on the television's draft ticker. His father, Dan, sat next to him, taking in a moment that was quite familiar to him. Dan Wilson was selected by the Cincinnati Reds with the seventh overall pick in the 1990 MLB Draft.
"He was kind of feeling the emotions with me as it was happening," said the younger of the two Wilsons, reflecting on the moment. "Every draft experience is different, and he probably had a different experience than I did. I'm glad he got to be there for that moment when they called."
As a player, Dan Wilson is regarded by many as one of the best defensive catchers in the history of the MLB, owning a .995 career fielding percentage. Over the course of his 14-year big league career, the elder Wilson batted .262 and launched 88 home runs.
Although Eli grew up around major league clubhouses during his dad's playing years, he was always given the opportunity to create his own path through baseball. Wilson describes his father's impact on his own career as very influential, albeit with a conscious hands-off approach.
"He's kind of let me figure it out on my own, which has been a blessing" Wilson said. "He wants me to have fun and try to learn on my own and then when I do ask for help, he's there and helps me in any way he can. There's no feeling or bad game he hasn't had, so it's nice to have someone like that to talk to."
Having spent much of his life immersed in the culture of professional baseball, Wilson's draft moment was something he had envisioned on multiple occasions prior to June 5, 2019. Whether or not it would become a reality was yet to be seen.
"It was something that I always felt like if I worked hard enough that I'd be able to eventually get there," he said. "I really wanted a chance at professional baseball."
Now Wilson has that chance. Just like recently drafted Gophers Brett Schulze, Jake Stevenson and Nick Lackney, Wilson finds himself navigating the transition from amateur baseball to the professional ranks for the first time in his life.
Wilson, an All-Big Ten selection as a junior in 2019, boasts a rock solid collegiate resume at the catcher position. Throughout his Gopher career, he slashed a healthy .295/.391/.433 that is made all the more impressive when considering the demands of his position in the field. In 108 career starts, Wilson swatted 10 home runs, 24 doubles, 77 RBI, and scored 67 runs. Perhaps most importantly, he was a stalwart behind the dish, starting 55 of Minnesota's 56 games in 2019, making just six errors as a junior and only three during his sophomore campaign.
However, as Wilson becomes acclimated to wearing black and gold with the rookie-level Bristol Pirates rather than the maroon and gold, the game will be much different. It will be faster, more challenging and a day-to-day grind – just to mention a few.
"The biggest thing has been getting used to the everyday schedule," said Wilson. "It's all day, it's a full-time job pretty much during the season. It takes a toll on you physically and mentally and just getting used to that has been the biggest change."
As a Bristol Pirate, Wilson is embarking on a 70-game season that will take place during a span of just over three months. Looking back on his time as a Gopher, he feels Head Coach John Anderson and the Minnesota staff played a vital role in priming him for success as a pro ballplayer.
"Minnesota prepared me really well and it's a tribute to the culture they've built there with alumni coming back and just playing the best teams in the country," said Wilson.
The former Gopher backstop complimented Minnesota's strength of schedule as a driving force behind getting him ready for the next step in his career. Wilson compared pro ball to playing Friday night college games all the time, where the best starters and relievers are out there every single day.
In addition to the tangibles, Wilson also left Minneapolis with a handful of lessons passed down to him from his former skipper.
"Something that Coach Anderson preaches is controlling the controllables," Wilson said. "That's something that I've really taken to.
Already in his young pro career, Wilson has encountered his share of highs and lows. He homered twice in his first nine games with Bristol, then ran into a difficult cold spell through the middle portion of July. Now, Wilson is back on track again, collecting hits in each of the team's past three games, two coming as multi-hit performances.
"Another thing Coach Anderson would talk about is getting off the scoreboard and not being paralyzed by wins and losses and things like that," he said "I've noticed that a lot of kids coming from other college programs didn't get that same message."
Perhaps it is the wise words of Coach Anderson that will help guide Wilson throughout the tough times that every aspiring minor leaguer faces. Maybe it will be the calm and steadying presence of his father, who knows as well as any that baseball can be a cruel game.
Then again, it may be Wilson himself, a 21-year-old from Seattle that speaks with wisdom beyond his years.
"I know that the wins and losses and the good games and bad games I have personally in pro ball aren't really going to define who I am," he said. "I just have to keep working hard and see where it takes me."
Similar to the thousands of players that comprise Minor League Baseball, Wilson aspires to reach baseball's highest stage. As a 10th round pick, he likely falls somewhere in the middle of the Pirates' organizational radar. Still, Wilson is focusing on the process and what he has to do to show Pittsburgh he is big league material.
"That's the one nice thing about pro ball," Wilson said. "Once you get picked, it doesn't really matter what round you are. If you come and perform, you've got a chance to make it."
In the end, Wilson credits a single piece of his father's advice as one of the most important lessons he has clawed onto – and it would almost appear to be one right out of the Coach Anderson handbook, whom Dan Wilson also played for as a Gopher from 1988-90.
"A lot of stuff happens in organizations that you can't control," said Wilson. "You just have to try to become the best player you can be. That's kind of what I've been focusing on. If one day that means I make the big leagues, awesome. And if one day I fall up short, so be it. I just try to play to my potential and develop the best way I can."
So far, Eli Wilson has done just that.
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Tuesday, February 17
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Monday, February 16