Brad Wilkerson

Infobox MLB player
name=Brad Wilkerson

---

width=250
caption=Wilkerson with the Mariners in 2008
positionplain=Outfielder / First baseman
team=Toronto Blue Jays
number=35
bats=Left
throws=Left
birthdate=birth date and age|1977|6|1
birthplace=city-state|Owensboro|Kentucky
debutdate=July 12
debutyear=2001
debutteam=Montreal Expos
statyear=2008 season
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value= .247
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value= 122
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=399
teams=
*Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals (by|2001-by|2005)
*Texas Rangers (by|2006-by|2007)
*Seattle Mariners (by|2008)
*Toronto Blue Jays (by|2008-present)

Stephen Bradley Wilkerson (born June 1, 1977 in Owensboro, Kentucky) is an outfielder and first baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays. Previously, Wilkerson played with the Montreal Expos, Washington Nationals, Texas Rangers, and Seattle Mariners. He bats and throws left-handed. He is married and has two kids, Gracie and Ava. On the field, Brad is affectionately known as "The Wilk." Originating during his days with the Expos, the nickname struck a chord with the Montreal faithful, who accordingly, spurred the phrase "Ahya The Wilk!"

Amateur career

A line drive hitter and versatile defensive player, Wilkerson attended the University of Florida and was selected by the Montreal Expos in the first round (33rd pick) of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft.

Wilkerson played for the national junior team in 1995. He was both a pitcher as well as a hitter. He was the MVP of the World Junior Championship, pitching a three-hit shutout against Taiwan in the gold medal game and hitting .360 with three home runs and eight RBI for the tournament, leading Team USA in homers and RBI. A two-time first-team All-American, Wilkerson led Florida to the College World Series in by|1996 and 1998 with both his hitting and pitching. The Gators went to the College World Series, where Brad hit a dramatic grand slam to beat state rival Florida State.

The Gators made a return trip to the CWS two years later in Wilkerson's junior year. As a junior, he became the first player in college history to hit 20 home runs, steal 20 bases, and win 10 games as a pitcher in the same year. He was named the College Player of the Year by Rotary Smith. [ [http://www.bradwilkerson.net/biography.html BradWilkerson.net ] ]

Early career

Minors

Initially, Wilkerson struggled in the minors. In by|1999, Wilkerson hit only .235 with eight home runs and 49 RBI at Double-A Harrisburg, a challenging assignment for his first full professional season. Back in the Eastern League to start the (by|2000) season, Wilkerson tore up the league, hitting .336, 6, 44 with 36 doubles. He was on pace to break the Eastern League record for doubles in a season before he was promoted to Triple-A Ottawa, of the International League. For the season, he was hitting .304-15-75 with 47 doubles in 408 at-bats.

Olympic Games

While coming up through the minors, Wilkerson was a member of the gold medal-winning USA baseball team in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. In one of the biggest upsets in Olympic history, Team USA defeated Cuba 4-0 in the Gold Medal Game.

Major league career

Wilkerson debuted with Montreal on July 12, (mlby|2001), appearing in 38 games at left field. He recorded his first major league hit off Greg Maddux and his first major league home run off Jason Marquis.

From mlby|2002-mlby|2003, Wilkerson delivered almost identical seasons with a .266 average, 20 home runs and 59 RBI in (2002), and .268, 19, 77 in (2003). In 2002, he hit 20 home runs, an Expos rookie record and was named Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News. His most productive season came in (mlby|2004), when he posted career-highs in homers (32), hits (146), doubles (39), runs (112), walks (106), slugging percentage (.498) and OPS (.872), and hitting .255 with 67 RBI. In 2004, he hit the last home run in Expos history. He appeared once more in a Montreal Expos uniform during the Major League Baseball Japan All-Star Series shortly after the 2004 regular season. The Expos were to become the Washington Nationals for the mlby|2005 season, prompting some to refer to Wilkerson as "The Last Expo."

Wilkerson opened the 2005 season as the regular center fielder and leadoff hitter for the new Washington Nationals. On December 7, 2005, Wilkerson was traded to the Texas Rangers along with outfielder Terrmel Sledge and minor league pitching prospect Armando Galarraga for second baseman Alfonso Soriano.

Wilkerson has hit for the cycle twice, the first on June 24, 2003, against Pittsburgh (with the Expos). In that occurrence, Wilkerson became the first player since mlby|1957 to have the minimum four plate appearances and hit for a natural cycle. The second time was on April 6, 2005, against Philadelphia (with the Nationals).

While playing for the Texas Rangers in mlby|2007, Wilkerson hit three home runs in one game - the third player to do so in 2007 behind Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Lee. An injury to, and later the trade of, Mark Teixeira led to Wilkerson making many of his starts at first base in 2007.

On January 31, mlby|2008, Wilkerson signed a one-year contract with the Seattle Mariners. On April 30, he was designated for assignment, and on May 8 was given his unconditional release. May 9, he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays .On August 22, he was put on the 15-day disabled list by the Toronto Blue Jays . [ [http://tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=237246&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_main Jays sign Brad Wilkerson, Deal for Kevin Mench] ]

According to an 2007 interview on MLB on Five, he has been a Liverpool FC fan since childhood; coincidentally the club is now co-owned by Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks.

ee also

*Hitting for the cycle
*Major League Baseball hitters with three home runs in one game

References

External links

* [http://www.bradwilkerson.net Official website]
* [http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/leagues/international/0823usacaps1.html Baseball America]

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