Weston Wilson leaned on one word that got him through a lost COVID season in 2020, a revamping of his swing and a crazy injury in 2021, an unproductive 2022 and a career season this year that has not yet yielded his first major-league promotion.
Trust.
Wilson has maintained trust in his strong Christian faith, wife and family, friends and teammates and the diligent work he has put into his professional baseball career.
“I’m trusting that something good is going to come out of my time here,” the 28-year-old IronPigs utility player said. “Obviously, I want to play in the big leagues. This is another step along the way. It’s preparing me for the big leagues. That’s what I’m leaning on right now.”
Wilson entered Thursday’s game against the Syracuse Mets leading Lehigh Valley in games played (91), home runs (25), RBIs (64), walks (54) and runs (66), and is second with 21 stolen bases.
The North Carolina native’s home run and stolen base totals are career highs. He needs one RBI to tie his previous best (2018) and can play seven positions.
But Wilson has watched 12 teammates, including first-timer McKinley Moore, gets promotions this season to the Phillies while not getting the late-night, good news phone call from manager Anthony Contreras.
Wilson was the 2016 17th-round pick of the Brewers out of Clemson. He revamped his swing during the 2020 COVID season after producing 41 extra-base hits and driving 58 runs in 128 games for Double-A Biloxi (Mississippi).
It paid off. Wilson had a solid 2021 campaign with Triple-A Nashville, but it was cut short by a blood clot in his shoulder. He had thoracic outlet syndrome surgery to remove a rib and neck muscle.
“I never dealt with pain, numbness or tingling that comes with TOS,” he said, “which was weird. I woke up and the doctor said we removed a 4.7-inch blood clot from your shoulder. I was fortunate that it didn’t break off in the week in between when it was found and the surgery.”
Wilson’s misfortune continued in 2022. He failed to produce the same as he did the previous year.
His determination helped extend his hitting struggles.
“I think last year I tried too hard to repeat [2021] coming back from [the surgery],” he said. “There were a lot of voices in my head. Honestly, I had no clue what I was doing at the plate. It was a tough year for me.”
Wilson picked a bad time to be a free agent, but felt he found a good fit with the Phillies when he signed in January.
His struggles, however, carried over from the previous season. The right-handed hitter batted .190 with five homers and 29 strikeouts in his first 108 plate appearances with the IronPigs.
But Wilson trusted his game plan.
Lehigh Valley’s first trip this season to Syracuse at the beginning of May jump started Wilson’s three-month stint of stellar offensive production.
“I felt something different that I hadn’t felt in a full year,” Wilson said, “like I felt in 2021. Ever since then, I kept that feel. It’s a long season. The more you think about the length of it, you can put each day by itself, separate the good days from bad days.
“[IronPigs hitting coach Joe Thurston] said something to me about that move with my hands,” he said. “That first month, it was happening all at once when I was going forward. I need that to be something that happens earlier. It’s more of a recognition and timing thing. When it’s all at once, it’s hard to stop and you end up chasing pitches.”
Wilson got confirmation by watching video. He saw that he was more upright in his stance and allowing the ball to get deeper.
He also said he was able to work through the tough stretch thanks to his support system. Teammates including Jim Haley, Scott Kingery and Dustin Peterson had his back.
There also are the Bible study group meetings each week that helped Wilson and other IronPigs maintain perspective.
Wilson hit .333 in the Syracuse series in early May, which pivoted his season. He’s now on pace to become the franchise’s single-season home run leader (Rhys Hoskins, 29 in 2017). Wilson’s previous career best was 19 in 2019.
“Once you get a taste of it,” Contreras said, “the more you how learn how to do it. When I was playing in Triple-A against Wil Myers, I heard a story about how he was not a home run hitter until he started to practice that swing and was able to do it consistently.
“Weston has the ability to put the ball in play and do things with the bat,” he said. “But when he found that home run swing and was able to replicate it in the cage, the more he can do it in the game and the more you know what pitches you can do with it.”
Wilson is slashing .296/.404/.614 in his last 64 games entering Thursday, with 20 homers, 52 RBIs and 50 runs.
But he has yet to be rewarded with a major-league promotion. Wilson has been among the first to offer the dozen teammates congratulations and support them. But there is a burn deep inside.
“I know the moments when the calls are not his,” Contreras said. “I keep a watchful eye on Weston, see how he goes about his work. He takes no day off. When he gets one, he wants to know why. I want that. He wants to get better. He asks questions and is worrying only about what he can control.”
Wilson’s professionalism hides the wonder about what he has to do to get the promotion. The uncertainty is heightened with the MLB trade deadline days away.
“I’m not going to lie,” he said. “It’s been tough at times. I keep thinking I’m right there, the opportunity is there, and it doesn’t happen.
“I’ve had to rely on my relationship with the Lord and a good group of guys in the clubhouse,” he said. “My wife is very supportive. I’m trusting something good is going to come out of my time.”
Morning Call reporter Tom Housenick can be reached at 610-820-6651 or at thousenick@mcall.com.
Source: Berkshire mont