The Guardians traded Wilkinson and the 29th pick in the 2026 First-Year Player Draft to the Giants on Saturday in exchange for Patrick Bailey, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Wilkinson has performed well since receiving a promotion to Double-A at the start of the season, posting a 1.59 ERA and 0.93 WHIP alongside a 36:9 K:BB through 28.1 innings (six starts). He will likely report to Double-A Richmond to begin his tenure in the Giants organization.
... See More... See Less
Guardians' Matt Wilkinson: Cruising along for Captains
Rotowire
Wilkinson has a 2.30 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 103 strikeouts in 78.1 innings across 16 starts for High-A Lake County.
Affectionately nicknamed "Tugboat" due to his 6-foot-1, 270-pound frame, Wilkinson hasn't lost a step after getting promoted to the Captains on May 21. It's a bit telling that he hasn't been promoted to Double-A after dominating the Midwest League for a few months. Wilkinson projects as an innings-eating southpaw whose stuff plays much better in the lower levels than it will against upper-level and big-league hitters. The 21-year-old lacks a true plus offering and his fastball tops out at 93 mph and sometimes sits in the upper-80s.