Aaron Daniel Wilkerson (born May 24, 1989) is an American

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Modern professiona ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, who attempts to e ...

for the

Leones de Yucatán The Leones de Yucatán (English: Yucatán Lions) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League. The team play its home games at Parque Kukulcán Alamo in Mérida, Yucatán. The Leones have won the Mexican League title five times in , , , ...

of the

Mexican League The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country. The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...

. He has played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL) ...

(MLB) for the

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. The Brewers are named for the city's association wi ...

. After breaking two pitching records in the

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its stud ...

for

Cumberland University Cumberland University is a private university in Lebanon, Tennessee. It was founded in 1842. The campus's current historic buildings were constructed between 1892 and 1896. History 1842-1861 The university was founded by the Cumberland ...

, Wilkerson overcame

Tommy John surgery Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as Tommy John surgery (TJS), is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's ...

,Salem Red Sox pitcher Wilkerson the ultimate survivor
''The Roanoke Times''. Retrieved on April 23, 2016. and four independent league trades in a single season, to join the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eig ...

organization.Aaron Wilkerson page
''SoxProspects.com''. Retrieved on June 25, 2016. The Red Sox traded him to the Brewers in 2016. Although he features a four-pitch mix, including a

curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curv ...

slider Slider or Sliders may refer to: Arts * K.K. Slider, a fictional character within the ''Animal Crossing'' franchise * ''The Slider'', a 1972 album by T. Rex * ''Sliders'' (TV series), an American science fiction and fantasy television series * S ...

, and

changeup A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball. The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...

, Wilkerson throws the secondary pitches sparingly in comparison to his

fastball The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. " Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have t ...

, which usually sits 91–93 mph and tops out at 95 mph, according to a Red Sox scouting report. On April 17, 2019, Wilkerson recorded his first MLB hit and home run in the same at bat, hitting a two-run home run off

Michael Wacha Michael Joseph Wacha (; born July 1, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets, Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox. He played c ...

Amateur career

Wilkerson attended

Midway High School Midway High School is a public high school located in the city of Waco, Texas, USA and classified as a 6A school by the UIL. It is part of the Midway Independent School District, which serves the Waco, Texas area. Although the school is locate ...

Waco, Texas Waco ( ) is the county seat of McLennan County, Texas, United States. It is situated along the Brazos River and Interstate 35, I-35, halfway between Dallas and Austin, Texas, Austin. The city had a 2020 population of 138,486, making it the List ...

. He enrolled at

, where he played

college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...

for the Cumberland Bulldogs. With Cumberland, he won a

(NAIA)

World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 World Series, 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The ...

championship in 2010. Wilkerson posted a 14–1

win–loss record In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...

with 14 consecutive victories, 11

complete game In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pit ...

s, and a team-best 2.13

earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the numb ...

(ERA) in

innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning ...

, while leading the nation with 125 strikeouts and being named both a Second Team

All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

n and the NAIA World Series All-Tournament Team.#8 Aaron Wilkerson
''Cumberland University Athletics website''. Retrieved on June 22, 2016. As a senior in 2011, Wilkerson set an NAIA record by pitching 54 consecutive scoreless innings streak from February 9 to April 8. He finished that season with a 12–0 undefeated mark and a 1.49 ERA, closing his college career by setting other NAIA record while winning 26 straight decisions. Besides, he earned First Team All-American honors and was named TranSouth Conference Pitcher of the Week three times. Doctors revealed that Wilkerson had pitched that season with a frayed

ulnar collateral ligament Ulnar collateral ligament (or UCL), may refer to: * Ulnar carpal collateral ligament * Ulnar collateral ligament of elbow joint The ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) or internal lateral ligament is a thick triangular ligament at the medial aspe ...

in his right elbow. As a result, he underwent

went undrafted out of Cumberland in 2011. He left baseball for two years while stocking frozen food shelves.

Professional career

Fort Worth Cats

Wilkerson started his professional career in 2013 with the

Fort Worth Cats The Fort Worth Cats was a professional baseball team based in Fort Worth, Texas, in the United States. The Cats were a member of the South Division of the now disbanded United League Baseball, which was not affiliated with Major League Baseball. ...

in the independent

United League Baseball United League Baseball was an independent baseball league that operated in Texas. The league operated from 2006 to 2009. The league then temporarily merged with the Northern League and the Golden Baseball League to form the North American Lea ...

. At the time, Wilkerson had to rebuild his mechanics completely with the help of his Fort Worth pitching coach and a private instructor introduced to him by his brother. He had a 9–1 record and a 2.74 ERA in 13 games.Aaron Wilkerson – Minor League Baseball career
''Baseball Reference''. Retrieved on June 22, 2016.

Florence Freedom/Grand Prairie AirHogs

He then was traded to the

Florence Freedom The Florence Y'alls are a professional baseball team based within the Greater Cincinnati region in the city of Florence, Kentucky. The Y'alls are a member of the West Division of the Frontier League, an independent baseball league. Since 2004, t ...

of the

Frontier League The Frontier League is a professional independent baseball league with teams in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Eastern Canada. Formed in 1993, it is the oldest currently running independent league in the United States. The le ...

in the midseason, and finished the year with the

Grand Prairie AirHogs The Texas AirHogs were a professional baseball team based in Grand Prairie, Texas from 2008 to 2020. The AirHogs were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Be ...

of the American Association. Overall, he went 10–2 with a 2.96 ERA in 19 starts in the three leagues.

Boston Red Sox

In 2014, Wilkerson was 3–1 with a 3.35 ERA in 13 games for Grand Prairie, before joining the Red Sox organization when his contract was purchased from the AirHogs in August. After that, he went 5–1 with a 1.62 ERA in eight starts at short-season A-level

Lowell Spinners The Lowell Spinners were a baseball team based in Lowell, Massachusetts. From 1996 to 2020, they were members of Minor League Baseball's New York–Penn League (NYPL) as the Class A Short Season affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. With Major League ...

. After that, Wilkerson posted a 7–2 record with a 2.96 ERA, 1.05

walks plus hits per inning pitched In baseball statistics, walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) is a sabermetric measurement of the number of baserunners a pitcher has allowed per inning pitched. WHIP is calculated by adding the number of walks and hits allowed and divi ...

(WHIP) ratio and .218

batting average against In baseball statistics, batting average against (denoted by BAA or AVG), also known as opponents' batting average (denoted by OBA), is a statistic that measures a pitcher's ability to prevent hits during official at bats. It can alternatively be ...

in 17 outings (12 starts) for High-A

Salem Red Sox The Salem Red Sox are a Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB), based in Salem, an independent city adjacent to Roanoke, Virginia. The team competes at the Single-A level in the Carolina League. Hom ...

in 2015. He then went 4–1 with a 2.66 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and .192 BAA in seven starts for Double-A

Portland Sea Dogs The Portland Sea Dogs are a Minor League Baseball team based in Portland, Maine, playing in the Eastern League. Established in 1994, the Sea Dogs are the Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. The Sea Dogs became part of the Red Sox syst ...

. Wilkerson followed with a brief stint in the

Arizona Fall League The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season sports league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during the autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are fi ...

, as the starter sent to the

Scottsdale Scorpions The Scottsdale Scorpions are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League. They play their home games in Scottsdale, Arizona, at Scottsdale Stadium, which is also the spring training facility of the San Francisco G ...

from the Red Sox, but he had to left the Scorpions to pitch for the USA squad in the inaugural World Baseball Softball Confederation Premier12 Tournament held in

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northe ...

and Japan in November 2015. In 2016, Wilkerson appeared in eight games for Portland, posting a 2–1 record with a 2.12 ERA and .175 BAA, striking out 48 batters while

walking Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults o ...

14 in innings. He then gained a promotion to Triple-A

Pawtucket Red Sox The Pawtucket Red Sox, known colloquially as the PawSox, were a professional minor league baseball club based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. From 1973 to 2020, the team was a member of the International League and served as the Triple-A affiliate ...

in late April. In 41 innings across eight Pawtucket appearances, Wilkerson went 4–1 with a 2.20 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, .222 BAA, 49 strikeouts, and 10 walks.Aaron Wilkerson profile
''MiLB.com.'' Retrieved on June 25, 2016.

Milwaukee Brewers

On July 7, 2016, the Red Sox traded Wilkerson and Wendell Rijo to the

for Aaron Hill. He spent the rest of the 2016 season with the Triple-A

Colorado Springs Sky Sox The Colorado Springs Sky Sox were a Minor League Baseball team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team played in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and was the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Milwaukee Brewers (2015–2018), Colorado Rocki ...

. In 2017, he began the season with the Double-A

Biloxi Shuckers The Biloxi Shuckers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Biloxi, Mississippi, and are named in reference to the city's oyster industry and seafood her ...

. On September 15, 2017, Wilkerson was added to the Brewers' 40-man roster. In 3 major league games for the Brewers in 2018, Wilkerson allowed 10 earned runs in 9 innings, spending the majority of the year in Triple-A with the

. On April 17, 2019 Wilkerson recorded his first MLB hit and home run in the same at bat hitting a two-run home run off

. On September 1, 2019, Wilkerson was

designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the play ...

after allowing 13 runs in 16.0 innings across 8 appearances in 2019. Wilkerson did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Minor League Baseball season because of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...

. He became a free agent on November 2, 2020. On December 17, 2020, Wilkerson signed with the

Rakuten Monkeys The Rakuten Monkeys (), formerly First Financial Holdings Agan (, abbreviated ), La New Bears () and then the Lamigo Monkeys (), are a professional baseball team in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in Taiwan. Owned and administer ...

of the

Chinese Professional Baseball League The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL; ) is the top-tier professional baseball league in Taiwan. The league was established in 1989 and played the first season in 1990. CPBL eventually absorbed the competing Taiwan Major League in 2 ...

. However, he opted out of his contract prior to the season due to family reasons.

Los Angeles Dodgers

On May 1, 2021, Wilkerson signed a minor league contract with the

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brookly ...

organization. He appeared in 23 games (19 starts) for the Triple-A

Oklahoma City Dodgers The Oklahoma City Dodgers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and play their hom ...

and was 8–5 with a 3.86 ERA. He became a free agent following the season.

Hanshin Tigers

On December 7, 2021, Wilkerson signed with the

Hanshin Tigers The Hanshin Tigers (Japanese: 阪神タイガース ''Hanshin Taigāsu'') are a Nippon Professional Baseball team playing in the Central League. The team is based in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and is owned by Hanshin Electric Railway ...

Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''. Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formatio ...

. Wilkerson made 14 appearances for Hanshin, pitching to a 5-5 record and 4.08 ERA with 54 strikeouts across 70.2 innings of work. He became a free agent following the 2022 season.

Leones de Yucatán

On February 21, 2023, Wilkerson signed with the

of the

.https://www.milb.com/mexican/news/leones-refuerzo-de-lujo-a-la-cueva-x9201

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilkerson, Aaron 1989 births Living people Baseball players from Fort Worth, Texas Biloxi Shuckers players Colorado Springs Sky Sox players Cumberland Phoenix baseball players Florence Freedom players Fort Worth Cats players Gigantes del Cibao players American expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic Grand Prairie AirHogs players Greenville Drive players Lowell Spinners players Major League Baseball pitchers Mesa Solar Sox players Milwaukee Brewers players Pawtucket Red Sox players Portland Sea Dogs players Salem Red Sox players San Antonio Missions players Scottsdale Scorpions players United States national baseball team players Oklahoma City Dodgers players