| Brad Wilkerson | |
|---|---|
 Wilkerson with the Mariners in 2008 | |
| Outfielder /First baseman | |
| Born: (1977-06-01)June 1, 1977 (age 48) Owensboro, Kentucky, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 12, 2001, for the Montreal Expos | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 28, 2008, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .247 |
| Home runs | 122 |
| Runs batted in | 399 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Stephen Bradley Wilkerson (born June 1, 1977) is an American former professionalbaseballoutfielder andfirst baseman who played eight seasons inMajor League Baseball (MLB).
Wilkerson playedcollege baseball for theUniversity of Florida, and was selected by theMontreal Expos in the first round of the1998 MLB draft. During his major league career, Wilkerson played for the Montreal Expos /Washington Nationals,Boston Red Sox,Texas Rangers,Seattle Mariners, andToronto Blue Jays. He also won a gold medal in the2000 Olympics with theUnited States.
Wilkerson became a coach after retiring as a player. He is currently the associate head coach of theNorth Florida Ospreys. He served as anassistant hitting coach for theNew York Yankees in2023.
Wilkerson attended and played baseball atApollo High School. He also played for theU.S. national under-18 team in 1995. He was themost valuable player of theWorld Junior Baseball Championship, pitching a three-hitshutout againstTaiwan in thegold medal game,hitting .360, and leading Team USA with threehome runs and eightruns batted in (RBI) for the tournament.[1]
A line drive hitter and versatile defensive player, Wilkerson received an athletic scholarship to attend theUniversity of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coachAndy Lopez'sFlorida Gators baseball team from 1996 to 1998. A three-time first-teamAll-American, Wilkerson led the Gators to theCollege World Series in 1996 and 1998 with both his hitting and pitching. In the1996 College World Series, he hit a dramaticgrand slam to defeat the rivalFlorida State Seminoles.
As a junior in 1998, 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. The Gators advanced to the1998 College World Series, and he was awarded theRotary Smith Award as the most outstanding player in college baseball.[2]
The pitcher-outfielder holds a number of season and career school records, including career batting average (.381), career slugging percentage (.714), and career on-base percentage (.531).[3]
Wilkerson was inducted into theUniversity of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 2010,[4][5] and theNational College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012.[6] In 2014, he received his bachelor's degree in sport management from the University of Florida.[7]
TheMontreal Expos selected Wilkerson in the first round, with the 33rd overall selection, of the1998 Major League Baseball draft.[8] Initially, he struggled in the minors. In1999, Wilkerson hit .235 with eight home runs and 49 RBI with the Double-AHarrisburg Senators.[9] Back in theEastern League to start the2000 season, Wilkerson tore up the league, hitting .336 with six home runs, 44 RBI and 36doubles in 66 games.[9] He was on pace to break the Eastern League record for doubles in a season before he was promoted to Triple-AOttawa, of theInternational League. For the season, Wilkerson played in 129 games combined between Harrisburg and Ottawa, batting .295 with 18 home runs, 79 RBIs, and 47 doubles in 441at-bats.[9]
While coming up through the minors, Wilkerson was a member of the gold medal-winningUnited States baseball team in theSydney Olympics.[10] In one of the biggest upsets in Olympic baseball history, Team USA defeatedCuba 4–0 in the gold medal game.[1]
Wilkerson made his major league debut with Montreal on July 12,2001 against theTampa Bay Devil Rays. He finished the game 0-for-3 with a walk.[11] He recorded his first major leaguehit offTim Wakefield of the Boston Red Sox on July 17, 2001,[12] and his first major league home run off Atlanta Braves pitcherJason Marquis on July 26, 2001.[13]
In 2002 and 2003, Wilkerson delivered almost identical seasons with a .266 average, 20 home runs and 59 RBI in 2002, and a .268 average, 19 home runs, and 77 RBI in 2003.[14] In 2002, Wilkerson's 20 home runs set an Expos rookie record, and he was named Rookie of the Year byThe Sporting News.[10] His most productive season came in2004, when he posted career-highs in homers (32), hits (146), doubles (39),runs (112),walks (106),slugging percentage (.498) andOPS (.872), and hitting .255 with 67 RBI.[14] Hehit for the cycle on June 24, 2003, againstPittsburgh (with the Expos).[15] In that first instance, Wilkerson became the first player since1957 to have the minimum four plate appearances and hit for anatural cycle.
In 2004, he hit the last home run in Expos franchise history.[16] He appeared once more in an Expos uniform during theMLB Japan All-Star Series following the regular season. The Expos franchise then became the Washington Nationals for the2005 season, prompting some to call Wilkerson "The Last Expo."[17]
Wilkerson opened the 2005 season as the regularcenter fielder and leadoff hitter for the Nationals. He hit for the cycle for the second time on April 6, againstPhiladelphia in the Nationals' second game after leaving Montreal.[18] Wilkerson also hit the first grand slam by a Nationals player.[19]
On December 7, 2005, Wilkerson was traded to theTexas Rangers along with outfielderTerrmel Sledge and pitching prospectArmando Galarraga forsecond basemanAlfonso Soriano.[20] With the Rangers in2007, Wilkerson hit three home runs in one game against theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the third player to do so in 2007 after Soriano andCarlos Lee.[21] 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 31,2008, Wilkerson signed a one-year, $3 million contract with theSeattle Mariners.[22] He started on opening day, but after batting .232 in 19 games, the Marinersdesignated him for assignment on April.[23][24] On May 8, he was given his unconditional release. On May 9, he signed with theToronto Blue Jays.[25] He is one of the few players to play both Canadian MLB teams, the Blue Jays and Expos.[26] On August 22, he was put on the 15-dayinjured list with lower back spasms.[27] On October 30, 2008, Wilkerson elected free agency.[28]
On February 16,2009, Wilkerson signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with theBoston Red Sox.[29] He decided to retire in April 2009, having had one hit in nine Triple-A at-bats.[30]
Attempting a comeback, Wilkerson signed a minor league contract with thePhiladelphia Phillies on February 23, 2010.[31] However, he was released on March 29.[32] He retired with a .247 batting average, .350 on-base percentage, and 122 career home runs.[14]
In 2014, Wilkerson agreed to manage a middle school baseball team atThe King's Academy inWest Palm Beach, Florida, leading the team to a league championship in his first year.[33] After the season, Wilkerson was hired as the school's high school coach.[34]
Wilkerson is also a coach forUSA Baseball. In 2014, he was named Volunteer Coach of the Year by the organization.[35]
On July 17, 2020,Jacksonville University hired Wilkerson as an assistant coach for theDolphins.[10]
On January 30, 2023, theNew York Yankees hired Wilkerson as their assistant hitting coach.[36] The team relieved him of the position after the season and replaced him withPat Roessler.[37]
On Aug. 17, 2024, Wilkerson was hired as the associate head coach at theUniversity of North Florida, where he is in charge of hitting and coaching third base.[38]
Wilkerson married Dana Marie Gleason in 2006. They have three children, Ella, Ava and Max. In 2006, he was named aKentucky Colonel by GovernorErnie Fletcher, the highest honor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.[39]
Wilkerson participated in numerous charitable functions over the course of his major league career and he continues to do so post-retirement. He holds a charity golf tournament annually to raise money for various children's charities.[citation needed]
· Baseball Almanac| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Sporting News National League Rookie of the Year 2002 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Hitting for the cycle June 24, 2003 April 6, 2005 | Succeeded by |
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