Cole Wilcox

Wilcox attended Heritage High School in Ringgold, Georgia, where he played baseball, basketball, and football.[1] He committed to play college baseball at the University of Georgia as a freshman.[2] In 2018, his senior year, he went 9–2 with a 1.59 ERA, striking out 95 batters over ​65 ²⁄₃ innings.[3][4] He was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the 37th round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign and instead chose to fulfill his college commitment.[5]

In 2019, Wilcox's freshman year at Georgia, he appeared in 19 games (six starts) in which he went 3–2 with a 4.07 ERA, striking out 64 over ​59 ²⁄₃ innings.[6] He specifically excelled during SEC play, compiling a 2.29 ERA and a .184 batting average against over ​43 ²⁄₃ innings pitched during conference play.[7] He was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team.[8] That summer, he played for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team,[9][10] and also played briefly for the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[11]

Wilcox entered his sophomore year in 2020 as a top prospect for the 2020 Major League Baseball draft.[12][13] He compiled a 3–0 record and a 1.57 ERA over four starts before the college baseball season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[14] The San Diego Padres selected Wilcox in the third round, with the 80th overall selection, of the draft.[15] He signed with the Padres on June 30 for a $3.3 million signing bonus, a record among players drafted in the third round.[16]

On December 29, 2020, Wilcox, along with Luis Patiño, Blake Hunt, and Francisco Mejía, were traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for pitcher Blake Snell.[17]