Fan favorite Guardians prospect contributes to incredible feat in Double-A

Guardians pitching prospect Matt Wilkinson has all the things needed to become a fan favorite in Cleveland. He’s got a cool story (he once struck out 15 batters in the Little League World Series), a pitch with a unique name (the “Invisi-ball”) and an 80-grade nickname (Tugboat). 

And now he has a piece of baseball history, as he helped pitch Minor League Baseball’s first no-hitter of the year. 

On Sunday, Wilkinson threw perfect innings at Double-A Akron to help kick off a combined no-hitter in the RubberDucks’ 4-0 win over Binghamton, marking the first no-hitter in Minor League Baseball this season. 

While Wilkinson has had plenty of success in his three-plus seasons in the minors, you’d be hard-pressed to find a start better than his one on Sunday, as he racked up five strikeouts across his five innings of work. 

Akron manager Greg DiCenzo pulled him after those five innings (70 pitches), but Matt Jachec, Magnus Ellerts, Jay Driver and Jack Carey finished the job with four hitless innings. 

The legend of Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson continues to grow in Guardians’ minor league system 

With the start, Wilkinson now has a 1.35 ERA across 13 1/3 innings (three starts) in Double-A this season, a far cry from the 4.24 ERA he posted in 104 innings last year at High-A. 

Although Wilkinson hasn’t pitched above Double-A in his career, he was thrust onto the big league stage earlier this spring when he pitched for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic and threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings. 

His final apperance came in the form of two scoreless innings against Team USA in the quarterfinal round where he recorded strikeouts against Cal Raleigh and Bryce Harper.

Sunday’s start marked the second time that Wilkinson has carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning in his professional career, with the first instance coming a little less than two years ago when he struck out 15 hitters across six innings in a start at High-A Lynchburg (now the Hill City Howlers). 

Even if the 23-year-old Wilkinson is still a bit raw as a prospect (he’s never been included on MLB Pipeline’s top 30 list for the Guardians), he’s thrown his way into fans hearts thanks to his 80-grade nickname and baffling Invisi-ball. 

And it would be one thing if his start over the weekend was a flash in the pan, but he’s continued to prove that he can handle everything that comes at him. 

The Guardians’ rotation is obviously in a good spot thanks to Parker Messick and Gavin Williams announcing themselves as co-aces, but the depth is a little light behind them. 

While Wilkinson’s likely a year or two away from making it to the big leagues, he’s a rising star who could be an immediate contributor if/when he’s called upon for a big league stint.

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