Update on prospect George Wolkow written by Chris Clegg. Good to see the youngster making progress.
George Wolkow, OF, Chicago White Sox, 19, A
Is Wolkow putting it together? He blasted a home run on Sunday, which followed a three-hit day on Saturday. Through May 13, Wolkow slashed a poor .175/.268/.223 with a 29 percent strikeout rate. Since that date, Wolkow has gotten 108 plate appearances and slashed .287/.370/.543 with seven home runs and just a 21 percent strikeout rate.
Last season, Wolkow struck out in more than 40 percent of plate appearances and had just a 56 percent contact rate. The contact rates improved throughout the season, but it was a tiny sample at the end of the season when they finally reached north of 60 percent. Swing and miss in the zone will need to be cleaned up, but the power upside is tremendous.
The power is undeniable, though. Wolkow has a batted ball as hard as 115 mph this year, and his 90th percentile exit velocity is one of the best for his age. Wolkow is quite young still, reclassifying from the 2024 draft cycle to the 2023, and was drafted at just 17 and a half years old.
While the contact rate is still below 70 percent overall, Wolkow has made a massive jump this year. If the gains over the last month stick, Wolkow will see his stock soar.