SF Giants acquire former DIII star, Astros prospect from Atlantic League
The SF Giants added to their minor league depth on Friday, acquiring infielder Michael Wielansky from the South Maryland Blue Crabs of the Atlantic League. The Atlantic League has a partnership agreement with Major League Baseball that allows MLB teams to acquire players. Wielansky played in the Houston Astros organization from 2018-2021 and has spent the past two years in the Atlantic League. He also played for Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Israel shortstop Michael Wielansky scores during the eighth inning against Nicaragua. (2023)
Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Wielansky has one of the most unique paths to professional baseball of any prospect. Not recruited by any Division I NCAA programs out of high school, Wielansky attended a small liberal arts school in Ohio, The College of Wooster, that has been a Division III baseball powerhouse.
Wielansky was immediately one of the best players in the North Coast Athletic Conference and after his sophomore season, he played in the Valley Summer League, a wood-bat collegiate league with players from throughout Division I baseball. Wielansky crushed the competition, hitting .432/.489/.677, winning the league MVP award and establishing himself as a viable draft prospect.
After his junior season in college, Wielansky was drafted in the 18th round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Astros. He was assigned to Single-A in his first full season as a pro and he struggled to adjust to the competition. While he managed to put the ball in play at an above-average clip, he struggled to hit for power and posted a .254/.345/.364 triple-slash. Wielansky had short stints at Double and Triple-A after the canceled 2020 season, but he was released by the Astros. Nevertheless, his time in the organization overlapped with Giants general manager Pete Putila, who was a key member of Houston's player development staff.
Unable to catch on with another professional organization, Wielansky headed to the Atlantic League. In 2022, he posted a solid .269/.384/.424 line with the Long Island Ducks and Blue Crabs. However, it was far from exceptional in the league and forced him to return in 2023.
Over the winter, Wielansky kept busy. He played for Panama in the Caribean Series and showed flashes of hitting for more consistent power. In 33 plate appearances, he recorded three doubles and a homer alongside a .333/.394/.533 triple-slash. Then, he played for Team Israel during the World Baseball Classic, where he was teammates with Giants designated hitter Joc Pederson. Wielansky was 2-for-5 in his lone tournament appearance.
"It's super cool to see people from Team Israel who weren't with clubs get picked up," Pederson said after the Giants 3-2 loss to the Orioles on Friday. "Obviously he put in a lot of hard work so that's a huge accomplishment."
Back with the Blue Crabs, perhaps aided by some offseason adjustments, Wielansky has been on a tear. The 26-year-old hit .320/.400/.660 with five doubles, two triples, and eight home runs in 25 games this season with nearly as many walks (14) as strikeouts (16). He has played all over the infield throughout his career, but he has been primarily playing second base this season.
The odds of an independent league player reaching the major leagues are small. However, Michael Wielansky has found a way to beat the odds before. We'll see how the newest member of the SF Giants organization fares at High-A Eugene.
