Top 10 Profiles of 2022: No. 8 George Wolkow
December 21, 2022
Coming in at the No. 8 position in our countdown is South Carolina commit George Wolkow (Downers Grove North, 2023). There has been serious intrigue around Wolkow before he even set foot on his high school campus. Committing to South Carolina the summer before his freshman year, Wolkow was formerly the No. 3 prospect in the entire 2024 class - that is until he reclassified into a 2023 graduate this past season. As an entire year younger than the rest of the field, Wolkow is still right near the top of the list; coming in at No. 3 in the state and No. 40 in the country – which is all the more impressive when you look at how loaded the ’23 group is on both a state and national level. Wolkow put together an impressive spring season, recording a batting average of .376 in 93 at-bats.
The summer is where we really got to see Wolkow ascend, playing for the nationally renowned Canes National and also representing the Chicago White Sox at the Area Code Games. Shooter Hunt, our Vice President of Scouting, had this to say about Wolkow; “…A year younger than most of the participants after reclassifying, 3B George Wolkow (Downers Grove North HS, IL), a South Carolina recruit, delivered thunderous barrels to multiple balls throughout the week, and had many scouts buzzing about his future upside. Long and athletic at 6-foot-7, 225-pounds, there is some length to the swing, but the power potential quickly makes up for it, and even at a young age, the left-handed hitting third baseman demonstrates impressive understanding of the movement patterns that those long limbs create”.
Thunderous contact from reclass ‘23 IF George Wolkow (IL) who takes the mitt off the 1B w/ this swing for a LOUD 2B.
— Shooter Hunt (@ShooterHunt) August 8, 2022
Long levers but leverages them well. Ball exploded off the bat.
Sound ?@GamecockBasebll recruit#MLBDraft || @NathanRode pic.twitter.com/o5PfWYq28L
The power and polish in the bat, along with the sheer size of Wolkow makes him a glowing prospect in the upcoming draft, with plenty more upside to dream on. He has shown the ability to handle the corner outfield and play a steady third-base; but he can also run it up to 93 mph when he hops on the mound.
It will be exciting to see what this coming season has in store for the big lefty bat, and the following years to come.
Scouting Report
South Carolina commit, currently ranked No. 3 in the Illinois 2023 class after reclassifying from the 2024 class. Ultra-large, 6-foot-7, 220-pound frame, starting to fill out a bit more since our last looks in the shoulders/arms as well as his lower-half. Took some highly mature at-bats throughout the game, making adjustments mid at-bat and finding a couple barrels. The left-handed hitter looks extremely comfortable and confident in the box, starting in a relaxed setup, pre-pitch movement in his arms for rhythm, glides out with a long/repeatable stride, maintaining balance throughout; his hands are short/direct to the ball, easy bat-speed with long levers, hands are in an excellent hitting position at contact, palm up-palm-down. He showed the ability to make adjustments during at-bats; waiting back on pitches he was out in front of early on and seeing spin as the game went on. In the outfield, his arm plays with effortless velocity and carry to his target; also showcasing a better feel for the outfield since our last look - with easy actions and better reads.