The term “baseball IQ” is often overlooked.
You can get stronger and faster, and take tons of batting practice in the hitting cage.
But when you take the field and step up to the plate, do you truly know the game of baseball?
Pickens High School junior Cam Wilson has that type of baseball mindset – and knowledge – that has taken his game to another level. Wilson started off the season going 8-for-11 at the plate in the first three games of the season with 6 RBIs, 3 doubles and a .625 batting average.
“I just want to thank my coaches for having confidence in me,” said Wilson, The Easley Progress Athlete of the Week. “I strive on being the guy who gets the energy up when needed. I want to make the hits count and make plays that aren’t being made. Overall, filling in the gap that needs to be filled.”
Continued Wilson, “I want to thank my coaches for having confidence in me. I want to thank my team for backing me up, and giving me a lot of hope when I get up to hit. I want to thank my hitting instructors and everyone pouring into me.”
Last week, Blue Ridge jumped out to an early 3-0 lead over Pickens and Wilson stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning. The 5-foot-10, 160-pound Wilson answered the call with a rope, a line shot to center field and an RBI single.
“I just try to focus on what I do at practice,” said Wilson, about his approach at the plate. “I just have to think of my fundamentals and having fun up there.”
In the classroom, Wilson has a 4.3 grade point average. He wants to go on to college and go into the contracting business. He also lifts weights three times a week, benching 230 pounds and squatting 420 pounds.
Wilson is a two-sport athlete at Pickens High School. He’s also a wide receiver for the Blue Flame football team.
It’s no surprise, too, that baseball is his favorite sport.
“I enjoy baseball more” said Wilson, who plays center field and also pitches. “I grew up playing it and it was my first sport.”
In his off time, you might see Wilson in the batting cage or at a Clemson University baseball game (despite being a fan of the University of Tennessee). “I’m a Tennessee fan, but enjoy going to Clemson games with my buddies,” he said.
Not to be overlooked is how being a two-sport athlete has helped Wilson become a better baseball player. Wilson took some time to talk about the impact of playing receiver on the football team with a talented quarterback like Brooks Dow. The talented Dow passed for over 1,500 yards last season in football and rushed for over 1,000 yards for the Blue Flame.
“Brooks is a heck of an athlete,” Wilson said. “He’s an absolute dog, a great friend and he helps push me.”
So in the future, if Wilson tries to play sports in college, he could possibly play either baseball or football. He’s just a great example of how playing more than one sport can benefit an athlete.
When asked what he enjoys about being on this Pickens baseball team, the 17-year-old Wilson said, “It’s a lot of camaraderie. The best people I know are right here. I love being out here and having fun – just overall a good group of guys.”
It’s no surprise, either, that PHS baseball coach John David Burgess enjoys having Wilson on his team.
“He does everything you ask – yes sir, no sir,” said Coach Burgess. “He’s just a great influence in the program, the community and at Pickens High School. People look up to Cam and he’s leading the baseball team.”
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