masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgSARASOTA, Fla. – For right-hander Tyler Wilson, being named Orioles minor league Pitcher of the Year has its perks.
After making five relief appearances this spring, Wilson will get the start Saturday against the Yankees in Tampa. Manager Buck Showalter delivered the news earlier this week and the club announced it yesterday morning.
“I’m excited,” he said. “Obviously, to get a chance to start a game is great. That’s all I’ve ever done in the minor leagues, so it’s good to be able to…

SARASOTA, Fla. – For right-hander Tyler Wilson, being named Orioles minor league Pitcher of the Year has its perks.

After making five relief appearances this spring, Wilson will get the start Saturday against the Yankees in Tampa. Manager Buck Showalter delivered the news earlier this week and the club announced it yesterday morning.

“I’m excited,” he said. “Obviously, to get a chance to start a game is great. That’s all I’ve ever done in the minor leagues, so it’s good to be able to have a few days to get back in that routine a little bit, have a bullpen a couple days before.

“I honestly don’t remember when he told me. It’s been short notice. It’s been a couple days ago. I found out maybe just before you guys did.”

wilson-tyler-throws-white-sidebar.jpgWilson, 25, has emerged as one of the Orioles’ top pitching prospects after going a combined 14-8 with a 3.67 ERA in 28 starts between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk last season. He has allowed one run in 10 innings, with one walk and nine strikeouts this spring.

“I think that I’ve learned a lot coming in relief,” said Wilson, a 10th-round draft pick in 2011 out of the University of Virginia. “I haven’t done that before in professional baseball, so that’s been a huge learn just for down the line if that becomes the role that I play this year or for the rest of my career. But to be able to add starting to the list and kind of getting into that routine if that’s how I start the season also is a huge perk.

“I’m excited for the opportunity and like I said, I’m just going to approach it the same way that I normally would any other start.”

The Orioles were off Monday and didn’t have a starter for Saturday who would be working on normal rest. Showalter chose Wilson and is curious to find out how the right-hander reacts to facing the Yankees on the road.

“Oh, it’s awesome,” Wilson said. “That’s the team that everybody always talks about when you’re growing up. But I’m not going to approach it any differently. It’s just going to be the same as every other outing. It doesn’t matter who steps in the box. I’m just going to try to pitch my game. Work ahead, throw strikes and work down in the zone and go from there.”

In other words, don’t overthink it. Don’t view the start as an audition. Don’t become consumed with the high-profile opponent.

“Sometimes, it’s easy to get lost in those distractions and let your mind wander and think about what ifs, but as I’ve talked about, staying kind of locked in on day to day,” Wilson said. “I know it’s cliche, but focus on what you can do today to get better and whatever opportunity is presented to you in this given moment, to take full advantage of it.”

Wilson may get a chance to face Alex Rodriguez, who didn’t make the trip to Sarasota earlier this spring.

“That would be great,” he said. “I hope all of their guys play. I think it would be a great experience after watching those guys on TV forever to see what they have. And I want their best. I want to get better any way that I can.”