That’s why both sides are pleased Cartersville High’s baseball star catcher and hitter will be continuing his playing days at Chattanooga State Junior College.
“I love baseball and I would like to play it in college and for it to take me as far as I can go,” Wilson said. “I also see it as a way to help me pay for college. That’s important because it will give me something to fall back on once my playing days are over.”
Don’t be surprised if Wilson has a lot of baseball ahead of him, however.
Wilson was named the Purple Hurricane’s Most Valuable Player offensively this past season and previously has been designated MVP for his defensive play, too.
Purple Hurricane head coach Stuart Chester said last year Wilson really came in to his own offensively.
“He was our MVP last year,” Chester said. “As a junior he really took over at the plate.”
The coach said Wilson has solid stats — as a junior he hit .430, with one home run, 22 RBIs, 16 doubles and 26 runs while throwing out seven runners trying to steal and picking off four runners at first — but is just as valuable because of his leadership.
“He has the mental toughness to play catcher,” Chester said. “You can be a bit more vocal and headstrong back there.”
The coach said he helps the team play its best game and also is a defensive force the opposing team must reckon with, whether it’s trying to steal a base or trying to come home when Wilson might have the ball in his mitt blocking the plate and waiting to make a tag.
“He’s not someone you’d want to run into at the plate,” Chester added.
The coach said Wilson also has a keen understanding of the game.
“He has a baseball mind,” Chester said. “I call the pitches but I believe if I didn’t, Taylor has pretty much the same philosophy I have.”
He said Wilson also is coachable, something that coaches always like.
Wilson said he is looking forward to playing at Chattanooga State, a quality program where players can improve their games and move to the next level.
“I will probably try to transfer to another program in a couple of years,” the Purple Hurricane star said. “I’ll just have to look at my options then and see what’s available to me then.”
Wilson said he hopes baseball remains one of the options. “I’ve been playing ball since I was 5 years old.”
Wilson said he didn’t become a catcher, however, until his freshman year at Cartersville High.
“We didn’t have a freshman catcher and the coach (freshman skipper Brian Adams) said I was a natural catcher,” he recalled.
Wilson said his years with the Cartersville Purple Hurricanes have all been good. “Being part of the 2009 State Championship team is a great memory but everything about Cartersville has been a good memory.”
The Cartersville star also has played travel ball and is a member of the Southeast Reds, with whom he catches and plays the infield corners (first and third base).
Wilson also has weighed his options for careers other than baseball.
“I probably would have my own business,” he said, adding his father is connected with Telenet Systems, which deals with alarm systems and other low voltage equipment.
He added he also has an interest in firefighting. “My grandfather, great-grandfather and great-uncle were firefighters.”