Alberta to MLB: Former Okotoks baseball player set to make big-league debut
Former Okotoks Dawgs pitcher Matt Wilkinson will soon be making his MLB debut.
Wilkinson, who is known by many as “Tugboat,” is being called up by the San Francisco Giants. The move was first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan early Monday morning.
The San Francisco Giants are calling up left-hander Matt "Tugboat" Wilkinson, sources tell ESPN. Wilkinson, acquired in the Patrick Bailey trade, was a 10th-round pick out of junior college and has allowed just 59 hits in 90 innings this season while striking out 96.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 17, 2026
The 23-year-old Vancouver native is known in the Calgary area thanks to spending parts of four seasons with the Dawgs, who play in the Western Canadian Baseball League. Wilkinson suited up with the Dawgs in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Wilkinson is best remembered by Dawgs fans for closing out the first of their three championships during their 2022-2024 three-peat. That 2022 season saw him pitch 26.2 innings, during which time he put up a pristine 1.69 ERA.
Once he’s made his debut, Wilkinson will become just the seventh player in Dawgs history to play in the MLB. The others are Jim Henderson, Andrew Kittredge, Kody Funderburk, Alejo Lopez, Jacob Melton, and Tristan Peters.
Wilkinson was selected in the 10th round of the 2023 draft by the Cleveland Guardians. He was traded to the Giants this past May as part of a package that landed the Guardians catcher Patrick Bailey.
Earlier this year, Wilkinson pitched for Canada at the World Baseball Classic, pitching 2.2 scoreless innings with two walks and four strikeouts. He’s additionally made 20 starts across MLB clubs’ minor-league systems in 2026, combining for a 3.40 ERA through 90 innings. He’s allowed just 59 hits over that stretch.
Wilkinson, who throws left-handed, is viewed as a potential back-of-the-rotation starter. He is also viewed by some as an option for the Giants’ bullpen moving forward.
The Giants still need to select Wilkinson’s contract, as he’s not a part of their 40-man roster at the moment. Once that happens, his debut is expected to come a short time later, though an official date has yet to be announced.
The Giants have an off day on Monday before getting set to take on the Guardians at Progressive Field in a three-game series that will begin on Tuesday.
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