All-Decade Team (2010-19): First Base

Leading into what would have been Opening Day of the 2020 season for the Charlotte Knights (April 9), the team's VP of Communications, Tommy Viola, will unveil the Charlotte Knights All-Decade Team (2010-19). Check back each weekday to see who made the team.

FIRST BASE: ANDY WILKINS
In the midst of a solid season at Double-A Birmingham in 2013, Andy Wilkins was promoted to the Charlotte Knights on June 24, 2013 and quickly shined for the team. At the time of his promotion, he was leading the Barons in home runs (10), average (.288), doubles (16) and RBIs (49). He also ranked among the league-leaders in RBIs (second), on-base percentage (fourth, .386), home runs (tied for fifth), and batting average (tied for eighth) at the time of his promotion.

A native of Tulsa, OK, Wilkins jumped out to a hot start with the Knights in 2013. In June (seven games), he hit .346 (9-for-26) with a home run. In July, he launched five home runs over a four-game stretch (July 14-20) and earned the International League’s Batter of the Week for his efforts. Overall, he hit .265 with seven home runs and 30 RBIs in 58 games with Charlotte. A year later, as the Knights moved into their new Uptown Charlotte home, Wilkins busted out with a career year.

Overall in 2014, Wilkins put together a remarkable season with the Knights. He hit .293 (144-for-491) with 79 runs scored, 38 doubles, one triple, 30 home runs, and 85 RBIs in 127 games.

A product of the University of Arkansas, Wilkins put together a colossal offensive month of July in which he led the league in home runs (12), RBIs (31), hits (44), extra-base hits (21), and a .857 slugging percentage. He also ranked second in batting average (.419), second in runs scored (24), and even hit .564 with 10 home runs and 24 RBIs over the first nine games back from the Triple-A All-Star Game. His torrid nine-game stretch following the All-Star Break helped lead the Knights to an 8-1 record.

On August 29, 2014, Andy Wilkins became just the eighth player in franchise history to hit 30 home runs in a season and the first in six years since Brad Eldred accomplished the feat with 35 long balls in 2008.

Two days later, in the midst of the finest season of his career, Wilkins was promoted to the Chicago White Sox. At the time of his promotion, he was leading the International League in home runs (30), RBIs (85), extra-base hits (69), and total bases (274). His 30 home runs and 85 RBIs were tops in Triple-A Baseball that season.

AWARD SEASON
The 2014 season was a memorable one for Wilkins, who earned two International League Batter of the Week awards, the IL Player of the Month Award for July, the Charlotte Knights Community Award, and a spot on the IL Postseason All-Star Team.

WHERE HE RANKS
Wilkins ranks eighth all-time in Charlotte Knights single-season franchise history in home runs (30 in 2014) and fifth in doubles (38 in 2014).

CAREER MARKS
Over the course of 10 seasons in the minors, Wilkins has compiled a .258 batting average with 898 hits, 505 runs scored, 218 doubles, seven triples, 156 home runs, and 595 RBIs over 953 games. His 30 home runs and 85 RBIs with the Knights in 2014 are still single-season bests.

OTHER FIRST BASEMEN OF THE DECADE

Jim Gallagher led the Knights in doubles with 39 in 2011, which is good for fourth-highest in Charlotte Knights single-season history. He finished just one short of the IL lead that year. Gallagher also recorded 116 hits that season and led the squad in runs scored with 72. In parts of three seasons with the Knights, the Pittsburgh, PA native compiled 68 doubles, which is the fifth-highest total in franchise history. He also ranks ninth in franchise history in games played (298) and eighth in walks (125).

Danny Hayes led the Knights in home runs with 19 in 2017. In two seasons (2016-17), Hayes recorded 29 home runs and 109 RBIs over 183 games with the Knights.

Matt Skole joined the Chicago White Sox organization in 2018 and had a solid season with the Knights. Skole finished second on the team with 102 hits, 14 home runs and 44 RBIs. He followed up the 2018 season with a solid 2019 campaign in which he hit 21 home runs with 56 RBIs. In two combined seasons with the Knights, Skole has 35 home runs and 100 RBIs.