Joe Wilcox was signed out of Australia at the tender age of 17 in 2017. He had tremendous potential, but no one was quite sure what to expect out of him. After two years in Hawaii's international complex, he was brought stateside and sent to the Tropic's rookie league franchise, the Gaylord Sting Rays. There he befriended a young man named Tony Banuelos and the two would begin their journey. Wilcox quickly showed that he had elite hands when it came to batting, to go with a rocket arm at the hot corner. He continued to show it at stops in Medford (A) in 2019 and 2020, and at Carson City (AA) and Death Valley (AAA). His ability to hit for high average was now getting to be the norm, what wasn't was his power. It seemed that he just maybe wasn't going to develop. He spent 2021 in Death Valley and managed to only hit 12 homeruns with a .287 average. Then in 2022 in Death Valley he hit 12 homeruns in half of a season. Even though his average dipped to .255, he had to come to Hawaii to see if he could make it.
Playing primarily as the DH to keep pressure off of him, Wilcox batted near the bottom of the lineup for a Tropics team that was trying to become something again. The hope was that being surrounded by a great clubhouse atmosphere he would finally develop into what the team thought he could be, a high average bat with power. Needless to say, he disappointed. In 221 AB's he hit .213 with 10 homeruns and 17 RBI. In 2023 he was moved to first base so that Wilton Sanders could keep pounding the baseball at third. Joe disappointed again, and was almost included in a trade to an undisclosed team. In 2024 he was given his last chance to prove himself. Once again playing first, he got his average up to .280, and hit 16 homeruns with 80 RBI. Not what they thought they were getting, but a usable guy. In 2025 he was shifted back to third base after Wilton Sanders was traded away. Back in his natural position, he managed to hit 23 homeruns, and started to flash some power. Something wasn't right though. After spending the off season in Australia working out with Dave Nilsson, the face of Australian baseball, Wilcox was a changed man. He just seemed more loose, more relaxed. 2026 has brought us the Joe Wilcox that Hawaii thought they were getting. In 75 games he is hitting .309/.366/.528 with 17 HR and 50 RBI. He is flashing the leather at the hot corner. Things are good right now. He would be Hawaii's most improved player if it weren't for THAT guy. Not that they aren't buddies or anything.