PITTSBURGH - Only three years ago, Jason Bay was a low-level draft choice playing Class A ball, and the major leagues looked very, very far away.

Now the Pirates outfielder has won the NL Rookie of the Year award and has been chosen for the All-Star game before he has played an entire April-to-October season in the majors.

Sometimes, Bay acknowledged Monday, his rapid acceleration from prospect to major leaguer to everyday regular to star-level player has been difficult to comprehend.

Bay will be the Pirates' only representative in the July 12 All-Star game in Detroit.

"I was a 22nd round draft pick as a college senior, and they basically said, 'Here's a plane ticket, let's see what you can do,'" said Bay, who was in the Expos and Padres farm systems before being traded to Pittsburgh two years ago. "Now I'm a year removed from the rookie of the year and now this - it's hard to put into words.

"It's been an unbelievable year and a half and I just hope it continues," he said.

Bay will represent his native Canada in the All-Star home run hitting contest Monday night, an event that has quickly become the signature event of the All-Star festivities to many fans.

Because Bay isn't a natural power hitter with a big swing, manager Lloyd McClendon isn't all that excited that Bay is in the home run contest. But McClendon doesn't think that one night swinging for the fences will mess up Bay's mechanics at the plate.

"I'm not crazy about it, but it's a hard one to turn down," McClendon said. "He's not the kind of guy who hits a lot of home runs in batting practice. ... But he's a short stoke guy, a high-average guy who hits home runs, he's not a home-run hitter who might hit for a high average from time to time."

Last year, Bay won the rookie of the year award despite missing the first month of the season following shoulder surgery. This season, he is the only Pirates player to have started each of their first 81 games.

WILSON WATCH: Outfielder-first baseman Craig Wilson's long injury layoff finally ended Monday as he began a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis.Wilson, who had a team-high 29 home runs last season, has been out since tearing a tendon in his left middle finger May 6. Wilson showed little of last season's power before getting hurt, hitting .296 with one homer and seven RBIs in 26 games.Wilson resumed taking batting practice last week, but general manager Dave Littlefield said he could need a significant number of at-bats to regain his timing. He is expected to return after the All-Star break next week.While the Pirates badly need Wilson's bat - only Bay (15 homers) has more than 11 home runs - Littlefield said they won't rush him back."I don't know what's going to happen when he comes back, but I'd like to find out," McClendon said. "I like to have him in there. This guy hit 29 homers for us last year ... and having that guy out of the middle of the order has really hurt. We all know how streaky he is, but when he gets on one of those rolls he can carry you for a couple of weeks."