A’s Hope Top Prospect Jacob Wilson Can Be a Spark in the Second Half

After tearing his way through the minor leagues, Jacob Wilson arrived at the Coliseum on Friday night. It had been just over a year since the Oakland Athletics called his name in the 2023 MLB draft.

The A’s called up their No. 1 prospect yesterday, slotting him into the starting lineup to kick off the second half of the 2024 season. He made an impact right away, cleanly fielding a groundball on the first pitch of the game.

Two innings later, in his first at-bat, he knocked a single to left center, advanced on a disengagement violation, and eventually came around to score.

Unfortunately, Wilson pulled up as he rounded third, wincing in pain as he limped the rest of the way to home plate. He made an effort to return to the field the following inning, but manager Mark Kotsay made the call to take his shortstop out of the game.

Kotsay described the injury as a hamstring issue, but the skipper is hopeful it was only “a minor strain, something [Wilson] can deal with and get back.”

If nothing else, it’s a good sign that Wilson thought he could keep playing. It’s also promising that the team hasn’t immediately placed the 22-year-old on the injured list.

“There’s no reason for us to push that kid when there’s a lower-half injury that can get any worse,” Kotsay explained.

It should go without saying that Oakland has every reason to be cautious with the rookie. While they have no delusions of contending in 2024, the A’s are counting on the youngster to be a bright spark amidst another long, disappointing season.

All Eyes on Jacob Wilson

The A’s got off to a surprisingly not-terrible start to the 2024 campaign, finishing April with a 14-17 (.452) record.

However, they’ve played much more like the A’s we expected ever since, going 24-44 (.353). The only team with a worse record in that time is the Chicago White Sox.

Just about the only bright spot in the A’s lineup this season has been Brent Rooker. The corner outfielder/DH is batting .291 with 21 home runs and a 165 wRC+. He ranks among the top 10 qualified AL batters in all three categories.

Unfortunately for A’s fans, Rooker is a top candidate to be dealt ahead of the July 30 trade deadline. In other words, the man who has either scored or driven in more than 20% of the team’s runs could soon be on his way out of town.

Thus, all eyes will be on Wilson, as fans in Oakland look for anything to get excited about aside from All-Star closer Mason Miller.

Another Debut From the 2023 Draft Class

The 2023 MLB draft was the first to use a lottery to assign the top six picks. The Athletics drew the short straw, so the speak, and despite finishing with the second-worst record in the league in 2022, they picked sixth in the draft the following summer.

That meant they missed out on players like Paul Skenes (No. 1 overall pick), Dylan Crews (No. 2), and Wyatt Langford (No. 4). However, the A’s are hoping they still drafted a pretty special player with their first-round pick out of Grand Canyon University.

Wilson went higher in the draft than most analysts predicted, so it wasn’t too surprising when he signed for $5.5 million – well below slot value.

However, he made an immediate impact upon his professional debut, batting .333 with a 140 wRC+ and four stolen bases in 26 games between the ACL Athletics and the High-A Lansing Lugnuts.

A Quick Route to the Majors

The young shortstop played well enough to earn an invitation to big league spring training in 2024, where he went 7-for-16 (.438) in 10 games. He drew a lone walk but struck out only once in 17 trips to the plate.

Wilson continued mashing for the Double-A Midland RockHounds to open the season (.455 AVG, 223 wRC+), earning a promotion to Triple-A after a month. A knee injury kept him off the field from mid-May to mid-June, but he picked up where he left off with the Las Vegas Aviators. In 19 games at Triple-A, he hit .398 with a 168 wRC+.

Overall, Wilson has a 203 wRC+ on the minor league season. He went 81-for-185 (.438) with seven home runs and a remarkable 25 doubles. He showed off his elite contact skills from the very beginning; ultimately, Wilson’s future in the majors hinges on his hit tool.

That said, his .249 ISO in the minors this season was especially impressive, considering all the questions evaluators have raised about his exit velocities and game power.

There are certainly more questions about how Wilson’s contact ability and newfound doubles power will play against MLB pitching. However, it has quickly become clear that Wilson has little left to learn in the minor leagues.

Jacob Wilson is ready for his next challenge, and hopefully, the Athletics fanbase will soon have a new young star to support – as long as his hamstring cooperates.

Presumably, the Athletics will provide an update on Wilson’s injury status sometime this afternoon.

Jacob Wilson came in at No. 84 on Just Baseball’s latest Top 100 Prospects list. For more on Wilson, here is what Aram Leighton had to say about the top young player in the Athletics system:

84. Jacob Wilson – SS – Oakland Athletics

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 185 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st round (6) , 2023 (OAK) | ETA: 2024

Elite bat-to-ball skills and the ability to stick at shortstop make Wilson a high-probability big leaguer who should not spend much time in the minors. 

Offense

A jittery operation in the batter’s box, Wilson starts crouched with his bat bouncing on his shoulder and a toe tap as he sinks deep into his back leg. Between how early Wilson gets into his slot, his compact swing and overall feel for the barrel, he makes contact as consistently as any hitter in the Minor Leagues.

The question with Wilson remains how much power he can tap into. His exit velocities are well below average and he puts the ball on the ground at an above-average clip. He has flashed slightly more impact to the pull side and still with some projection in his frame, the hope is that he can grow into consistent gap-to-gap power. 

If Wilson is not able to tap into any more impact, there’s of course going to be a high degree of pressure on his hit tool to translate into a high batting average, especially considering his low walk rates. It’s common for contact savants to have higher swing rates, but improving his ability to draw free passes would also alleviate his need to hit for the highest of averages to be a regular.

Defense/Speed

While not the most explosive athlete, Wilson has all of the goods to stick at shortstop. His father Jack Wilson was a Gold Glove defender at short and Jacob looks like a natural at the position as well, even if he may not have as much flare or range. His actions are smooth, his arm is plus and the instincts are there. An average runner, Wilson will opportunistically swipe bags. 

Outlook

There are few pro prospects with a narrower gap between their floor and ceiling than Jacob Wilson, however, that is not necessarily a bad thing. He’s a high-probability big leaguer who may not even need a season’s worth of minor league games before he is MLB ready. Just a step forward in the impact and/or on-base department can make Wilson an above-average regular.