Get to know A's No. 6 pick Jacob Wilson
Dylan Svoboda
@dylanksvobodaJacob Wilson has baseball in his blood. The Grand Canyon University product was selected No. 6 overall by the A's in the 2023 MLB Draft.
But who is Jacob Wilson? Here's a guide to let you know what he¡¯s all about.
FAST FACTS
Position: SS
Ht/Wt: 6-foot-3, 190 lbs.
B/T: Right/right
DOB: March 30, 2002
College: Grand Canyon University
High school: Thousand Oaks High School (Calif.)
Born: Thousand Oaks, Calif.
He's the son of a former All-Star
Jack Wilson was a 2004 All-Star and Silver Slugger Award winner at shortstop. Wilson played 12 Major League seasons from 2001-2012, most notably with the Pittsburgh Pirates until he was traded during the 2009 season.
Jack coached Jacob's high school team at Thousand Oaks until he graduated and headed to Grand Canyon. Jack followed. He now serves as an assistant at GCU.?
Now, Jacob is trying to make the Majors at the shortstop position, just like his dad.
He hates striking out (thanks to his dad)
Wilson's dad instilled the most important lesson in Jacob¡¯s baseball career: Avoiding strikeouts.
¡°When my dad played, striking out wasn¡¯t OK, and he really taught me how to play that type of game,¡± Wilson said, according to The Associated Press. ¡°It¡¯s gotten me where I am today. Not striking out is something I take pride in. I strive each and every year to win that statistical category. That¡¯s something I¡¯m going to stick with, and I¡¯m really blessed to be taught that by my mentors.¡±
His advice has apparently stuck. Wilson had perhaps the best bat-to-ball abilities in college baseball. He struck out just 10 times in 492 plate appearances over the past two seasons.
He nearly kicked off the season with a Derek Jeter-esque catch
Just two games into the 2023 season, Wilson almost made the highlight play of the year, Derek Jeter style.
Wilson dove headlong into the stands down the third-base line during a game against Tennessee in an attempt to snare a popup.
"I thought his favorite player was his dad, but I guess it's Derek Jeter," Grand Canyon head coach Gregg Wallis said after the game.
He's developing into an all-around player
Wilson's contact skills made him a Major League prospect, but his continued development has made him a potential top-10 pick.
Wilson upped his slugging percentage from .440 his freshman season at Grand Canyon to a whopping .635 in 2023. He nearly doubled the number of extra-base hits he had two years ago (15 vs. 27).
That's not all he's improved on. After stealing just one base over his first two seasons, Wilson stole eight bases in 2023.
He played college ball with two childhood friends
Wilson's father wasn't the only one close to him to join him at GCU.
Vince and Blake Reilly grew up in the same neighborhood of Santa Rosa, Calif., as Wilson. After meeting at a travel ball tournament, the three became best friends, and in 2022, the trio would become college teammates.
Blake and Vince, who are twins, went to GCU and the University of Hawaii, respectively. After the 2021 season, Vince transferred to GCU to join his brother and friend.
Vince was drafted by the A's in last year's Draft, but the three remain close to this day.