The Athletics are calling up top infield prospect Jacob Wilson, reports Martín Gallegos of MLB.com (X link). Last year’s sixth overall pick has posted incredible numbers through his first full professional season. Oakland has two vacancies on the 40-man roster and optioned Armando Alvarez yesterday to create an active roster spot. No corresponding move is required.
Wilson is the fifth player from the 2023 first round to reach the big leagues. The Angels pushed Nolan Schanuel there last summer, while Wyatt Langford, Paul Skenes and Hurston Waldrep have made their debuts this season. Wilson only needed 72 minor league games to convince the A’s that he is prepared for a look at MLB arms.
The A’s selected the righty-hitting Wilson — the son of former All-Star Jack Wilson — after a standout college career at Grand Canyon University. Wilson hit .412 with 19 walks and a laughable total of five strikeouts over 49 games during his junior season. While he certainly wasn’t facing the caliber of pitching that players like Langford and Dylan Crews saw in the SEC, scouts have never doubted that his contact skills would translate.
Whether Wilson would make enough hard contact to be an impact hitter was more debatable. How well the profile will translate against MLB pitching remains to be seen, but he hasn’t had any problem hitting for power in the minors. Wilson tore through Double-A pitching, connecting on 13 doubles and a trio of homers in 22 games. He hit .455/.473/.705 over 93 plate appearances to earn a bump to Triple-A Las Vegas in May. An injured list stint briefly held him back, but he has continued to rake since returning in June.
Over 19 Triple-A contests, Wilson hit .398/.444/.639 with seven walks and only three strikeouts. He popped another four homers and eight doubles. Between the top two minor league levels and a brief rehab stint in rookie ball, he owns an eye-popping .438/.475/.687 batting line in 200 plate appearances this season.
The A’s have used Wilson exclusively at shortstop. There’s little reason for a rebuilding Oakland team not to give him a shot to stick there. The A’s have been running with 27-year-old rookie Max Schuemann at the position for the last two weeks. Schuemann has a league average .245/.339/.347 slash line. That’s decent production, but the former 20th round draftee isn’t going to stand in Wilson’s way. The A’s could kick Schuemann over to third base while Abraham Toro is on the injured list, cutting into the playing time for Brett Harris in the process.
Wilson’s massive numbers vaulted him up to #19 on Baseball America’s most recent ranking of the sport’s Top 100 prospects. He opened the season in the #76 spot. MLB Pipeline ranked him 68th before Opening Day and has nudged him up to #50 at this point. Wilson meets the prospect criteria to potentially earn a full service year if he manages to finish in the top two in Rookie of the Year balloting, though that’ll be a tough task with less than half the season to play. The A’s would not receive a bonus pick if Wilson were to win Rookie of the Year since they didn’t call him up in time to accrue a full year of service in the traditional manner — spending 172 days on the MLB roster.
Barring a top-two Rookie of the Year finish, Wilson will be under team control for six seasons beyond this one. He’s not likely to qualify for arbitration until the 2027-28 offseason. A future assignment back to the minor leagues could delay that trajectory.
He will help the athletics… the Sacramento and Las Vegas athletics
I thought they had officially converted to an Arby’s franchise?
Dallas told you so
All right! I like this move… Go A’s, Sacramento, Vegas, wherever lol…
As a Bay Area native who has no connection to Oakland I’m semi okay with them moving to Sacramento but if out of state I’m done as a fan
exactly. They belong in Oakland but Sacramento isn’t really worse
As a fan who lives out here, it is definitely worse. Any fan living in the East bay, where most A’s fans live, would have to take a multiple hour drive to see the team. Especially with how often the team plays night games. There is the heart of traffic headed home from work. That makes the drive out there almost 3 hours and then another 2 back when games end at 10PM. It is a huge issue.
And I know, “no one goes to games anyways”, the the last time the team was good and there were fans at the games in 2019, the average attendance was something like 20k according to ESPNs attendance stats.
Ironically, if you are a Benecia/Fairfield/Vacaville A’s fan, going to Sacramento is exactly the same as going to San Jose
I’ve been a fan since 1989 – they needed a new ballpark by 2010. There are now 10 Giants fans for every A’s fan. A’s have gotten absolutely no bay area media love for 20+ years
2 AAA franchises are outdrawing them this season and another pair are within a hundred or so of doing it. Why should they stay? Oakland only drew (averaged) 10k last year per game, nobody wants to go, feels safe to travel anywhere in Oakland.. So they are making tracks asap.
Oh yeah.. Keep the mayor under federal indictment. not wanted in a package deal with the team.
If you don’t understand the underlying reason A’s fans have stopped going to the ballpark, you are not paying attention. Two words: John Fisher
The above post is brought to you by Fisher-Fleece Toys…
More likely just a generalized simp for the wealthy, A’s would have stayed if we had right to work legislation!
John Fisher burner
I dunno they made the ALCS in 2006 under Fisher, were playoff teams in 2012-2014 and in 2018-2020 under Fisher. Put in a lot of effort of food trucks, etc. and still didn’t draw
I’ve found that when someone disagrees with me, it helps to call them names. That way I’m always right in my mind.
I’m using my real name, what’s your real name?
Sorry pls disregard my above posts, I’m being a bit of a punk, wish I could delete those
@tjmacarl – The playoff teams in 2012-2014 and 2018-2020 were managed by Bob Melvin, the food trucks program was started by what I ultimately assume was the public relations department, and the ALCS appearance was built by Billy Beane. The only thing John Fisher has contributed to the team all these years was being greedy, gutting the team’s talent (and respectively, the team’s attendance), and threatening to relocate as the cherry on top.
I’ll never forgive you 🙂
Hahaha nice, thank you I appreciate it, yeah sorry I got a bit pissy
I get it, all he does is sign the checks, but they still had success under him, they have not been a perpetual 100-loss team the past 20 years. Looks like they may avoid 100 losses this year and have a core that will be good in a year or two
Exciting! .401 in the minors is no joke. Even if he can’t hit for power, hitting above .300 with decent defense and 10hr/season is still really good.
Unfortunately he’ll have to do it in 110+ degree weather, on turf, in a minor league ballpark.
But with enthusiastic fans! Yay, Sacramento A’s!
Granted, it wasn’t 110 at GCU but this past May he was playing home games in mid 90-104.
His dad could rake in his prime, right around when Jacob was born. Jack Wilson was all hustle.
Very exciting! Can’t wait to see how he dazzles now or in the future. A’s baseball franchise may be a hot trash fire but there are some unusually bright colors in the flames.
Good test of whether a guy with his profile (lots and lots of hits, little power, moderate walks) can thrive in MLB. It’s really hard. Gonna see a LOT of strikes.
Steven Kwan makes it work
Steven kwan has more power than you think, look at his advanced metrics.
Arraez has the lowest exit velo in MLB
I wish him well.Jack Wilson was a fine shortstop for the Pirates.Congratulations to both.
Maybe the Pirates could trade for him in the future like they did his father. Was one of their better trades since they only gave up a bullpen arm.
Given up on nick Allen already, his defensive value should have some need for utility at least for a team
Nick Allen can’t hit and his defense never rose to the level of the hype that preceded him to the majors. His defense actually was below average this year. He made some ridiculous errors before they sent him down.
He has had 200 at bats and 2 major league season. He can’t hit at all. At best he is a late inning defensive replacement. Giving a shot to someone who might provide more is the better move to see what you got to work with going forward.
Fortunately for him, it appears that he got his mom’s looks.
if they remove comments this one certainly will be
Why? It was funny and a compliment.
oh sorry! I read it as “UNfortunately”!
If you haven’t already done so, check out Jack Wilson’s photo on his Baseball Reference page. The only time he wasn’t the ugliest Pirate on the field 2005-2009 was on days when Tom Gorzelanny was pitching.
Jake Bloss
Studdd
Finally! #FJF
#FJF
Wilson has a good chance to surprise some people offensively. He has a feel for peppering the lines and hustle doubles. As runs are down, his throwback profile seemingly plays up.
Comgrats to a great family! Jacob Wilson plays the game the right way and inherited his dad’s glove work.
Luis Arraez’s from another multiverse. 🙂
Gets a hit in his first MLB AB, promptly heads to first base and fist pumps 1B coach Bobby Crosby. Yes, oft-injured, prospect bust Bobby Crosby. Moments later Wilson goes down with a hamstring injury. The Crosby Curse continues.