Oakland A's Draft Review - 6th Pick: SS Jacob Wilson

The 2023 MLB Draft got going on Sunday, July 9, with the Oakland Athletics slotted in the sixth-overall position after coming out as losers of the draft lottery held at the end of the 2022 calendar year.

With the no. 6 selection, and following a chalky start to the event in which all five players expected to get off the board did so, the A's selected Jacob Wilson, a shortstop from Grand Canyon University.

In a prospect analysis review of Wilson found in MLB Pipeline's Best Draft Prospects list, the site remarks Wilson's days playing HS ball under the guidance of his father, Jack Wilson.

Wilson was named an All-American in 2021, and he improved last year when he batted for a 1.004 OPS as a sophomore.

According to MLB Pipeline, Wilson "might be one of the better pure hitters in the class," as well as "one who consistently finds the barrel."

Wilson is known for his eye-to-ball, ball-to-eye skills, as he "struck out just seven times in 275 plate appearances as a sophomore." His power has lacked a bit, though, and that might cut his upside as a major league a bit short. However, he's projected to become an everyday player in the MLB in due time.

MLB.com thinks Wilson "has the skills to stick at shortstop, with good actions, range, and an above-average arm." As already mentioned, the site also wrote that Wilson "might not have the pure power profile," although the scouts writing about him pointed out that "scouts feel he’ll hit plenty for the hot corner."

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