About time!
The Athletics announced a major roster move on Thursday afternoon, revealing that the team is set to promote top prospect Jacob Wilson to the major league roster:
A’s are calling up No. 1 prospect (No. 50 MLB prospect) Jacob Wilson, per source.
— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) July 18, 2024
The shortstop has dominated Triple-A by slashing .398/.444/.639 with 4 HR and 8 2B. Almost a year to the day he signed his pro contract, he will reach the big leagues after 72 Minor League games.
Well there you go! A’s fans have been clamoring for the team to promote the top-ranked Wilson for weeks. And it’s finally happened after just 19 games at the highest level of the minor leagues. During his stint with the Aviators Wilson has slashed an amazing .398/.444/.639 while swatting three long balls for Las Vegas. He’s looked more than ready for major league pitching and the organization clearly feels the same way. This is going to be exciting.
Wilson should easily slide in as the everyday shortstop, taking over for incumbent Max Shuemann. The fellow rookie infielder has done an admirable job taking over the starting reigns after Darell Hernaiz went down with an ankle injury but the pure fact of the matter is that the club’s top prospect is a shortstop and the team is desperate for some serious production out of that position. Shuemann has done enough that he’ll be around for the foreseeable future as a depth option or maybe a utility piece but Wilson is the cream of the crop, so to speak. It’s time.
This promotion is eerily similar to what the club did just last season. Coming off of the All-Star break the team decided to bring up two top prospects in first baseman/catcher Tyler Soderstrom and second baseman Zack Gelof. Both are now key pieces of the team and Wilson should be right at home joining this youthful roster. Now Wilson will team up with Gelof up the middle in a pairing that hopefully lasts years. The former 6th overall pick is only the third player from the 2023 Draft to make his MLB debut, alongside National League starting pitcher Paul Skenes and Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel. Not bad company to be in.
Wilson should bring a different element to the Athletics lineup over the second half. After absolutely destroying minor league pitching over the past year and a half it’s about time that he gets the promotion, even if it feels rushed. There isn’t much left for him to prove at this point in the minors after what he’s this year, rising over three levels in just this season alone. It’s been an astronomical rise for the young shortstop and the A’s are all the luckier for it. Did the A’s actually luck out getting the sixth pick and getting Wilson?
Not known for his power, Wilson instead relies on a contact-oriented approach at the plate that promises to give another dimension to the Athletics batting order. That’s not to say that Wilson lacks in the power department but some growth down the line would step his ceiling up even further. After only 72 games of minor league baseball, the 22-year old is set for his debut and A’s fans will get to watch that up close and personal this coming weekend. Good timing, as the club welcomes the Angels to town to kick off the second half. What better way to make your debut than in front of the home crowd?
