The state of Arizona did not need to wait long to hear a player with Arizona ties in this year’s MLB Draft when Grand Canyon University shortstop Jacob Wilson was selected by the Oakland Athletics with the No. 6 overall pick on Sunday.
Wilson impressed his freshman season at Grand Canyon in 2021, being named a freshman All-American. Each year, he got incrementally better.
As a junior this season, Wilson was a consensus All-American with the Lopes and hit .411 with six home runs and 61 RBI.
Over the last two years, he struck out 12 times in 438 at-bats.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound shortstop was ranked the No. 10 prospect in the draft by MLB.com.
According to the site, Wilson “has an intriguing combination of baseball IQ and tools. He might be one of the better pure hitters in the class, one who consistently finds the barrel.”
He is the son of 11-year MLB veteran and All-Star shortstop Jack Wilson, who coached Jacob at Thousan Oaks High School and was an assistant coach at Grand Canyon this past year.
