Athletics Extend Jacob Wilson on Seven-Year Deal

Although the Athletics have not been busy in free agency, seeing the front office prioritize their core is just as refreshing. An organization that was known for shipping off talent instead of handing out contracts is starting to shift their focus. This is a direction A’s fans have been unfamiliar with, but most certainly welcome with open arms.

Why Wilson Was Worthy

When Wilson was selected sixth overall in the 2023 draft many draft experts felt the pick was a reach. An elite contact hitter that lacked power and came with other limitations is usually not the profile of a top-10 pick, but the A’s seem to have nailed this selection.

Wilson is coming off a season where he slashed .311/.355/.444 with 13 home runs and a 121 wRC+ which led to a second-place finish in AL Rookie of the Year. Even as a rookie, Wilson posted a 92.5% zone contact rate which is 10% better than league average.

The bat-to-ball skills were never a question. In fact, Wilson is already posting nearly identical contact numbers to Luis Arraez while also offering more impact in nearly every other way than Arraez.

Power will never be a major part of Wilson’s game but his 13 home runs from 2025 show that his power potential is not zero. He can take advantage of a mistake pitch and pull enough out to keep pitchers honest.

Defensively, Wilson is a work in progress at shortstop. The athletic ability isn’t going to shine but his arm is good enough to make up for some of his flaws and there’s enough natural talent to see a path where he can develop into an average to above-average defender. Long story short, Wilson is not at risk of moving off the position which makes this extension that much more important.

The A’s knew what type of player they were drafting. The organization already has enough power which makes Wilson’s job easy. All he has to do is put the ball in play. Considering what he has already shown through his first ~600 plate appearances, I think this is a gamble that will pay off for the A’s.

As for Wilson, security and guaranteed money is tough to pass up. He’s not the type of profile that will get the mega contracts we have seen with players like Kyle Tucker or Juan Soto so the upfront money is tough to pass up. He still has a chance to cash in after the deal as he’ll enter free agency around 30 or 31 years old, option depending.

The A’s Side of Things

The A’s are certainly making a statement with the extensions they have handed out since moving away from Oakland. Sure, spending money is great and they do deserve some level of praise for investing in their team, but the real praise comes from drafting and developing.

I’d argue there are few teams who have drafted better than the A’s these past couple of seasons. Going with Nick Kurtz when you already had Tyler Soderstrom felt odd at the time but looks genius now. Plucking Wilson when they did was questioned, too; but not anymore.

Don’t forget, there’s more on the way. Grabbing Leo De Vries for Mason Miller at last year’s deadline was a fantastic move that gives the A’s a ton of upside and some insurance. If Wilson’s defense plateaus they could shift him to second or third and allow De Vries to man short. The pressure on Wilson to be the long-term shortstop no matter what is lifted.

Perhaps what I like most about this extension is spreading out risk. Lawrence Butler’s extension was riskier, but worth it. Now, you lock up a player who has an extremely high floor and comes with minimal risk. We all know he’s going to hit so no matter how the rest of his game develops you will still have a near guaranteed high floor bat.

Look around the league. Shortstops do not come cheap and good one’s often never hit the market. Paying an average of $10 million a year for one that fits your teams culture, aligns with the team’s life cycle, and still has room to go is a great deal.

The A’s have a ton of work to repair fan relationship after what has transpired over the past two years and the past two off seasons have been clear steps in the right direction. Investing money into the team was necessary and starting with securing your own players, something fans never trusted would happen, is already making people notice.

Final Thoughts

A question that usually follows these discussions is who’s next? Kurtz? Shea Langeliers? Which player will get the next extension and cement themselves as part of the team that welcomes the Athletics into their new home in Vegas?

Well, it’s not always that simple. Some players would rather wait and test free agency and there’s not much you can do about that. However, getting a number of players to sign these extensions helps the front office understand exactly what their team looks like and where the budget stands now and into the future. Cost certainty has value.

Of course, this is step two. Step one being drafting and developing, step two finding players who are core pieces, and step three is surrounding them with proven talent. Step three might be the hardest for the A’s and they still have a ways to go in that regard. But for now, soak up the good vibes knowing one more piece to the puzzle is in place.