Former Grand Canyon University standout set to make MLB debut

According to Martín Gallegos at MLB.com, the Oakland Athletics are set to call up former Grand Canyon standout and the #6 overall pick of the 2023 MLB draft, Jacob Wilson, to make his major league debut this weekend.

Wilson began this season in Double-A, where he hit .455 over 22 games before being promoted in early May. Since joining the Las Vegas Aviators, Wilson continued his groove at the plate. Over 19 games in Triple-A, he has hit .398 with a 1.083 OPS, recording hits in 21 of his last 22 games, including 11 multi-hit games.

Currently, Wilson is ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 50 prospect.

His dominance is reminiscent of his senior year at GCU, where he achieved a .412 batting average and struck out only five times in 217 plate appearances. These exceptional contact skills stem from lessons with his father, Jack Wilson, an MLB All-Star and former Silver Slugger, who coached him during his time at Thousand Oaks High School in California.

“When my dad played, striking out wasn’t OK, and he really taught me how to play that type of game,” Jacob Wilson told the Associated Press. “It’s gotten me where I am today. Not striking out is something I take pride in. I strive each and every year to win that statistical category. That’s something I’m going to stick with, and I’m really blessed to be taught that by my mentors.”

Wilson’s rise not only marked him as the highest-drafted player from Grand Canyon University but also highlighted a banner year for the school, with two other Lopes, Homer Bush (Padres) and Zach Thornton (Mets), also drafted in 2023.

Building on this success, Grand Canyon saw a few more players drafted in the 2024 MLB Draft, including Tyler Wilson (Yankees) and Daniel Avitia (Cubs). The Lopes also made school history with their first-ever trip to the regional championship