WEST SACRAMENTO -- Jacob Wilson is swinging the bat so well these days that the only thing stopping him from racking up hits was a stiff neck, which kept him out of Tuesday’s game as a result of diving into first base headfirst the night before.
Even that injury managed only to briefly pause Wilson’s tear at the plate. On Wednesday night, the reigning American League Rookie of the Month was back in the Athletics’ starting lineup and back to his sweet-swinging way, collecting another two hits in a 6-1 loss to the Twins at Sutter Health Park.
“The month was special,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said of Wilson’s recent accolade. “He’s been a big part of the offense and continues to just use his magic wand, as we call it. The bat-to-ball skills are exceptional. He’s beating all expectations.”
Expectations were sky-high for Wilson. Those were established when he was drafted sixth overall by the A’s in the 2023 MLB Draft, then ramped up further when he reached the big leagues just over a year later. Entering the 2025 season as the A’s No. 1 overall prospect before graduating off the club’s Top 30 list in April, Wilson has somehow exceeded his lofty projections.
The 23-year-old shortstop is currently the runaway favorite for AL Rookie of the Year. Wilson leads all Major League rookies in batting average (.358), on-base percentage (.395), OPS (.904), runs (31), hits (83), RBIs (33), doubles (14) and extra-base hits (21). His seven home runs are also tied for the lead among rookies.
Coming out of Spring Training, Wilson was a strong believer that a breakout season was imminent. He placed his belief in the hard work he put in this offseason to bulk up by about 15 pounds to strengthen his body in preparation for his first full big league season. But even this type of production is beyond what he could have imagined.
“Definitely a little better [than I expected] in my mind,” Wilson said. “I’ll always have the confidence that I can go out there and get as many hits as I can. Finding ways to get hits is something I’ve always been very confident in. To be able to put hits together and get on base for this team is the ultimate goal as a hitter.”
With MLB All-Star ballots dropping this week, Wilson is building a strong case to represent the A’s in Atlanta for this year’s Midsummer Classic. Not only is he performing as the best rookie in baseball, he is one of the best pure hitters in baseball, with his 83 hits second-most in the Majors and trailing only Yankees superstar Aaron Judge (88).
It’s not just the offense, either. Wilson has looked like a completely different defender from his stint in the big leagues last year, evolving into a sure-handed shortstop who the A’s believe will only improve the more he acclimates to the big league level.
“The growth from the shortstop that we saw last year to this year is noticeable,” Kotsay said. “He’s making more plays than he did last season, and I think he’ll continue to get better. The kid’s got a body type that I think we can continue to still add some strength to. You’ll see that as he continues his career here.”
Wilson remains one of the few bright spots for an A’s club that is now 1-20 over its last 21 games, matching the worst 21-game stretch in franchise history. The Philadelphia Athletics also posted such stretches in 1916, 1920 and 1943.
On Wednesday, the A’s utilized an opener for the second straight game, this time starting with reliever Justin Sterner before handing it off to Jeffrey Springs, who allowed four runs (three earned) with two walks and seven strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.
When Springs departed with two outs in the eighth, the deficit was somewhat manageable at 4-1. Then reliever Hogan Harris allowed the Twins to add on two more runs, painting a picture of the bullpen’s late-inning woes that have troubled the A’s over the past few weeks.
“To get out of what we’re in right now, these guys also have to pitch innings to build confidence,” Kotsay said. “That ninth inning was a reflection of what we’re not doing well. We get two outs, then we go two walks, give up a hit and give up a run. That’s not how we’re going to win baseball games.”