Jacob Wilson (utility player)

Not to be confused with Jacob Wilson (shortstop).

Jacob Wilson
Infielder / Outfielder
Born: (1990-07-29) July 29, 1990 (age 34)
Bartlett, Tennessee, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Professional debut
KBO: June 19, 2019, for the Lotte Giants
MLB: July 10, 2021, for the Oakland Athletics
Last appearance
KBO: September 26, 2019, for the Lotte Giants
MLB: August 22, 2021, for the Houston Astros
KBO statistics
Batting average.251
Home runs9
Runs batted in37
MLB statistics
Batting average.150
Home runs0
Runs batted in1
Teams
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  United States
Pan American Games
Silver medal – second place 2015 Toronto Team

Jacob Clinton Wilson (born July 29, 1990) is an American former professional baseball utility player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics and Houston Astros, and in the KBO League for the Lotte Giants.

Early life and education

Born in Bartlett, Tennessee, Wilson graduated from Bartlett High School[1]

Wilson played college baseball at the University of Memphis for the Tigers from 2009 to 2012. As a senior, he was the Conference USA Player of the Year after hitting .320 with 17 home runs and a 1.009 OPS.[2][3]

Career

St. Louis Cardinals

Wilson was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 10th round of the 2012 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft.[4] He signed with the Cardinals and made his professional debut with the Low-A Batavia Muckdogs, and hit .275 with 6 home runs and 25 RBI.[5] In 2013, he played for the Single-A Peoria Chiefs and High-A Palm Beach Cardinals, slashing .243/.336/.424 with 18 home runs and 82 RBI.[6]

In 2014, Wilson started with Palm Beach before being promoted to the Double-A Springfield Cardinals.[7] He hit .302 with 5 home runs and 41 RBI before his season came to an end after 66 games due to a knee injury.[8] Wilson split the 2015 season between Springfield and the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds, slashing .230/.302/.407 with 18 home runs and 77 RBI. During the 2016 season, he split time between Memphis and Springfield, finishing the year batting .223 with 14 home runs.[9] In 2017, Wilson played for Springfield, posting a .248 batting average with 17 home runs and 66 RBI in 129 games for Springfield.

Washington Nationals

On December 14, 2017, the Washington Nationals selected Wilson with one of their two picks in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft.[10]

In 2018, Wilson retooled his swing over the off-season and emerged as a more successful hitter, quickly progressing in the Nationals organization from the Double–A Harrisburg Senators to the Triple–A Syracuse Chiefs while playing multiple infield and outfield positions. With a batting average above the .300 mark near the International League season's midway point, Wilson was named to represent the Chiefs in the 2018 Triple–A All-Star Game.[11] He finished the season with a .278/.347/.408 slash line with 7 home runs and 55 RBI in 108 games between the two levels, as well as four rehab games with the rookie–level Gulf Coast League Nationals.[12]

Wilson was invited to participate in major league spring training before the 2019 season with the Nationals.[13] Wilson began the year with the Triple–A Fresno Grizzlies, and hit .313 with 15 home runs and 48 RBI across 54 games before he left the team on June 9.[14]

Lotte Giants

On June 10, 2019, Wilson officially signed with the Lotte Giants of the KBO League on a one-year, $400,000 deal.[15] In 68 games for Lotte, Wilson batted .251/.351/.433 with 9 home runs and 37 RBI. He became a free agent following the 2019 season.

Washington Nationals (second stint)

On February 12, 2020, Wilson signed a minor league contract to return to the Washington Nationals organization.[16] However, Wilson did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[17] He became a free agent on November 2.[18]

Oakland Athletics

On November 12, 2020, Wilson signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics organization.[19] He was assigned to the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators to begin the 2021 season, and hit .288/.385/.630 with 14 home runs and 46 RBI in 49 games. On July 8, 2021, Wilson was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[20] Wilson made his MLB debut on July 10, replacing Tony Kemp at second base in the 10th inning and popping out in his only at-bat. He recorded his first career hit on July 20, a single off of José Suárez in a 6–0 win over the Los Angeles Angels. In 7 at-bats for the A's, Wilson hit .143. On July 31, Wilson was designated for assignment by the A's.[21]

Houston Astros

On August 2, 2021, Wilson was claimed off of waivers by the Houston Astros.[22] He was optioned to the Triple–A Sugar Land Skeeters. Wilson appeared in six games for the Astros, going 2–for–13 (.154) before he was outrighted off of the 40–man roster on September 13.[23] He elected free agency on November 7.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Jacob Wilson (2021) - M Club Hall of Fame". University of Memphis Athletics. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  2. ^ "Jacob Wilson Earns C-USA Player of the Year Honors". gotigersgo.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2015. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  3. ^ Phil Stukenborg. "U of M third baseman Jacob Wilson named C-USA Player of the Year". MCA. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  4. ^ "Jacob Wilson Selected by St. Louis Cardinals in 2012 MLB Draft". gotigersgo.com. Archived from the original on October 26, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  5. ^ "Jacob Wilson College, Minor, Fall, Winter, and Korean League Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  6. ^ Phil Stukenborg. "U of M Campus Notebook: Ex-Tiger Jacob Wilson thriving in Peoria". MCA. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  7. ^ "Texas League notebook: St. Louis Cardinals' Jacob Wilson enjoying the journey with Springfield - MiLB.com News - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  8. ^ Phil Stukenborg. "U of M notebook: Wilson, former star for Tigers and Bartlett, impressing Cardinals in minors". MCA. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  9. ^ "Jacob Wilson Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  10. ^ Rains, Rob (December 14, 2017). "In Triple A phase of Rule 5 draft, #STLCards lose infielder Jacob Wilson to Nationals, pick up OFs Angel Moreno from Tampa Bay and Jean Selmo, 17 yo from Arizona". twitter.com. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  11. ^ Kramer, Lindsay (June 27, 2018). "Syracuse Chiefs infielder named to International League all-star team". Syracuse.com. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  12. ^ "Jacob Wilson College, Minor, Fall, Winter & Korean Leagues Statistics & History".
  13. ^ Shinberg, Ross (March 14, 2019). "Washington Nationals: Nationals Make Roster Moves". District on Deck. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
  14. ^ Polishuk, Mark (June 9, 2019). "KBO's Lotte Giants to Acquire Jacob Wilson, Release Carlos Asuaje". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  15. ^ "롯데, 아수아헤도 교체…내야수 제이콥 윌슨 영입". Naver Sports (in Korean). June 11, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  16. ^ "Nationals' Jacob Wilson: Returns to Washington". February 12, 2020.
  17. ^ "2020 Minor League Season Canceled". June 30, 2020.
  18. ^ "Full List of 2020-2021 MiLB Free Agents". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  19. ^ "A's Add Three to 40-Man Roster, Announce Several Minor League Signings". November 20, 2020.
  20. ^ "A's Put Chad Pinder on Injured List, Select Jacob Wilson". July 8, 2021.
  21. ^ "A's Place James Kaprielian on 10-Day Injured List, Designate Domingo Acevedo, Jacob Wilson for Assignment". July 31, 2021.
  22. ^ "Astros Claim Jacob Wilson off Waivers from A's". MLB Trade Rumors. August 2, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  23. ^ "Astros' Jacob Wilson: Outrighted to Triple-A".