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Wilson tops A.L. shortstops in All-Star Game voting
6/18/2025 9:30:00 AM | Baseball, Paul Coro
A's rookie, former GCU star would be Lopes' 1st MLB All-Star
The whole baseball world can't help but to see the talent of Jacob Wilson now.
The former Grand Canyon star is shining globally for the Athletics to become the front-runner for American League Rookie of the Year and the first voting returns' leader to be the MLB All-Star Game's starting A.L. shortstop.
Wilson is having one of the best seasons in the league, earning him 562,696 votes for A.L. shortstop to lead second-place Bobby Witt Jr. of Kansas City (519,984 votes) in the closest race of any position.
If he is selected for the July 15 game in Atlanta, Wilson would be the first GCU baseball player to be a MLB All-Star because Lopes great Tim Salmon was never selected despite being a top-10 finisher in A.L. Most Valuable Player voting twice.
Wilson's .360 hitting ranks second in the majors this season to New York Yankees megastar Aaron Judge (.372), and he also has the second-lowest strikeout percentage (6.2%) to San Diego's Luis Arraez.
With a slash line of .360/.399/.504, Wilson earned 33 of 34 votes in an mlb.com poll for A.L. Rookie of the Year despite being on a 30-45 team. The 23-year-old leads MLB rookies in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, RBIs, runs and hits.
"For a player on the A's to have that type of national attention, it says a lot about his year," A's manager Mark Kotsay told mlb.com's Martin Gallegos.
When Phase 1 of MLB All-Star Game voting ends June 26, the top two vote-getters at each position and top six outfielders will advance to Phase 2 voting that starts June 30. The winners to start at each position will be announced July 2. Wilson also would be the top candidate to represent the A's as a reserve.
The only previous fan-selected A's all-stars were Josh Donaldson (2014) and Jason Giambi (2000). An A's shortstop has not been an all-starter since Bert Campaneris (1974).
Wilson's batting average at this point of the season is among the best for any rookie in the live-ball era (since 1920) except for 1930s players Joe DiMaggio and Monk Sherlock, according to MLB Network.
"He is a professional hitter at such a young age," MLB Network's Mark DeRosa said on a Tuesday night segment about Wilson. "He knows what he does well. He stays short and quick to the baseball, takes chances when he needs to. When runners are in scoring position, he shortens his swing down even more."
With a more open hitting stance than at GCU, Wilson has been one of the league's best hitters against fastballs or off-speed pitches. He has shown more power, jumping on mostly off-speed offerings for eight home runs to contribute to his 38 RBIs.
Wilson has delivered walk-off hits twice this season, as well as in last season's regular-season finale. He was blazing through June with .423 hitting until a hamstring injury sidelined him this week.
After his junior season at GCU in 2023, Wilson was selected sixth overall by the A's and zoomed through the minors with .401 hitting. He was called up last season in Oakland, but his 92 at bats in 2024 left him eligible for Rookie of the Year honors this season with the A's now playing in West Sacramento, California.
Fans can vote for all-star starters five times per 24-hour period of Phase 1, which ends at 9 a.m. (Phoenix time) on June 26. Voting can be done at mlb.com/vote or the MLB and MLB Ballpark apps.
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The former Grand Canyon star is shining globally for the Athletics to become the front-runner for American League Rookie of the Year and the first voting returns' leader to be the MLB All-Star Game's starting A.L. shortstop.
Wilson is having one of the best seasons in the league, earning him 562,696 votes for A.L. shortstop to lead second-place Bobby Witt Jr. of Kansas City (519,984 votes) in the closest race of any position.
If he is selected for the July 15 game in Atlanta, Wilson would be the first GCU baseball player to be a MLB All-Star because Lopes great Tim Salmon was never selected despite being a top-10 finisher in A.L. Most Valuable Player voting twice.
Wilson's .360 hitting ranks second in the majors this season to New York Yankees megastar Aaron Judge (.372), and he also has the second-lowest strikeout percentage (6.2%) to San Diego's Luis Arraez.
With a slash line of .360/.399/.504, Wilson earned 33 of 34 votes in an mlb.com poll for A.L. Rookie of the Year despite being on a 30-45 team. The 23-year-old leads MLB rookies in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, RBIs, runs and hits.
"For a player on the A's to have that type of national attention, it says a lot about his year," A's manager Mark Kotsay told mlb.com's Martin Gallegos.
When Phase 1 of MLB All-Star Game voting ends June 26, the top two vote-getters at each position and top six outfielders will advance to Phase 2 voting that starts June 30. The winners to start at each position will be announced July 2. Wilson also would be the top candidate to represent the A's as a reserve.
The only previous fan-selected A's all-stars were Josh Donaldson (2014) and Jason Giambi (2000). An A's shortstop has not been an all-starter since Bert Campaneris (1974).
Wilson's batting average at this point of the season is among the best for any rookie in the live-ball era (since 1920) except for 1930s players Joe DiMaggio and Monk Sherlock, according to MLB Network.
"He is a professional hitter at such a young age," MLB Network's Mark DeRosa said on a Tuesday night segment about Wilson. "He knows what he does well. He stays short and quick to the baseball, takes chances when he needs to. When runners are in scoring position, he shortens his swing down even more."
With a more open hitting stance than at GCU, Wilson has been one of the league's best hitters against fastballs or off-speed pitches. He has shown more power, jumping on mostly off-speed offerings for eight home runs to contribute to his 38 RBIs.
Wilson has delivered walk-off hits twice this season, as well as in last season's regular-season finale. He was blazing through June with .423 hitting until a hamstring injury sidelined him this week.
After his junior season at GCU in 2023, Wilson was selected sixth overall by the A's and zoomed through the minors with .401 hitting. He was called up last season in Oakland, but his 92 at bats in 2024 left him eligible for Rookie of the Year honors this season with the A's now playing in West Sacramento, California.
Fans can vote for all-star starters five times per 24-hour period of Phase 1, which ends at 9 a.m. (Phoenix time) on June 26. Voting can be done at mlb.com/vote or the MLB and MLB Ballpark apps.
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Â"He reminds me of Michael Young..."
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 18, 2025
- DeRo on @Athletics rookie sensation Jacob Wilson pic.twitter.com/65FwOV8nSr
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