Athletics Rookie Shortstop Jacob Wilson Shines in His Debut Season
Rookie shortstop Jacob Wilson of the Athletics has made quite an impression in the big leagues this season.
At just 23 years old, Wilson boasts an impressive batting average of .347, along with nine home runs in 76 games. This puts his average second among MLB shortstops, trailing only New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge, who sits at .361. Wilson also has one of the lowest strikeout rates in the league, standing at 6.8%.
Interestingly, Wilson credits part of his success to the popular video game Fortnite.
“My kids are going to love this. My parents are going to hate me. I really believe in video games,” he shared with a bit of humor, referencing how they contribute to his game. “It’s about quick decision-making. When you’re in the box, you have to deal with a lot,” he explained.
He believes that playing video games has enhanced his decision-making skills on the field. “Some days, I’ll play video games, and then I go to the field and have a great day. Other times, I don’t play for a few days and struggle with seeing the ball. I think it can help train the decisions I need to make during the game,” he said.
With all this, Wilson is emerging as a strong contender for the American League Rookie of the Year. His performance might even earn him a spot in the upcoming All-Star Game in Atlanta next month.
While he emphasizes Fortnite’s role in his training, it’s clear that a lot of his success is rooted in his natural talent. Jacob is the son of Jack Wilson, who had a solid 12-season career in Major League Baseball, earning an All-Star nod with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2004.
Jack believes that video games can assist with hand-eye coordination. “As long as I do my homework, I trust in the hand-eye adjustments playing video games provides,” he advised, adding a wise note for young fans to focus on their studies.
As Jacob aims to keep the momentum going, the Athletics (33-49) are scheduled to play on Thursday at 1:10 PM against a strong opponent (50-31).
