2023 MLB Draft Profile: Jacob Wilson
Almost ten prospects in and we finally make our way to the first prospect to play an infield position. Outfielders and Pitchers make up a lot of this class, especially the top players. But Shortstop Jacob Wilson still has a ton of tools to work with and could be the best pure hitter in this class.
Scouting grades: Hit: 65 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55
When looking at Jacob Wilson you are first drawn to his elite hitting grade. At 65/80, scouts believe Wilson can be a great hitter in MLB, and it’s easy to see why that’s the case.
He tries to focus on driving the ball and is more concerned with making hard contact than he is with hitting towering home runs, evidenced by his only seven strikeouts across 275 plate appearances.
While the power has and will never be elite, it has shown improvement in recent years. Just last year he hit 12 home runs and slugged .585, showing a raw ability to generate some power.
As of now, it seems like Jacob Wilson will continue to profile as a shortstop. He may not have great speed, but his range and strong arm more than make up for that. He has played third at times for Grand Canyon, but I don’t see him having enough power to play third at the highest levels.
Since his days in High School, Wilson has continued to shoot up draft boards. His amazing hit tool is a big reason for that. Last year, he finished with an absurd 1.004 OPS and impressed even more with his time at Team USA.
Jacob Wilson may not do a lot at an elite level, but the one thing he can seemingly do at that level is flat-out hit. Something every single team in MLB has a rather high value for. He may never be a big power guy but could be an on-base machine.
My only concern is when watching the film, his swing seems a little long at times. There is also a lot of movement pre-swing, which could hurt his fundamentals. Players have survived having wonky swings/stances before, but in the case of Jacob Wilson, I think toning it down a little could do him some good.
He is a very smart and disciplined hitter who doesn’t strike out often — tools that carry well into the minor leagues and eventually MLB. But with all the movement he has going on pre-swing, I can’t help but believe it will negatively affect him in some way. Here’s hoping I’m wrong.
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