OAKLAND, Calif. — The Oakland A’s selected infielder Jacob Wilson from Grand Canyon University in the first round of the 2023 First-Year Player Draft, the club announced today.

Wilson hit .412 with six home runs, 61 RBI, and eight stolen bases for the Antelopes this season while also earning WAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. He tallied 19 walks and just five strikeouts to go along with 17 doubles, four triples, a .461 on-base percentage, a .635 slugging percentage, and a 1.096 OPS. As a sophomore, was a national semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award and led his team in hits (88) and doubles (18), and ranked second in batting average (.358). Earned All-WAC First Team honors in all three of his seasons at GCU.

The Thousand Oaks, Calif., native entered the draft as the No. 10 prospect by MLB Pipeline. Over three collegiate seasons, Wilson batted .361 with a .977 OPS, 22 homers, 155 RBI, 61 walks, and just 31 strikeouts in 155 career games.

Wilson was selected with the sixth overall pick, marking the first time the A’s have selected in the top 10 since picking Kyler Murray ninth overall in 2018. Last season the A’s selected catcher Daniel Susac with the 19th overall pick. Oakland chose fellow Thousand Oaks High School alumni, shortstop Max Muncy, with the 25th pick in 2021, Turlock High School catcher Tyler Soderstrom with the 26th pick in 2020, and Clemson University shortstop Logan Davidson with the 29th choice in 2019.

Jacob is the son of former Major League shortstop Jack Wilson who spent parts of 12 seasons with Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Atlanta. Jack was drafted in the ninth round of the 1998 draft by St. Louis and attended Oxnard College in Oxnard, Calif. He made his Major League debut on April 3, 2001 and played his last game on July 12, 2012. He finished his career hitting .265 with a .671 OPS in 1,370 career games. In 2004, Jack was named to the National League All-Star Team and earned the Silver Slugger Award.