For Jacob Wilson, getting selected sixth overall by the Oakland A’s on Sunday during the 2023 MLB Draft was a dream come true — except for one small detail.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred whiffed on the name of Wilson’s school, Grand Canyon University, when he was announcing the pick, inventing something new altogether.
“With the sixth pick of the 2023 MLB Draft, the Oakland Athletics select Jacob Wilson, a shortstop from Grand Union University,” said Manfred, who was booed by fans throughout the evening.
Grand Canyon University is a private, for-profit Christian university in Phoenix, Arizona, which enrolls 103,072 undergraduates.
GCU has produced MLB talent before, such as Angels star Tim Salmon and former Yankees outfielder Chad Curtis — who had 545 plate appearances for the 114-win 1998 squad.
Wilson, who just finished a dominant junior season, is a 6-foot-3, 190-pound shortstop who the A’s believe will bring a solid approach to the plate, along with stout defense.
His father, Jack, is a former MLB All-Star shortstop with the Pirates, hitting 61 home runs over a 12-year career before going on to coach his son at Thousand Oaks High School in California.
Wilson showcased some of the best bat-to-ball skills among all prospects eligible for the draft, striking out just 12 times in his last 492 plate appearances for GCU.
“We’re incredibly excited to have Jacob,” A’s general manager David Forst said.
“We really believe Jacob is a unique player. He has a unique skill in putting the bat on the ball. This is a kid with outstanding defensive skills at shortstop. A kid who spent a lot of time in a Major League clubhouse and around his dad, who taught him the game. When you put it all together, it’s an incredibly exciting package for someone we feel really confident is a Major League player.”
Wilson retooled his offensive profile throughout his college career, upping his slugging percentage by 50 points by his junior season, and stealing eight bases after stealing just one in the previous two years.