LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – It has been a whirlwind of a month for Jacob Wilson who had no time to rest after being drafted sixth overall by the Oakland Athletics in July of 2023. The shortstop out of Grand Canyon University signed for a whopping 5.5 million dollars and not even a month after being drafted, joined the Lugnuts on August 1st when they were in the midst of a 12-game road series. Now, with the team back at Jackson Field, Wilson is getting to experience what the mitten stat is all about.

“Yeah first time ever in Michigan and in Lansing and it is awesome,” Wilson said. “I haven’t gotten to see too much except the field, but it has been beautiful being able to come out here. It is just a great stadium. I have also really enjoyed getting to see the city and everything has just been crazy ever since the draft happened. I got to go out Arizona and play in the Arizona Complex League and have a great time with all of the draft guys there. Then to be here with all of these guys and in this great city, it had been pretty awesome.”

The expectations surrounding Jacob are sky high, and even more so when you consider his father is longtime Pittsburgh Pirate’s shortstop and 2004 MLB All-Star Jack Wilson. Jacob, was around 10 years old when his dad retired from the big leagues, and now that it’s his turn in the pros, he has mixed emotions about following in his dad’s footsteps.

“I always wanted do what my dad did,” Wilson said. “I think that’s what every kid wants to do. They wanna do what their dad does. Being compared to my dad is pretty awesome because he was a great baseball player and just being able to be compared to him is pretty special. At the same time, I do want to write my own story and write my own kind of baseball journey.”

The transition to the pros has been a seamless one for Jacob thus far, who is hitting .317 with 13 hits in his 41 at-bats. Wilson is eager to carry this momentum throughout the rest of the season, which he will be spending in Lansing.