A's Top Prospect Hits IL

Jason Burke | May 19, 2024

Feb 23, 2024; Mesa, AZ, USA; Oakland Athletics infielder Jacob Wilson (83) poses during Photo Day at / Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Oakland A's top prospect Jacob Wilson was placed on the IL by the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators on Saturday after missing the previous two games with an undisclosed injury. According to Athletics Farm, Wilson is dealing with a knee issue. There is no timetable for his return at this point in time.

Wilson was originally removed from Wednesday's game after taking the field in the top of the first, but was replaced at shortstop by Logan Davidson in the bottom half of the inning. Nick Allen, who had also been on the IL, was activated ahead of Friday night's game and has manned the position the past two days.

Max Muncy, another top prospect for the A's and another shortstop at that, also landed on the IL on Friday. In a weird twist, Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy landed on the IL on Friday as well. The two also share a birthday.

Wlson, 22, was called up to Vegas on May 8, and in six games played he went 9-for-24 (.375) with two doubles, a walk, and a .400 OBP. This is after hitting .455 in 88 at-bats in Double-A to begin the year. Wilson was selected by the A's in last year's MLB Draft with the sixth overall pick, and is ranked as the team's No. 1 prospect by MLB Pipeline, and the No. 55 overall prospect in all of baseball.

The shortstop's biggest calling card coming out of college was his bat-to-ball ability, and so far in the minor leagues he has kept his strikeout rate below 11% at every stop. Obviously that's really impressive, but what makes it truly stand out is that he hasn't had time to adjust to any one level before finding himself further up the organizational ladder.

The most games he's played at any stop so far is the 23 he racked up with High-A Lansing last year, collecting 99 plate appearances in the process. That is less than a month's worth of playing time, and that's the longest period of time he has spent at any stop on his way to the big leagues.

With Allen struggling (and back in the minors), Darell Hernaiz injured, and Max Muncy potentially sliding over to third, there is a chance that Wilson could make it to Oakland this year and cement himself as the team's shortstop heading into the 2025 season. This is of course assuming that he comes back from his injury before too long, and continues to put up ridiculous numbers in Triple-A.