Here's the Athletics' Spring Breakout roster
Martín Gallegos
@MartinJGallegosMESA, Ariz. -- Jacob Wilson has a lot to live up to as not only the sixth overall pick in last year’s MLB Draft but also the son of a former All-Star and 12-year big leaguer in Jack Wilson.
So far, Wilson, ranked the A’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 68 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline, has matched the hype with a 65-grade hit tool that has come as advertised early in his pro career. Aggressively sent to High-A Lansing shortly after getting drafted, Wilson impressed by hitting .318 with an .833 OPS and 10 extra-base hits while striking out just 10 times in 99 plate appearances.
Continuing to set high expectations as a future star for the A’s, Wilson headlines a group of the club’s top young talent taking part in the inaugural Spring Breakout, which will see Oakland’s prospects square off against the Giants’ prospects on March 15 at Hohokam Stadium in the second game of a doubleheader that will follow a traditional Cactus League game against San Francisco, which begins at 1:05 p.m. PT.
Gearing up for his full season as a professional, Wilson attended his first big league Spring Training as a non-roster invitee, and though his playing time in Cactus League games was limited before getting optioned to Minor League camp on Sunday, he left a strong impression on the A’s coaching staff.
“Impressive first camp for Jacob, both offensively and defensively,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “I’ve been impressed with his maturity, but I really shouldn’t have been impressed, because his dad, Jack, was a heck of a baseball player. I’m sure Jacob learned a lot from Jack over the years just being around him.”
There is a good chance Wilson will be manning the same infield as Thousand Oaks High School (Calif.) teammate Max Muncy, Oakland’s No. 8 prospect and its 2021 first-round Draft pick. Wilson and Muncy are two of the six players rated among the club’s top 10 prospects by MLB Pipeline who are set to participate in the event.
“I think it’s sick,” Muncy said of Spring Breakout. "During the year, some guys who are a little younger go to [Single-A] Stockton while other guys are ahead and go to [Triple-A] Las Vegas, so you kind of miss some of those guys. I think it’s a cool chance to play with guys you haven’t played with. Put your best team forward and see how you play together. It gives you maybe a look to the future of what [the A’s] could be.”
What is Spring Breakout? MLB Spring Breakout is a four-day event showcasing baseball’s future: the current stars of Minor League Baseball. The inaugural edition will be held from March 14-17 at Grapefruit and Cactus league stadiums during Spring Training. A series of 16 exhibition games will be played between teams comprised of each MLB organization’s top prospects, creating a new touchpoint on the baseball calendar that celebrates our sport’s budding talent.
Here's the Athletics' Spring Breakout roster with MLB Pipeline's rankings: