Athletics rookie shortstop Jacob Wilson has taken the big leagues by storm, with a .347 batting average and nine home runs in 76 games this season. His performance has ranked him among the top young players in the league, with a second-lowest strikeout rate at 6.8%. Wilson, 23, has attributed some of his early success to his morning routine of playing Fortnite, a popular battle royale game, before heading to the field.
Wilson’s belief in the value of video games as a training tool has drawn attention, and he has expressed his enthusiasm for the game’s fast decision-making mechanics. He told ESPN, “Kids are going to love this one. Parents are going to hate me. I am a big believer in video games.” He explained that the game helps him prepare for the game’s demands, stating that it sharpens his ability to make quick decisions during plays. “There’s some days where I’ll wake up, and I’ll play video games, and then I’ll go to the field, and I’ll have a good day. Some days I won’t play and don’t see the ball well. I think it really helps me train kind of the decision-making that I have to make six, seven hours later at the baseball field,” Wilson said.
The son of former MLB player Jack Wilson, Jacob’s success is also rooted in his natural talent and family legacy. Jack, who had a 12-season MLB career with the Pittsburgh Pirates and was an NL All-Star in 2004, shared his own support for the use of video games in training, albeit with a caveat. “I do believe in the hand-eye coordination that video games give — as long as you do your homework,” Jack told ESPN. “Kids, if you’re reading, do your homework.” While the family’s history in baseball is a significant factor, Jacob’s current trajectory has been bolstered by his unconventional training methods.
Wilson’s impressive performance has also positioned him as a favorite for the All-Star game, which he may participate in next month in Atlanta. He is set to face the Detroit Tigers in a crucial matchup for the Athletics, with the team’s current record at 33-49. As teams continue to look for competitive edges, Wilson’s integration of modern technology into his training regimen represents an interesting intersection of sports and entertainment.