If you want to dominate on the baseball diamond, you first must master the sticks.
At least that’s the case for Athletics standout rookie Jacob Wilson.
The 23-year-old shortstop, who is batting .347/.388/.487 with nine home runs, 40 RBI and five stolen bases in 76 games, recently spoke with ESPN’s Jeff Passan about his rookie-season success and shared what he believes to be the secret key to his breakout at the plate.
“Kids are going to love this one. Parents are going to hate me,” Wilson told Passan. “I am a big believer in video games. It’s fast decision-making strategy. I think that gets me ready for the game, because when you’re in the box, you have to process a lot. So 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 shared with Passan that he frequently plays “Fortnite,” the third-person battle royale shooter game that exploded in popularity in 2018 and has maintained a steady player base since.
Fellow A’s rookie Max Muncy, who plays “Fortnite” with Wilson, knows first-hand how good his teammate is.
“If we play a game with me and him and guys we know and you kill him once, you’re like, ‘That’s a good day,’ ” Muncy told Passan. “You could play 50 rounds. Just once is good.”
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Wilson’s father, Jack, a former MLB shortstop, seemingly supports his son’s hypothesis.
“I do believe in the hand-eye coordination that video games give — as long as you do your homework,” Jack told Passan. “Kids, if you’re reading, do your homework.”
Well put.
However, once the homework is done, it’s time to drop Tilted.
Then, for Wilson, the 2025 MLB All-Star Game on July 15 in Atlanta.
