Former University of Memphis third baseman Jacob Wilson has begun to impress Major League Baseball teams as a projected utility player.
Wilson of Bartlett, Tennessee, is the St. Louis Cardinals’ newest prospect. His journey began at the University of Memphis in 2009 and continues today with the Springfield (Missouri) Cardinals, a Double A minor league team. He leads Springfield in home runs and RBI through 15 games this season.
After receiving many college offers, Wilson said he chose Memphis because of the coaching staff.
“In Jacob’s case, we knew what kind of defender he was and that made him stand out,” U of M coach Daron Schoenrock said. “He was very confident in who he was as a hitter.”
At the time, Wilson was the lone Tiger to play in all 53 games as a freshman.
“The coaches trusted me to go out and play every day,” Wilson said. “I held my own ground as a freshman.”
Wilson’s batted .320 his senior year along with hitting 17 home runs and drove in 64 RBI. Overall, he played in 222 games as a Tiger, third most in team history.
When he’s not chasing his dream of playing Major League Baseball, Wilson often returns to the U of M to give hitting lessons and spend time with the current Tiger players.
“In the off season, I spend a lot of time with the baseball team,” Wilson said. “I try to spend as much time as I can with that team because I want to pass on to them stuff that could hopefully put them in my shoes one day. The earlier you can learn things, the better you are down the road.”
While playing for Memphis, Wilson worked closely with current Memphis Tiger first baseman Tucker Tubbs, who speaks highly of Wilson as a mentor and player.
“Wilson was the leader of the team, one of the captains,” Tubbs said. “He kind of took me under his wing and showed me how to play the right way. He was a really good player to play under and a great teammate.”
Since leaving Memphis, Wilson has accomplished way more than just getting his feet wet in baseball. He has played for the following minor league teams: Batavia Muckdogs, Palm Beach Cardinals, Peoria Chiefs and now Springfield. He has returned to Memphis as a professional and filled in as a Triple-A Memphis Redbird, too.
Wilson was asked to participate in the Arizona Fall League twice as a professional player. This is an opportunity typically reserved for major league prospects. Each club chooses six players, and Wilson has been chosen by the St. Louis Cardinals for two consecutive years.
During spring training this year, Wilson got to train with the parent Cardinals while still being labeled as an AA minor league player.
Schoenrock said utility players that can hit have the quickest route to the major leagues. A utility player is a player who is flexible in several positions. Wilson has excelled at shortstop, second and third base as well as left field in his minor league career.
“He’s got lots of skills,” Tubbs said. “He has great hands, great hand-eye coordination and great power. He’s got it all.”
Wilson hopes his hard work continues to pay dividends.
“I just go out and try to play my best every day and try to look for that promotion and see what the future holds for me,” Wilson said. “The only control we have over [the future] is how we play. Then the Cardinals handle the rest of it. It could be tomorrow, it could be three years from now.“
Schoenrock believes Wilson will be an official St. Louis Cardinal by the end of the 2015 season.
“The more success he has, it just gives you good feelings,” Schoenrock said. “He’s as humble and is the same exact guy as he was when he played with us. He will always be a Memphis Tiger.”
Former Tiger third baseman Jacob Wilson played in 222 games for the Blue and Gray from 2009-12, third most in Memphis Tiger baseball history. Photo by Joe Murphy
