Athletics rookie Jacob Wilson named MLB All-Star starter over Bobby Witt Jr. originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The fans spoke, and history was made.
Athletics star Jacob Wilson will be the first fan-elected rookie ever to start an MLB All-Star Game, the league announced Wednesday.
Wilson is the second-ever rookie shortstop to start an All-Star Game, joining the Baltimore Orioles’ Ron Hansen, who achieved the feat in 1960.
Wilson and Bobby Witt Jr. were the Phase 2 finalists, with the young A’s star edging the Royals supernova 52 percent to 48 percent.
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Despite the A’s 36-53 record, Wilson’s spot at the Midsummer Classic on July 15 at Truist Park in Atlanta comes as no surprise.
Wilson leads AL shortstops in batting average (.339), hits (108) and strikeout percentage (7.6) over halfway through the 2025 MLB season and is second in OBP (.380), OPS (.853) and wRC+ (138). Wilson also is tied with the Houston Astros’ Jeremy Peña for the fifth most RBI among AL shortstops with 40.
Wilson led throughout the entire voting process, ultimately beating Witt Jr., Peña, Bo Bichette, Anthony Volpe, Zach Neto, Gunnar Henderson, Trey Sweeney, J.P. Crawford and Corey Seager.
It probably won’t be the last time Wilson, the AL Rookie of the Month for May, beats those same names for All-Star votes in future seasons.
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The A’s selected Wilson, the son of former MLB All-Star shortstop Jack Wilson, No. 6 overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, and he has been off to the races ever since. Wilson was promoted to the majors at the end of the 2024 season and is one of baseball’s brightest stars less than a year later.
No one who has followed Wilson’s young career expected anything less. But those unfamiliar with his game will have the chance to see Wilson shine among the game’s best in just a few weeks.