If you’re reading this – congratulations! Having successfully survived the dullest stretch of the year when it comes to professional sports in North America is no easy feat so, with baseball finally returning today, we wanted to reward you… with a selection of the best waiver wire options still out there!

Jacob Wilson – SS – OAK – 5% Yahoo, 0% CBS

We got some exciting news late on Thursday, as the Athletics announced that they would be officially promoting Jacob Wilson, their 2023 1st-round pick, to the majors almost exactly one year after being drafted. Despite putting forth a borderline inhuman slash line so far this year (.438/.475/.686 – 1.161 OPS) that outshines even the top specs in the game, Wilson is not yet talked about in the same light as the others.

I’m here to try to change that, as Wilson is quickly becoming one of the most fascinating players to watch. It isn’t his power stroke that’s intriguing though – it’s his Ty Cobb-level hitting ability that harkens back to an archetype of yesteryear. Let’s look at some of the numbers, many of which look like a typo at first glance;

1.  He has almost an equal rate of walks and strikeouts (6.0% and 6.5%, respectively)
2.  He has swung at 234 pitches in the zone this season, making contact with 223 of them*
3.  He has more games with 4 hits (7) than 0 hits (4)*
4.  He has more games with 4+ RBI (3) than 2 strikeouts (2)*
5.  He is hitting over .400 vs. all pitch types*

Those are some insane numbers! But while they point to Wilson having a high-likelihood of finding immediate success in the majors, it’s always worth remembering that the jump from Triple-A to MLB competition is the most difficult in the game, so his meteoric rise thus far does not guarantee us anything (see: Jackson Holliday). Still, Wilson could easily end up being the most impactful prospect call up between now and the end of the season. This is potentially a league-winning player, available for free. In anything but the shallowest of leagues, he should be scooped up immediately just in case his preternatural hitting ability continues to shine through.

(*As of 7/12. Hat-tip to Aram Leighton on Twitter)

League size recommendation: 10-team leagues

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