Jacob Gonzalez (shortstop)
{{Short description|American baseball player (born 2002)}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Jacob Gonzalez
|image =
|team = Chicago White Sox
|number = 90
|position = Shortstop
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|5|30}}
|birth_place = Whittier, California, U.S.
|bats = Left
|throws = Right
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Jacob Jesus Gonzalez (born May 30, 2002) is an American professional baseball shortstop in the Chicago White Sox organization.
Early life
Jacob Jesus Gonzalez was born on May 30, 2002, in Whittier, California.{{cite news |title=Jacob Gonzalez Stats, Fantasy & News |url=https://www.milb.com/player/jacob-gonzalez-694378 |access-date=July 7, 2023 |work=MiLB.com |publisher=MLB Advanced Media}} His father, Jess, was a professional baseball pitcher in the minor leagues and independent leagues from 1994 to 1996.{{cite news |last1=DeRosa |first1=Theo |title=Get to know Draft prospect Jacob Gonzalez |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/jacob-gonzalez-guide |access-date=July 7, 2023 |work=MLB.com |publisher=MLB Advanced Media |date=June 12, 2023}} Gonazlez grew up in Glendora, California, playing travel baseball with SGV Hustle in addition to playing for Glendora American Little League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20110621/glendora-boy-prepares-for-travel-ball-world-series-in-florida|title=Glendora boy prepares for travel ball world series in Florida|date=June 21, 2011}} He attended Glendora High School where he was a four-year letterman in both football as a quarterback and baseball as an infielder.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sgvtribune.com/jacob-gonzalez-directs-glendora-football-past-damien|title=Jacob Gonzalez directs Glendora football past Damien|date=August 24, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/highschool/varsity-times/la-sp-high-school-baseball-watch-20180215-story.html|title=High school baseball players to watch this season|date=February 15, 2018|website=Los Angeles Times}}{{cite web |title=Jacob Gonzalez - Baseball |url=https://olemisssports.com/sports/baseball/roster/jacob-gonzalez/4559 |website=Ole Miss Athletics |access-date=July 7, 2023}}
Gonzalez became the starting quarterback for Glendora in 2018–19, his junior year of high school.{{cite news |last1=Escarcega |first1=James |title=Glendora takes on Damien to kick off the 2018 football season |url=https://www.sgvtribune.com/2018/08/15/glendora-takes-on-damien-to-kick-off-the-2018-football-season/ |access-date=July 7, 2023 |work=San Gabriel Valley Tribune |publisher=Southern California News Group |date=August 15, 2018}} He accumulated 1,520 passing yards during the regular season, among the most in the CIF Southern Section (CIF-SS).{{cite news |last1=Escarcega |first1=James |title=High School Playoff Notebook: La Serna football in another rematch with Colony |url=https://www.sgvtribune.com/2018/10/29/high-school-playoff-notebook-la-serna-football-in-another-rematch-with-colony/ |access-date=July 7, 2023 |work=San Gabriel Valley Tribune |publisher=Southern California News Group |date=October 29, 2018}} In 2019–20, his senior year, Gonzalez led Glendora to a 9–1 regular season record and was named to the All-CIF-SS Division 5 team.{{cite news |last1=Howell |first1=John |title=Glendora's defense paves the way in easy victory over Lompoc in playoff opener |url=https://www.sgvtribune.com/2019/11/08/glendoras-defense-paves-the-way-in-easy-victory-over-lompoc-in-playoff-opener/ |access-date=July 7, 2023 |work=San Gabriel Valley Tribune |publisher=Southern California News Group |date=November 8, 2019}}{{cite web |title=Football 11 |url=https://cifss.org/allcifss/2019-football/?_sports=football-11 |website=CIF Southern Section |access-date=July 7, 2023}} He finished his high school football career with 4,487 yards, 62 total touchdowns, and 15 interceptions.
In 2016–17, his freshman season with the Glendora baseball team, Gonzalez posted a .396 batting average with five doubles and 25 runs batted in (RBIs). In December 2017, prior to his sophomore season, he committed to play college baseball for the Ole Miss Rebels.{{Cite tweet |last=Gonzalez |first=Jacob |user=jakegonzalez717 |number=942977881658990594 |date=December 18, 2017 |title=I am extremely blessed and thankful to announce that I have committed to play baseball and further my academics at Ole Miss!! #hottytoddy |access-date=July 7, 2023}} He finished his second year batting .398 with seven doubles and 25 RBIs and struck out only five times. In Gonzalez's 2018–19 junior season, he improved his batting average to .420 with three home runs, eight doubles, and 23 RBIs. Midway through his 2019–20 senior year, Gonzalez was batting .346 with two doubles and five RBIs before the baseball season was prematurely canceled in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For his high school baseball career, he batted .390 with 119 hits, four home runs, and 74 RBIs.{{Cite web|url=https://hughesnewsonline.com/gonzalez-marshman-glendora-scholar-athlete-boys-athlete-of-year-p9227-103.htm|title=Gonzalez & Marshman, Glendora, Scholar Athlete & Boys Athlete of Year|website=hughesnewsonline.com}} After going undrafted in the abridged 2020 Major League Baseball draft, Gonzalez honored his commitment to enroll at Ole Miss.
College career
Gonzalez was named the starting shortstop for Ole Miss as a freshman in 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/ole-miss/Article/Jacob-Gonzalez-the-next-great-Ole-Miss-shortstop-154107684/|title=Jacob Gonzalez, the next great Ole Miss shortstop?|website=Inside The Rebels}} Over 67 starts, he batted .355 with 12 home runs, 55 RBIs, and 16 doubles.{{Cite web|url=https://www.djournal.com/sports/college/ole-miss/ole-miss-2022-projected-lineup-and-batting-order/article_60ab9d10-b819-53b2-b4c8-5ca9f3796063.html|title=Ole Miss 2022 projected lineup and batting order|first=MICHAEL KATZ Daily|last=Journal|website=Daily Journal|date=17 February 2022 }} He was named to the All-SEC First Team, was named Freshman of the Year by D1Baseball, and was named an All-American by D1Baseball and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.{{Cite web|url=https://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/college/mississippi-state/2022/05/23/mississippi-state-ole-miss-baseball-players-collect-all-sec-honors/9894600002/|title=Six Mississippi State, Ole Miss baseball players collect All-SEC honors|first=Stefan|last=Krajisnik|website=The Clarion-Ledger}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wtva.com/news/local/ole-miss-ss-jacob-gonzalez-named-d1baseball-freshman-of-the-year/article_42941f67-0022-5673-934d-b0edebf254a9.html|title=Ole Miss SS Jacob Gonzalez named D1Baseball Freshman of the Year|first=Zac|last=Carlisle|website=WTVA 9 News|date=12 July 2021 }} He was just the second player in Ole Miss baseball history to be named an All-American as a freshman.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressregister.com/sports-communities-local-content-local-sports-schools-top-stories/rebels-jacob-gonzalez-reels|title=Rebels' Jacob Gonzalez Reels In Preseason All-America Nod|website=Press Register}} He returned as the team's starting shortstop and began batting in the leadoff spot in 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.on3.com/teams/ole-miss-rebels/news/ole-miss-baseballs-jacob-gonzalez-set-for-encore-after-all-american-freshman-season/|title=Ole Miss baseball's Jacob Gonzalez set for encore after All-American freshman season|date=February 11, 2022|website=On3}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.djournal.com/sports/college/ole-miss/jacob-gonzalez-thriving-back-in-leadoff-spot/article_9812af02-9381-56a5-9540-5019f2fe1a7b.html|title=Jacob Gonzalez thriving back in leadoff spot|first=MICHAEL KATZ Daily|last=Journal|website=Daily Journal|date=24 March 2022 }} Gonzalez ended the 2022 season slashing .273/.405/.558 with 18 home runs and 52 RBIs over 65 games, leading Ole Miss to their first ever NCAA Championship.{{cite web | url=https://www.on3.com/college/ole-miss-rebels/news/jacob-gonzalez-tim-elko-talk-mindset-before-eighth-inning-rally-to-win-college-world-series-cws-title/ | title=Jacob Gonzalez, Tim Elko talk mindset before eighth inning rally to win CWS title | date=27 June 2022 }} Following the season's end, he played with the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.{{cite news | url=https://www.usabaseball.com/news/topic/collegiate/usa-baseball-names-2022-collegiate-national-team-roster | title=USA Baseball Names 2022 Collegiate National Team Roster }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.djournal.com/sports/college/ole-miss/ole-miss-jacob-gonzalez-named-to-usa-baseball-collegiate-national-team/article_58a60ac4-1c6a-5e53-9fa2-63f0f2956d2a.html|title=Ole Miss' Jacob Gonzalez named to USA Baseball Collegiate National Team|first=MICHAEL KATZ Daily|last=Journal|website=Daily Journal|date=26 May 2022 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/2022/06/18/jacob-gonzalez-ole-miss-baseball-what-to-know-college-world-series/7491889001/ | title=What to know about Ole Miss baseball's Jacob Gonzalez }} For the 2023 season with Ole Miss, Gonzalez played in 54 games and hit .327 with ten home runs, 51 RBIs, and 18 doubles.{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/college/olemiss/baseball/ole-miss-rebels-jacob-gonzalez-mlb-mock-draft-miami-marlins-espn|title=Rebels SS Jacob Gonzalez Lands In Top 10 Of ESPN Mock Draft|first=Cole|last=Thompson|date=June 26, 2023|website=The Grove Report – Sports Illustrated at Ole Miss}}
Professional career
Gonzalez was selected by the Chicago White Sox with the 15th overall pick in the 2023 Major League Baseball draft.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/jacob-gonzalez-drafted-no-15-by-white-sox-in-2023-mlb-draft|title=White Sox select slugging SS Gonzalez at No. 15|website=MLB.com}} He signed with the team for $3.9 million.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcsportschicago.com/mlb/chicago-white-sox/white-sox-sign-first-round-pick-jacob-gonzalez-21-others/495548/|title=White Sox sign first-round draft pick Jacob Gonzalez, 21 others|date=July 16, 2023}}
Gonzalez made his professional debut with the Arizona League White Sox and was later promoted to the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. Over 34 games between the two teams, he hit .211 with one home run and 17 RBIs.{{cite web | url=https://www.milb.com/winston-salem/news/road-to-the-showtm-chicago-white-sox-jacob-gonzalez | title=Road to the Show™: White Sox prospect Gonzalez }} He was assigned to the Winston-Salem Dash to open the 2024 season.{{cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/where-white-sox-top-prospects-are-starting-2024-season | title=Here's where the White Sox Top 30 prospects are starting the season | website=MLB.com }} In mid-May, he was promoted to the Birmingham Barons.https://www.si.com/college/olemiss/baseball/former-ole-miss-ss-jacob-gonzalez-earns-milb-promotion-01hyc4f64ah1#:~:text=Gonzalez%2C%20one%20of%20Ole%20Miss,Gonzalez%20also%20posted%20a%20. Over 130 games between the two teams, Gonzalez batted .238 with eight home runs, 57 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases.
Personal life
Gonzalez is a Christian. He has said, “I believe that since God has given me the gift of playing baseball, I start each game with the mindset that the glory is His. I have started writing ‘Audience of One’ in the dirt before each game to remind me that it all points back to Him.”{{cite web |last1=Kruse |first1=Ethan |title=Jacob Gonzalez - Surrender |url=https://hishuddle.com/2023/05/09/jacob-gonzalez/ |website=His Huddle |access-date=10 May 2023}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{baseballstats|mlb=694378|espn=4720990|brm=gonzal006jac}}
- [https://olemisssports.com/sports/baseball/roster/jacob-gonzalez/3764 Ole Mis Rebels baseball bio]
{{2022 Ole Miss Rebels baseball}}
{{2023 MLB Draft}}
{{Chicago White Sox first-round draft picks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gonzalez, Jacob}}
Category:Baseball players from Whittier, California
Category:Ole Miss Rebels baseball players
Category:Sportspeople from Glendora, California
Category:Arizona Complex League White Sox players
Category:Kannapolis Cannon Ballers players
Category:Winston-Salem Dash players