Jacob became an avid outdoorsman after growing up hunting and fishing with his father, Joe, in his hometown of Medford in Southern Oregon, a 30-minute drive from the California border…he majored in fisheries and wildlife sciences at Oregon State and hopes to work with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife after his playing days to promote salmon conservation and combat human encroachment on natural habitats in the region...After shoulder surgery prematurely ended his 2021 collegiate season, he spent five-to-six days per week over the summer fly fishing the Rogue River near Medford…Jacob estimates that he caught about 20 steelhead and “probably 1,000 trout” that summer...He has two dogs: a golden retriever named Kenai and a Bernese Mountain dog, poodle and Weimaraner mix named Juneau...He learned he had been traded to the Rays 10 minutes into his drive home to Medford for the holidays after finishing up a workout at Oregon State…he was on the phone with his wife, Maizy, and asked her “Hey, did I get traded?” after seeing several texts from his Astros teammates...Jacob is looking to join Drew Rasmussen as the only Oregon State alumni to appear for the Rays... Selected by the Astros in the second round (64th overall) of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft out of Oregon State University…slashed .364/428/.660 (135-for-371) with 27 2B, 7 3B, 23 HR, 108 RBI and 29 SB in 102 games spanning three seasons with the Beavers...Transferred to Oregon State for the 2020 season, but appeared in only nine games before the campaign was cancelled by the COVID-19 pandemic…underwent season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder in May 2021…bounced back to earn Pac-12 Player of the Year honors in 2022 after setting school records in total bases (175) and RBI (tied, 83)…was also a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist...Began his collegiate career at Linn-Benton (Ore.) Community College, batting .365 (54-for-148) with 24 XBH, 39 RBI and 16 SB over 42 games en route to first team all-conference honors…played 42 games for the Western Canadian Baseball League’s Okotoks Dawgs following the season, where he was teammates with former Rays prospect Tristan Peters...Was a two-time all-state selection at South Medford (Ore.) High School…hit .513 with eight HR, 28 RBI and 33 SB as a senior.
2025
Played 32 games with the Astros in his Major League debut after being selected from Triple-A Sugar Land on June 1…was optioned to Sugar Land Aug. 1, but had two more Major League stints from Aug. 11–Sept. 6 and Sept. 28–season’s end...Spent June 14–July 29 on the 10-day IL while recovering from a right ankle sprain...Made 22 starts between center (14), left (seven) and right (one) field…did not commit an error in 36 total chances...His average sprint speed of 29.0 ft. per second ranked in the 90th percentile of all Major Leaguers, according to Baseball Savant...On June 1 vs. TB, made his major league debut starting in center field and batting eighth… tallied his first career hit to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning, a replay-confirmed infield single off Taj Bradley...On June 5 at PIT, recorded his first RBI, multi-hit game, multi-RBI game and steal in a 2-for-4 effort…joined Carlos Correa (June 9, 2015 at CWS) as the only Astros to collect multiple hits and RBI while stealing a base in one of their first four career games...On June 13 vs. MIN, hit an RBI-single and a 111.3-mph, two-run triple in his first two trips to the plate en route to a career-high three RBI…raised his average to .241 (7-for-29) through his first 11 career games…ended the year on a 4-for-41 (.098) skid across his final 21 contests... Played all 35 of his minor league games with Triple-A Sugar Land…was on the injured list from April 2-9 with a cervical disc herniation...Acquired by the Rays from the Astros along with RHP Anderson Brito as part of a three-team trade with the Pirates…named the Rays No. 4 prospect by Baseball America following the deal.
2024
Entered 2024 as the Astros top prospect according to MLB.com and Baseball America along with being the No. 88 overall prospect by Baseball America...received his first MLB camp invite, appearing in 11 games for the Astros...began the season at Double-A, where he hit .248 (56-for-226) with 10 homers, 34 RBI and 19 steals... promoted to Triple A on July 25...hit a grand slam on Aug. 2 for his first Triple-A home run...homered twice on Aug. 18 at Tacoma, his first multi-homer game at Triple-A and the second of his career...had an 11-game hitting streak from Aug. 25-Sept. 7.
2023
Was an MiLB.com Organizational ALL-STAR in his first full season at the Minor League level in 2023, batting a combined .245 (97x396) with 83 runs scored, 23 home runs, 55 RBI and 46 stolen bases in 99 games...began the year with High A Asheville (86 games) and received a late-season promotion to Double A Corpus Christi (13 games)...was the only player in the Astros system and one of five players in Minor League Baseball with at least 20 home runs and 40 stolen bases...ranked second in the Astros system with 46 stolen bases...among South Atlantic League players, ranked second in stolen bases (41), tied for third in runs (73), 10th in slugging percentage (.453) and seventh in home runs (18)...made appearances at all three outfield spots: center field (48 games), right field (17 games) and left field (nine games)...was named the Astros Minor League Player of the Month for July after batting .318 (27x85) with nine doubles, five home runs, 13 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 22 games with Asheville.
2022
Made his professional debut in 2022, appearing in 19 games with Low A Fayetteville and four games with the Florida Complex League Astros...went on an offensive tear with Low A Fayetteville after his brief stint with the Florida Complex League Astros, batting .324 (23x71) with four home runs and 13 RBI.
