The Braves suffered injuries to both Brian McCann and Tyler Flowers last night against the Miami Marlins. McCann has been placed on the 10-day injured list and the team has called up one of their catching prospects to make his major league debut.
The Player
Alex Jackson, C
Age: 23
Bats: R
OFR Prospect Rank: 21
2019 Level: AAA Gwinnett
The Results
2018 (AA/AAA): .201/.286/.360 | 82 wRC+| 8 HR | 0 SB | 85% BB | 31.8% K
The History
Jackson was a high school standout in Southern California and one of the top prep prospects in the country when the Seattle Mariners drafted him with the 6th-overall pick in the 2014 draft. They immediately switched him to the outfield, believing that he could rise more quickly through their system at a less demanding position. Jackson never really got on track with the Mariners, fighting injuries and mechanical problems with his swing. He didn’t have any sustained measure of offensive success until late in the 2016 season, by which time a new GM, Jerry DiPoto, had taken the reins and decided to go in a different direction. He traded Jackson and left-hander Tyler Pike to Atlanta for right-handers Rob Whalen and Max Povse.
The Braves moved Jackson back to catcher where they had an organizational need and is also Jackson’s preferred position. Jackson indicated the move back to catcher helps him stay engaged in the game and allows him to see more pitches, which helps his offensive game. In any case, Jackson ended up swatting 14 homers and 17 doubles in the Florida State League despite missing a month after getting hit with a pitch and then being promoted to AA Mississippi on July 30, 2017. Jackson initially struggled upon promotion, but he hit well down the stretch and tallied 5 homers for the M-Braves in 30 games. After the season, Jackson was tapped to participate in the Arizona Fall League, where he hit .263/.314/.513 with 5 home runs in 20 games.
For the 2018 season, the Braves told Jackson that above all to concentrate on improving his defense and game preparation. As a result his offensive production took a nose-dive, but the focus on the defense paid dividends. Jackson mostly held his own catching the likes of Kyle Wright and Touki Toussaint, pitchers who work with sharp breaking pitches that require an athletic catcher that can block balls in the dirt.
Jackson turned heads this spring when he showed up to camp looking significantly more athletic behind the plate. Jackson hit .259/.355/.519 with 2 home runs in Grapefruit League play and was singled out my Atlanta manager Brian Snitker as showing significant improvement.
The Report
Jackson uses his powerful 6′-2″, 215 pound frame to put a lot behind his swings, and he has one of the highest raw power tools in the Braves system. There were concerns when he was in the Mariners organization that his bat plane was too grooved, but that may have been due to his injuries, which included a hand issue. Whatever the case, it doesn’t appear to be a concern now as he shows improved control of the bat and demonstrates the ability to make adjustments. Jackson isn’t particularly selective, and that can lead to him making weaker contact than preferred for a man as strong as he is, and plate discipline remains an area of opportunity.
After spending 2018 and the off-season working on flexibility, athleticism, and game preparation, Jackson may now be an average to above average defensive catcher. Jackson has always possessed a strong and accurate arm and is a solid pitch framer.
What’s Next
With McCann on the shelf with a strained hamstring and Tyler Flowers also ailing after taking a fastball to the hand in the same game, it is now the Alex Jackson Show at catcher for at least the next couple games. Any offense Jackson provides would be a bonus for Atlanta, as the team likely just wants Jackson to be able to handle the pitching staff and stay healthy. This is a prime opportunity however for Jackson to cement himself into the Braves future plans at the catcher position with both Flowers and McCann working on one-year contracts.
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