Justin Jackson Stats & Scouting Report

IP	170
ERA	3.653
WHIP	1.524
BB/9	4.712
SO/9	6.935

Full name Justin Jackson
Born 12/11/1988 in Asheville, NC
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School T.C. Roberson
Drafted in the C-A round (45th overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2007 (signed for $675,000).

View Draft Report

Cameron Maybin was the most recent former Asheville Tourists batboy to make a splash in the draft, and the scrawny kid that was tagging along back then has developed into a fine prospect himself. Jackson was the starting shortstop for USA Baseball's junior national team last fall, but after he spent most of last summer near the top of follow lists, his bat speed has come into question this spring. He was hitting best as the season was ending, and homered on his final high school swing in a playoff loss. He's a long-armed, wiry athlete with lots of holes in his swing, but shows a good feel for hitting as well as strike-zone discipline. If Jackson gets stronger and fills out, he could hit for above-average power, but that's a projection not every scout will make. He's a strong defender with above-average arm strength. His flash in the infield turns some scouts off, but he fields the ball out front and has outstanding actions up the middle. He's not a great runner, but shows average speed under way. Jackson could sneak into the first round, but could slide to the second as well.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Two seasons after the Tigers drafted Roberson High (Asheville, N.C.) teammate Cameron Maybin 10th overall, Jackson went 45th to the Blue Jays in the 2007 draft. Signed for $675,000, he has been slow to adjust to pro ball, hitting .221/.322/.315 in three seasons. Bothered by a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder in 2009, he was in an 0-for-27 slump when Toronto shut him down in late July to have surgery. Jackson is one of the best athletes in the system and profiles as a true shortstop. His range, hands and arm strength are better than those of most shortstops, and he's making nice progress with his reads and footwork. He draws walks and uses his solid speed to steal bases. He has some strength in his wiry frame and could fit as a No. 2 hitter if he gets going at the plate. The Jays blame his shoulder and youth for his struggles, but scouts with other organizations question Jackson's bat speed. While he's not afraid to take pitches, he often falls behind in the count and strikes out excessively. He won't ever hit for a lot of home run power, so he needs to focus on making much more contact. Tyler Pastornicky is starting to push Jackson for the title of top shortstop prospect in the system. Toronto will give Jackson a mulligan on 2009 and hope he starts to hit when he gets another crack at high Class A this season.
A teammate of Marlins prospect Cameron Maybin in high school, Jackson went 45th overall in the 2007 draft as one of the top shortstops available. He didn't light up the Midwest League in his debut like Maybin did, but Jackson did show a true up-the-middle profile with his wiry athleticism and pure infield actions. Jackson has well above-average range, hands and arm strength at shortstop and the polish not usually associated with such a young player. He consistently fields the ball on the right hop and provides accurate feeds to the second baseman on double plays. Jackson has a simple swing and a good idea of the strike zone, and though his bat speed is just average, he has more than enough power for a middle infielder. He's not afraid to hit with two strikes, allowing him to work deep counts and draw walks. With solid-average speed, he should be able to leg out plenty of doubles and triples and kick in 15-20 stolen bases annually. Jackson's 154 strikeouts were fifth-most among low Class A batters. Some MWL scouts criticized Jackson for getting lackadaisical in the field at times and for holding the ball too long in order to show off his arm. Jackson has no peers among shortstops in the system. He'll begin 2009 in high Class A and needs at least a couple more years of seasoning.
Hailing from the same Roberson High (Asheville, N.C.) program that produced Marlins No. 1 prospect Cameron Maybin, Jackson started at shortstop for the U.S. junior national team in the fall of 2006. Though his offensive potential was called into question during his senior year, Jackson nevertheless was the third shortstop drafted in June, going 45th overall and signing for $675,000. Like most of the other talented teenagers with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Jays, he struggled with the bat in his pro debut. A long-armed, wiry athlete, Jackson has natural infield actions, excellent hands and a strong arm. He could become an even better defender as he becomes more efficient with his footwork, but he already fields the ball out in front. Jackson's simple swing is repeatable and he has a good approach, though his bat speed is just average. He's so physically projectable that he might hit for power down the road. Once he's underway, he has average to slightly above-average speed. Strength is the missing link to Jackson's offensive game, an area he was to address in an offseason conditioning program. High school pitchers were able to exploit holes in his swing and he'll need to use the opposite field more often against pros. Though his first step is good on defense, Jackson is slow to accelerate out of the batter's box. Jackson projects as exactly the type of shortstop defender the Blue Jays haven't developed since trading away the likes of Cesar Izturis, Felipe Lopez and Michael Young earlier in the decade. Jackson may take several years to develop, but he's Toronto's shortstop of the future.

Minor League Top Prospects

Jackson came out of the same Roberson High (Asheville, N.C.) program that produced Cameron Maybin. While he didn't light up the league like Maybin did two years ago, Jackson showed a similar high ceiling for an up-the-middle player. He was one of the best athletes in the MWL and made a number of spectacular plays in the hole at shortstop. Jackson's swing is a bit long and his approach can get inconsistent, but he has good pop for a middle infielder, the speed and instincts to steal 15-20 bases per year and the eye to draw more than his share of walks. His actions, hands, range and arm stick out at shortstop, though he can get lackadaisical in the field and sometimes holds on to the ball too long in order to show off his arm. "He going to be a hell of a player," South Bend manager Mark Haley said. "He'll have enough bat and maybe some power down the road. He has good actions at shortstop and he has a cannon. He gets to a lot of balls."