Brandon Jacobs

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Chicago White Sox #25 prospect in 2014
  The Red Sox gave Jacobs $750,000 to steer him away from an Auburn football scholarship, and he surprised scouts with how polished his offensive game was for a two-spot player. His 2011 season at low Class A Greenville appeared to be a revelation, as he combined extra-base power with 30 stolen bases while showing premium bat speed and surprising pitch recognition. But Jacobs' Greenville season now looks like the outlier rather than the harbinger of things to come. He's a .247 hitter in more than 1,100 at-bats outside of that year, and the White Sox picked him up in a July 2013 trade for lefty reliever Matt Thornton. He didn't wow his new employers after his arrival, particularly in struggling to hit for power. While he showed some ability to lay off breaking balls earlier in his career, he's struggled to do so against more advanced pitching, keeping his plus power more in the "raw" category instead of "usable." Jacobs has slowed down as he's matured physically and is just an average runner with a below-average arm, which limits him to left field. A return engagement with Double-A Birmingham in 2014 is most likely.
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  Ranked Boston Red Sox #13 prospect in 2013
  Jacobs has one of the more intriguing bats in the system, but aside from his 2011 breakout season in low Class A, he has hit a combined .248/.318/.407 in his other three years as a pro. To be fair, a hamate injury in his left hand hampered him throughout much of 2012. A talented running back who turned down an Auburn football scholarship to sign for $750,000 as a 10th-round pick in 2009, Jacobs remains an unfinished product on the diamond. His strength and bat speed give him impressive raw power, though he's still refining his swing and approach. He must adapt to quality breaking pitches and learn to make adjustments. Jacobs has remade his body since his football days, trimming from 240 to 225 pounds and reducing his body fat to under 10 percent. He has gotten quicker, exhibiting solid speed and a knack for stealing an occasional base. He has become an average left fielder as he has learned to take better routes on balls, and he even saw his first action (27 games) in center field in 2012. He has fringy arm strength, which rules out right field as a possibility. Jacobs still has youth on his side and will compete for a Double-A job in spring training.
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  Ranked Boston Red Sox #6 prospect in 2012
  If the Red Sox hadn't stepped in with a $750,000 bonus in the 10th round of the 2009 draft, Jacobs would have played running back at Auburn. His .242/.310/.404 performance in his first two pro seasons belied his offensive potential, which prompts comparisons to former MVP Kevin Mitchell, but he finally broke through in 2011. Jacobs matured as a hitter in his first taste of full-season ball, shortening his swing, using the opposite field more often and refining his two-strike approach. He stays inside the ball well and has the strength and bat speed to drive it out to right-center. He may always pile up strikeouts, but he makes enough hard contact to hit for solid average with plenty of power. Though Jacobs stole 30 bases in 2011, he has fringy speed and won't run as much at higher levels. His arm is average at best, so he's relegated to left field, where he needs to improve his jumps. Jacobs could battle Bryce Brentz for a corner-outfield job in Boston down the road. Brentz has better bat speed and defensive skills, but Jacobs is no slouch in the former category and he's a better pure hitter. He's ready to tackle high Class A at age 21.
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  Ranked Boston Red Sox #27 prospect in 2011
  Built like but unrelated to the New York Giants running back of the same name, Jacobs was a prime runningback recruit with a football scholarship from Auburn, where his football doppelganger played for one season. Boston was able to divert him from football by drafting him in the 10th round in 2009 and signing him for $750,000. He has one of the highest offensive ceilings in the system, drawing comparisons to former MVP Kevin Mitchell. Jacobs is still very raw in baseball, however, though he held his own as one of the few teenage regulars in the New York-Penn League last summer. Jacobs packs a lot of power in his muscular frame and led Lowell with 18 doubles and six homers. He has a very quick bat, though he needs to do a better job of controlling the strike zone and using the entire field. Despite his football background, Jacobs isn't an all-around athlete and his value comes almost entirely from his bat. He doesn't have a quick first step and has just fringy speed once he gets going. He's a work in progress as an outfield corner, and he'll eventually settle in left field because he has well-below-average arm strength and lacks accuracy on his throws. The Red Sox are set in left field with Carl Crawford for the foreseeable future, so they can afford to give Jacobs all the time he needs to develop. He'll make his full-season debut in Greenville this year.
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  Ranked Boston Red Sox #30 prospect in 2010
  Jacobs is built like the New York Giants running back of the same name, and he was a top running-back recruit committed to Auburn, where his football counterpart played one season. Boston took him away from the gridiron, however, drafting him in the 10th round last June and signing him for $750,000. Jacobs is surprisingly advanced at the plate for someone who never was a full-time baseball player. He manages at-bats well and has a quick bat and plenty of raw strength, so he has the potential to hit for average and power. Jacobs will have to hit because he's not going to offer much else. He has solid-average speed once he gets going, but he lacks quickness. He's a poor defender in left field, and his arm lacks both strength and accuracy. The Red Sox recognize that he's an all-bat player, but if they dream they can envision him becoming another Kevin Mitchell. They could challenge him by sending him to low Class A in 2010.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked South Atlantic League #8 prospect in 2011
  Jacobs turned down a scholarship to play running back at Auburn to sign for $750,000 as a 10th-round pick two years ago. He parlayed his strength and athleticism into production on the diamond in 2011, finishing sixth in the SAL in hitting (.303) and ninth in OPS (.505) while making steady progress in right field. "He's been a pleasant surprise," Greenville manager Billy McMillon said. "Part of the development of many a player is going through the first full season and all it has to offer--adjusting to the travel, adjusting to limited success and dealing with the game on the field. He's done all that. I think he has some high upside. There is nothing that's a glaring defect for him." Jacobs has impressive bat speed and drives the ball to all fields. He improved his two-strike approach and his baserunning skills, swiping 30 bases after taking just four a year ago. Defensively, he profiles as a left fielder with his fringy speed and average arm.

• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: If the Red Sox hadn't stepped in with a $750,000 bonus in the 10th round of the 2009 draft, Jacobs would have played running back at Auburn, where he would have been part of a 2010 national championship in football. His .242/.310/.404 performance in his first two pro seasons belied his offensive potential, which prompts comparisons to former MVP Kevin Mitchell, but he finally broke through in 2011. Scouting Report: Jacobs matured as a hitter in his first taste of full-season ball, shortening his swing, using the opposite field more often and refining his two-strike approach. He stays inside the ball well and has the strength and bat speed to drive it out to right-center. He may always pile up strikeouts, but he makes enough hard contact to hit for solid average with plenty of power. Though Jacobs stole 30 bases in 2011, he has fringy speed and won't run as much at higher levels. His arm is average at best, so he's relegated to left field, where he needs to improve his jumps. The Future: Jacobs could battle Bryce Brentz for a corner-outfield job in Boston down the road. Brentz has better bat speed and defensive skills, but Jacobs is no slouch in the former category and he's a better pure hitter. He's ready to tackle high Class A at age 21 and will begin to move quickly if he maintains his offensive production.