Alex Jackson

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #17 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Jackson's won BA's High School Player of the Year Award and was the sixth overall pick in 2014, but he flopped in the Mariners' system and was traded to the Braves after the 2016 season for Max Povse and Rob Whalen. The Braves moved Jackson from the outfield to catcher, his original position, and he began to regain his footing. He made his major league debut in 2019 and returned to Atlanta in 2020, albeit for just five games.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Jackson's loudest tool is his raw power. He hits titanic home runs in batting practice and earns the occasional 80 grade, but he doesn't get to it in games. Jackson is a prolific free swinger who strikes out frequently and is a bottom-of-the-scale hitter. He rarely makes contact, but hits the ball hard when he does. Jackson has improved dramatically as a defender over the last few years and now has a chance to be solid-average behind the plate. His framing metrics are good and his plus arm strength allowed him to throw out 50% of basestealers at Triple-A Gwinnett in 2019.
  
  THE FUTURE: Jackson's improved defense and raw power give him a chance to be a backup catcher. He won't be more unless his hitting ability improves dramatically.
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #17 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Jackson's prospect status dwindled after the Mariners moved him to the outfield and he struggled to hit, but the former BA High School Player of the Year has shown promising signs on both sides of the ball in his third year with Atlanta as a catcher.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Jackson has steadily improved as a defender over the past couple years, and this season scouts lauded his receiving ability. Framing metrics reportedly reinforce that evaluation. Jackson has always had plus arm strength and this season that translated to throwing out a career-best 50 percent of runners. After his in-game power disappeared a season ago, Jackson had a career offensive year, with 28 home runs and showed over-the-fence power to all fields after being extremely pull-happy previously. While Jackson has double-plus raw power, there are still reasons to be skeptical of him getting to that in-game at the next level. He struggles to identify spin, and scouts believe he is still too pull-oriented. The Triple-A ball inflated plenty of hitters' home run numbers this season, likely including Jackson as well.
  
  THE FUTURE: Jackson made his major league debut and played in four games for the Braves, but he was put on the 60-day IL with a left knee sprain at the end of the season. Jackson's defensive improvement should allow him to be a serviceable backup option, but it's hard to project him as a first-division regular with well below-average pure hitting ability, though that bar for catchers is low.
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #23 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Jackson was once considered the best high school bat in the 2014 draft class. Seattle moved him from catcher to right field, but that swing never translated to pro ball. The Braves acquired him in a buy-low trade (sending Rob Whalen and Max Povse to Seattle) and moved him back to catcher.
  
  Scouting Report: Jackson still hasn't proven he can hit, but more disturbingly his power largely disappeared in 2018. Jackson has plus-plus raw power, but his all-pull all-the-time approach was an easy mark for a pitcher with a plan. Every one of Jackson's home runs last season was hit to left field. When he was in high school Jackson was known for loose hands and a fast bat, but he's tightened up and now has modest bat speed. Defensively, Jackson is catching up for lost time as a receiver, but his biggest hurdle is getting more flexible and improving his game calling. One of the reasons the Braves promoted him to Triple-A was to get him acclimated to more in-depth scouting reports. He does have a plus arm.
  
  The Future: Jackson was added to the 40-man roster. He has a long way to go to prove he can fill a backup role. He'll get to work at Triple-A Gwinnett.
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #10 prospect in 2018
  Considered one of the best power hitters in the 2014 draft class, Jackson's pro career with the Mariners quickly fell apart. He proved to be a less accomplished hitter with less hand-eye coordination than projected and he battled injuries. The Braves acquired Jackson after the 2016 season for Rob Whalen and Max Povse in a change-of-scenery trade and immediately moved him back to catcher, which he hadn't played since high school. It was a wise move, as Jackson's big power and hit tool concerns fit much better at catcher than as a below-average defender in right field. Understandably Jackson looked rusty and raw behind the plate, but he showed a willingness to work and improve and he has a plus arm (although poor footwork sometimes affects his accuracy). As a big bodied catcher, he's never going to be particularly agile, but scouts say he could work to be a fringe-average defender. At the plate, Jackson's plus-plus raw power came more into play in 2017. He's too aggressive and his power comes more from strength than bat speed, which makes him vulnerable to velocity, but he has 20-plus home run potential, even if it comes with .230-.240 batting averages. Jackson needs a year or more of defensive work, and his glove will determine how quickly he advances from Double-A Mississippi.
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #29 prospect in 2017
  Jackson was one of the decade's most touted prep players, a three-time high school All-American and the sixth overall pick in 2014 by the Mariners, but his star has since taken a fall in pro ball. The Braves took a flier on him, trading righthanders Max Povse and Rob Whalen for him after the 2016 season. Jackson has 223 strikeouts in 190 career games because of an inefficient bat path, which has raised doubts he'll ever make enough contact to tap into his plus raw power. He still hits the occasional towering home run, but evaluators increasingly grade Jackson as a below-average hitter. The Mariners sent Jackson to extended spring training to begin 2016, the first time this millennium a healthy, non-suspended first-round infielder or outfielder did not begin his second full season assigned to a team. He finally responded to coaching after the move and was bumped to low Class A Clinton in mid-May, but even with improvement in his bat path still struck out in 27 percent of his plate appearances. He has average range in right field and a plus arm, and the Braves have hinted at trying Jackson back at catcher, his primary high school position. Atlanta's roving catching instructor Jeff Datz scouted for the Mariners when they drafted Jackson. He is likely headed for high Class A Florida in 2017.
• 
  Ranked Seattle Mariners #1 prospect in 2016
  Jackson hit most everything in high school-- except a slump. He belted 17 home runs as a sophomore and finished his career with 47 at famed Rancho Bernardo High in San Diego, becoming a three-time Baseball America High School All-American and the first two-time Under Armour All-American. Jackson was BA's High School Player of the Year and the premier prep batter in the 2014 draft class, and he slipped to the Mariners at sixth overall only because of the wealth of arms ahead of him. He signed for $4.2 million, shifted from catcher to the outfield, and was rated the Rookie-level Arizona League's top prospect during his brief professional debut. That history of success made Jackson's lackluster first full season in 2015 all the more puzzling. Perhaps it was the combination of a nagging shoulder injury, an aggressive assignment to the Midwest League and his first experience playing in cold weather that led to a poor showing with low Class A Clinton-- which included an 8-for-53 stretch before he was sent down to extended spring training in May. Jackson worked on getting back to basics in Arizona, including controlling the strike zone and getting his bat-to-ball skills in better sync, before returning to the field with short-season Everett. He showed more flashes of the above-average bat-- including nine multi-hit games and finishing tied for fifth in the Northwest League with eight home runs--but closed the season on a 2-for-19 skid that sank his batting average to .239. His last full month, August, in the Northwest League saw him level off a bit. He hit .262/.388/.600 over those 20 games with six home runs and 13 RBIs. The home run total was second on the circuit, placing him behind only Hillsboro's Trevor Mitsui. The slugging mark led the league. Despite Jackson's up-and-down full-season debut, the Mariners have to hope there is no reason for alarm. The toolset that made Jackson a prep sensation remains intact, and it may very well be a matter of him putting the pieces together with a fresh start in 2016. Jackson combines tremendous bat speed and hand-eye coordination with strength to produce a thunderous swing. At his best, he is an advanced hitter who uses a disciplined approach to wait for his pitch and then punish it. He has above-average power to his pull side, and by the end of the season began to show the ability to drive the ball to all fields. He got out of sync in the Midwest League by being overly aggressive and chasing pitcher's pitches out of the strike zone early in the count. Jackson was noted for a tremendous work ethic in high school, and he has used that to make an easy transition from behind home plate to right field. He has plenty of arm strength, and uses his natural athleticism and instincts to take good routes on fly balls. Some observers believe that Jackson often took his first experience with failure into the field with him, sometimes showing a lack of interest or desire. Others believe it's the same casual style that he has used in a game that has come easy to him most of his life, and that only the results were different this year. Jackson is a below-average runner but doesn't clog the bases. Jackson will get a shot to prove 2015 was merely a bump on his road to Seattle when he returns to low Class A at the start of next season. He has middle-of-the-order potential but needs to show he can make the adjustments to reach it and help turn around Seattle's system.
• 
  Ranked Seattle Mariners #1 prospect in 2015
  In scouting circles, a player who stands out in showcase after showcase is known as a famous player. Jackson is about as famous as they come. One of two two-time Under Armour All-America game participants, Jackson led all California high schoolers in home runs as a sophomore. He couldn't match that home run total as a junior or senior, but he was a threetime High School All-American and became the fifth Rancho Bernardo High product to go in the first round, joining a group that includes Cole Hamels. Jackson was in play ito go as high as No. 1 overall in the 2014 draft, but he was there for Seattle at No. 6 due in part to the pitching depth at the top of the class. Seattle signed Jackson for $4.2 million and promptly moved him from catcher to right field. He missed a month after being hit by a line drive that caused a small sinus fracture but got back on the field for the Rookie-level Arizona League's last three games. Jackson was considered the best high school bat in the 2014 draft class, and he has the potential to be an above-average hitter with at least plus power. His swing is fluid with a picturesque finish that is usually the exclusive domain of lefthanded hitters. He combines bat speed, hand-eye coordination and a feel for controlling the barrel of the bat. He's an up-the-middle hitter with natural power to straightaway center field and the right-center gap. Because of his large number of at-bats on the showcase circuit and his participation in a highly competitive high school environment, Jackson has learned how to handle premium velocity by reducing what used to be a pronounced load at the start of his swing. He recognizes breaking balls well and should draw walks in addition to hitting for average. Jackson's plus power already plays in games, but his raw power is even more impressive. Defensively, he made a quick transition to the outfield, partly because he made a point of getting time both there and at third base during his high school career to increase his versatility. He's a below-average runner who should be at least an average right fielder long-term. His plus-plus arm recorded regular pop times of 1.8 seconds on throws to second base when he caught, and it looks to be a significant asset in the outfield, especially once he learns to take a proper outfielder's arm stroke. Jackson has the highest ceiling among high school hitters the Mariners have drafted since they picked Alex Rodriguez No. 1 overall in 1993. By keeping Jackson away from catcher's gear, the Mariners will be able to move him up the ladder as his bat dictates instead of waiting for his defense to catch up . Jackson should be ready to head to low Class A Clinton in 2015. Long-term, if he develops as expected, he projects as a three-hole hitter who provides batting average, on-base ability and power.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #4 prospect in 2014 draft
  Jackson burst onto the national scene in 2012, when he led California prep players with 17 home runs as a sophomore, then put on a show at the Area Code Games that summer. In the two years since, the Oregon commit has cemented himself as one of the top power bats in the draft class, and a lock to become Rancho Bernardo's sixth first-round pick in the last 20 years, following in the footsteps of Hank Blalock and Cole Hamels. Jackson's muscular 6-foot-2, 215-pound frame is packed with present strength. He stands out most for his plus to plus-plus righthanded power potential, but he also has a solid approach and drives the ball with authority to the middle and opposite fields. He has a loose swing, electric bat speed and a knack for making hard contact. Jackson has another premium tool in his arm, which grades out as plus or even plus-plus, depending on which scout you ask. If an organization wants to develop him as a catcher, most scouts think Jackson can become a solid defensive backstop in time, but his receiving and blocking need plenty of work. He'll have an impact bat no matter where he plays, so a team could fast-track him by putting him in right field, and he also has flashed promise at third base. He's a below-average runner but not a clogger.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Florida State League #19 prospect in 2017
  The sixth overall pick in the 2014 draft, Jackson came to the Braves in an offseason trade from the Mariners. Atlanta moved him back to his primary high school position, catcher, after the Mariners had moved him exclusively to the corner outfield. Jackson's catching remains raw and he was rusty behind the plate, but he has easy plus arm strength. At times, he was overwhelmed defensively, with a league-high 10 errors and aggressive opposing baserunners--he threw out 19 percent of the 53 who ran on him. However, Jackson's bat should buy him time to develop defensively. His strength allows him to drive the ball even when he doesn't square it up, and when he does hit it flush, the ball stays hit. His plus power stems more from strength than bat speed; he struggles to handle velocity as a hitter but has some feel for hitting with an aggressive approach. Jackson needs time but has a ceiling as a regular catcher in the Derek Norris/Welington Castillo mold.
• 
  Ranked Northwest League #4 prospect in 2015
  The former Rancho Bernardo High catcher is now a right fielder, and the bat that got him popped sixth overall in 2014 remains his carrying tool. Jackson missed about a month last year during his pro debut when he was struck in the face with a line drive. This year again included down time, with injuries to his left shoulder and left hand limiting him to 76 games. Jackson struggled mightily in the first half at low Class A Fort Clinton, batting .157 with no home runs in 28 games. When he slid back to the NWL in June, his power emerged. Jackson swings hard, with plus bat speed and double-plus raw power, but the accompanying strikeout rate (29 percent) remains an issue. He's an aggressive hitter, one whose swing reminds some scouts of Miguel Cabrera, but he lacks confidence and selectivity. His at-bats are inconsistent, even pitch to pitch, and he tends to chase out of the zone. He tries to calm himself down, almost too much. In the field, Jackson is athletic but stiff. He's an average runner, at best, underway but looks tentative chasing balls hit to his left.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Complex League #1 prospect in 2014
  Primarily a catcher during his high school career, Jackson moved to right field after the Mariners picked him sixth overall--Rancho Bernardo High's sixth first-round pick ever--and signed him for $4.2 million. Generally regarded as the top high school bat in this year's draft, Jackson came as advertised in his pro debut, despite losing more than a month after he was struck in the face by a line drive that he lost in the lights. He suffered a small fracture of the maxillary antrum in his sinus area, but fortunately his vision was not affected. Jackson swings hard, with plus bat speed and plus-plus power, but he will need to make better contact and cut down on strikeouts. Despite his outfield mishap, he made progress in the field and flashed a plus arm. He's a good athlete and an average runner for his size. Jackson worked hard at learning the intricacies of the outfield, often shagging flyballs during batting practice. "The kid's got great aptitude, and he wants it," Mariners manager Darrin Garner said.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #20 prospect in 2015

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Jackson's won BA's High School Player of the Year Award and was the sixth overall pick in 2014, but he flopped in the Mariners' system and was traded to the Braves after the 2016 season for Max Povse and Rob Whalen. The Braves moved Jackson from the outfield to catcher, his original position, and he began to regain his footing. He made his major league debut in 2019 and returned to Atlanta in 2020, albeit for just five games.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Jackson's loudest tool is his raw power. He hits titanic home runs in batting practice and earns the occasional 80 grade, but he doesn't get to it in games. Jackson is a prolific free swinger who strikes out frequently and is a bottom-of-the-scale hitter. He rarely makes contact, but hits the ball hard when he does. Jackson has improved dramatically as a defender over the last few years and now has a chance to be solid-average behind the plate. His framing metrics are good and his plus arm strength allowed him to throw out 50% of basestealers at Triple-A Gwinnett in 2019.
  
  THE FUTURE: Jackson's improved defense and raw power give him a chance to be a backup catcher. He won't be more unless his hitting ability improves dramatically.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Jackson's won BA's High School Player of the Year Award and was the sixth overall pick in 2014, but he flopped in the Mariners' system and was traded to the Braves after the 2016 season for Max Povse and Rob Whalen. The Braves moved Jackson from the outfield to catcher, his original position, and he began to regain his footing. He made his major league debut in 2019 and returned to Atlanta in 2020, albeit for just five games.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Jackson's loudest tool is his raw power. He hits titanic home runs in batting practice and earns the occasional 80 grade, but he doesn't get to it in games. Jackson is a prolific free swinger who strikes out frequently and is a bottom-of-the-scale hitter. He rarely makes contact, but hits the ball hard when he does. Jackson has improved dramatically as a defender over the last few years and now has a chance to be solid-average behind the plate. His framing metrics are good and his plus arm strength allowed him to throw out 50% of basestealers at Triple-A Gwinnett in 2019.
  
  THE FUTURE: Jackson's improved defense and raw power give him a chance to be a backup catcher. He won't be more unless his hitting ability improves dramatically.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Jackson’s prospect status dwindled after the Mariners moved him to the outfield and he struggled to hit, but the former BA High School Player of the Year has shown promising signs on both sides of the ball in his third year with Atlanta as a catcher.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Jackson has steadily improved as a defender over the past couple years, and this season scouts lauded his receiving ability. Framing metrics reportedly reinforce that evaluation. Jackson has always had plus arm strength and this season that translated to throwing out a career-best 50 percent of runners. After his in-game power disappeared a season ago, Jackson had a career offensive year, with 28 home runs and showed over-the-fence power to all fields after being extremely pull-happy previously. While Jackson has double-plus raw power, there are still reasons to be skeptical of him getting to that in-game at the next level. He struggles to identify spin, and scouts believe he is still too pull-oriented. The Triple-A ball inflated BA GRADE 50 Risk: High BA GRADE 45 Risk: Medium plenty of hitters’ home run numbers this season, likely including Jackson as well.
  
  THE FUTURE: Jackson made his major league debut and played in four games for the Braves, but he was put on the 60-day IL with a left knee sprain at the end of the season. Jackson’s defensive improvement should allow him to be a serviceable backup option, but it’s hard to project him as a first-division regular with well below-average pure hitting ability, though that bar for catchers is low.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Jackson's prospect status dwindled after the Mariners moved him to the outfield and he struggled to hit, but the former BA High School Player of the Year has shown promising signs on both sides of the ball in his third year with Atlanta as a catcher.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Jackson has steadily improved as a defender over the past couple years, and this season scouts lauded his receiving ability. Framing metrics reportedly reinforce that evaluation. Jackson has always had plus arm strength and this season that translated to throwing out a career-best 50 percent of runners. After his in-game power disappeared a season ago, Jackson had a career offensive year, with 28 home runs and showed over-the-fence power to all fields after being extremely pull-happy previously. While Jackson has double-plus raw power, there are still reasons to be skeptical of him getting to that in-game at the next level. He struggles to identify spin, and scouts believe he is still too pull-oriented. The Triple-A ball inflated plenty of hitters' home run numbers this season, likely including Jackson as well.
  
  THE FUTURE: Jackson made his major league debut and played in four games for the Braves, but he was put on the 60-day IL with a left knee sprain at the end of the season. Jackson's defensive improvement should allow him to be a serviceable backup option, but it's hard to project him as a first-division regular with well below-average pure hitting ability, though that bar for catchers is low.