Brett Jackson

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #5 prospect in 2013
  The Cubs thought Jackson had the draft's best bat speed in 2009, when they selected him 31st overall and signed him for $972,000. He had swing-and-miss issues as an amateur, but appeared to have them under control until he got to Triple-A. He has fanned 222 times in 592 at-bats at Iowa over the last two years, and whiffed 59 times in 120 at-bats after he joined the Cubs in August. Jackson's problems may be mechanical. He has developed a bad habit of drifting toward the plate, blocking off his hands and leaving him easy prey for inside fastballs. He also takes or swings through too many hittable pitches. As his problems got worse, he started chasing more offspeed pitches. Even if Jackson doesn't hit for a high average, he still can do a lot to help a club. He draws walks and has plus power and speed, still managing to produce 60 extra-base hits (including 19 homers) and 27 steals in 2012 despite his struggles. He can play a solid center field and provide above-average defense on the corners. His arm is average and accurate. Jackson may have gotten caught up trying to do too much as he got close to and then reached the majors. If he can relax and make some adjustments, he could be a 20-20 player. He should open 2013 as Chicago's center fielder unless he tanks in spring training.
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #1 prospect in 2012
  Undrafted out of high school, Jackson went to college at California, impressed scouts in the Cape Cod League in the summer of 2008 and became a first-round pick the following June. The Cubs believed he had the best bat speed in the 2009 draft, yet were able to get him with the 31st overall pick because teams worried whether he could make consistent contact. Signed for $972,000, he has struck out 320 times in 296 minor league games, but that hasn't kept him from being productive. He has earned in-season promotions in each of his three years as a pro, hitting 20 homers and stealing 21 bases while reaching Triple-A Iowa in 2011. He ended the year by batting .412 for Team USA at the World Cup in Panama. Only minor injuries have slowed him, with a strained ligament in his left pinky costing him three weeks last May and a foot issue relegating him to pinch-hitting duty at the Pan American Games. With solid to plus tools across the board and the ability to stay in center field, Jackson is a potential all-star. His power stands out the most, as he has the bat speed, loft and strength to drive balls out of the park to all fields. He has become more selective at the plate than he was in college, waiting for pitches he can punish and taking walks when pitchers won't challenge him. Chicago would like to see him get a little more aggressive and attack more often early in the count. He's not a pure hitter, but he does have a compact swing and doesn't get himself out by chasing pitches out of the zone. Some scouts think Jackson's stroke can get too mechanical and believe he swings and misses too much to hit much more than .260 or .270. He pulls off pitches at times, and his strikeout rate spiked to a career-high 30 percent in Triple-A. Jackson isn't a blazer, but he has plus speed that enables him to get the job done on the bases and in the outfield. He knows when to pick his spots as a basestealer, succeeding at a 76 percent rate in the minors. Likewise, he gets good jumps and takes nice routes in the outfield. He has played all three outfield positions in pro ball, and his average, accurate arm is enough for right field if he moves to a corner. His steady demeanor and work ethic are assets that have rubbed off on his teammates, such as 2007 first-round pick Josh Vitters. Not only is Jackson the Cubs' top prospect, but he's also the only position player in the upper levels of the system ready to play regularly in the majors. They resisted the temptation to promote him during their disappointing 2011 season, in part because he didn't have to be protected on the 40-man roster this offseason. With Alfonso Soriano and Marlon Byrd due a combined $24.5 million in salaries in 2012, and David DeJesus coming aboard as a free agent, Jackson could open the season in Triple-A. Even if that happens, he should push his way to Wrigley Field in short order. He has the upside of Jim Edmonds at the plate, if not the same Gold Glove ability in center field.
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #2 prospect in 2011
  The Cubs rated Jackson's bat speed as the best in the 2009 draft, and they got him with the 31st overall pick because many clubs worried about his ability to make consistent contact. That hasn't been an issue since he signed for $972,000, as he already has conquered Double-A. He has been bothered by minor injuries: a strained wrist cut short his pro debut, a bruised heel hampered him with Team USA last October, and a staph infection in his shin ended his time in the Arizona Fall League. Jackson's quick bat, loft in his swing and plus speed should make him an annual 20-20 threat in the majors. He could stand to cut down his strikeouts, but he doesn't swing and miss as much as some teams feared and should hit for power and average. He played all three outfield positions last year, showing enough range to get the job done in center and honing his instincts with the help of roving instructor Bobby Dernier. Jackson gets good reads and jumps, has average arm strength and makes accurate throws. His even-keeled demeanor suits him well. He's not a true five-tool player or a pure center fielder, but Jackson does a reasonable impression of both. He'll open 2011 in Triple-A, and the Cubs are counting on him to crack their lineup in 2012--if not sooner.
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #2 prospect in 2010
  The Cubs thought Jackson had the best bat speed and some of the best power in the 2009 draft class, but he lasted 31 picks because other teams questioned his ability to make contact. The Cubs took him with their first pick and he signed quickly for $972,000. He had a smashing pro debut until he tweaked his right wrist on a practice swing in late August. More than just a slugger, Jackson is the best athlete in the system. His quick bat and the loft in his swing give him well-above-average raw power. He uses his plus speed well on the bases and in center field, and he also has solid arm strength with good accuracy on his throws. He plays with constant energy. Jackson will accrue his share of strikeouts but can keep them under control if he doesn't get too aggressive. He has enough natural power that he doesn't have to chase pitches out of the zone or swing for the fences to produce home runs. After using five different regular center fielders in the last five years, the Cubs are seeking stability. They may send Jackson to Double-A to start his first full pro season, and he could reach Chicago by the end of 2011.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #15 prospect in 2012
  No. 8 on this list a year ago, Jackson wasn't as impressive in his second tour of the PCL. He still showed average or better tools across the board, but he had more trouble making contact than ever. He led the league with 158 strikeouts in just 407 at-bats, and his problems continued in his first stint in the majors, where he fanned in 50 of his first 100 at-bats. Jackson has plus raw power and makes hard contact--when he makes contact. He struggled to catch up to inside fastballs this summer, and he also had problems with offspeed pitches. Even when he didn't produce offensively, he showed above-average speed, arm strength and defense, though he probably fits better in right field than in center in the long term.
• 
  Ranked Southern League #4 prospect in 2011
  Jackson was one of the circuit's best two-way threats for the first three months and then kicked his offensive game into an extra gear after he was promoted to Triple-A in July. He's a well-rounded player with the potential for five average or better tools. Jackson is an aggressive hitter within the strike zone but has a selective approach. He works deep counts and when he swings, he swings hard and shows good bat speed with solid-average raw power. He's not a high-contact hitter, though, as he'll swing through fastballs and breaking balls and he pulls off the ball occasionally. Though he's not a burner, Jackson is an above-average runner who can steal bases. He plays a solid center field with good jumps and an average, accurate arm.
• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #8 prospect in 2011
  In a season where not much went right in the majors or minors for the Cubs, Jackson was an exception. He arrived in Iowa in July and put up the best numbers of his three-year pro career. Jackson is a quality athlete who does a little bit of everything. He has a quick bat, solid power and a knack for driving the ball in the gaps. He's patient enough to draw walks, though he tends to expand his strike zone against lefthanders, and some PCL observers considered his swing too mechanical. Jackson has a plus speed and shows aptitude on the bases. He also gets good jumps and tracks balls well in the outfield, with enough range to play center. He has average arm strength and makes accurate throws.
• 
  Ranked Southern League #8 prospect in 2010
  Jackson continues to refine the power-speed package that led the Cubs to select him with the 31st overall pick in 2009. He followed up a solid debut by batting a combined .297/.395/.493 with 58 extra-base hits and 30 steals between high Class A Daytona and Tennessee. Jackson has a smooth lefthanded stroke with good loft and pull-side power. Jackson struggled with strikeouts in college at California, but scouts say he has developed a more patient approach in pro ball. Jackson has plus speed and good baserunning instincts. His quickness helps him in center field, where he gets good reads and jumps and shows an accurate arm.
• 
  Ranked Florida State League #7 prospect in 2010
  Jackson showed power potential and all-around athleticism in college, but teams worried about his ability to make consistent contact, so he lasted until the No. 31 pick in the 2009 draft. He has shown a more patient approach in pro ball, which allowed him to handle FSL and Double-A pitching in his first full pro season. With his bat speed, loft in his swing and plus speed, Jackson could be a 20-20 man in the big leagues. He does strike out, but he also draws walks and scouts and managers said he could hit .300 in the majors. He gets good jumps in center field and has a solid, accurate arm. "He's not a superstar," Lakeland manager Andy Barkett said, "but there aren't many weaknesses in his game."
• 
  Ranked Northwest League #3 prospect in 2009
  Jackson offered one of the best power-speed combinations in the 2009 draft, which is why the Cubs selected him 31st overall. The knock on him was that he struck out too much in college, but he made an impressive transition to pro pitching and wood bats. Jackson didn't chase balls out of the zone, concentrated on getting good pitches to hit and bore down when he got into two-strike counts. He shows plenty of pull-side power--after homering once for Boise, he went deep seven times following a promotion to low Class A Peoria--and has good loft to his swing. When his timing is right, the ball jumps off his bat. Jackson has above-average speed and stole 13 bases in 15 attempts in his pro debut. He also puts that speed to use in center field, where he gets good jumps on balls and chases down fly balls in the gaps. His arm doesn't stand out but is playable in center field. "The thing that impressed me the most was that he played the game extremely hard," Kopitzke said. "He runs every ball out, he'll break up a double play for you and he goes hard after every ball in the gap. On top of that, he was able to hit for power and hit for some average. It's exciting."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #32 prospect in 2012
• Ranked Baseball America's #38 prospect in 2011
• Ranked Baseball America's #74 prospect in 2010

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: The Cubs thought Jackson had the draft's best bat speed in 2009, when they selected him 31st overall and signed him for $972,000. He had swing-and-miss issues as an amateur, but appeared to have them under control until ge got to Triple-A. He has fanned 222 times in 592 at-bats at Iowa over the last two years, and whiffed 59 times in 120 at-bats after he joined the Cubs in August. Scouting Report: Jackson's problems may be mechanical. He has developed a bad habit of drifting toward the plate, blocking off his hands and leaving him easy prey for inside fastballs. He also takes or swings through too many hittable pitches. As his problems got worse, he started chasing more offspeed pitches. Even if Jackson doesn't hit for a high average, he still can do a lot to help a club. He draws walks and has plus power and speed, still managing to produce 60 extra-base hits (including 19 homers) and 27 steals in 2012 despite his struggles. He can play a solid center field and provide above-average defense on the corners. His arm is average and accurate. The Future: Jackson may have gotten caught up trying to do too much as he got close to and then reached the majors. If he can relax and make some adjustments, he could be a 20-20 player. He should open 2013 as Chicago's center fielder unless he tanks in spring training.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Undrafted out of high school, Jackson went to college at California, impressed scouts in the Cape Cod League in the summer of 2008 and became a first-round pick the following June. The Cubs believed he had the best bat speed in the 2009 draft, yet were able to get him with the 31st overall pick because teams worried whether he could make consistent contact. Signed for $972,000, he has struck out 320 times in 296 minor league games, but that hasn't kept him from being productive. He has earned in-season promotions in each of his three years as a pro, hitting 20 homers and stealing 21 bases while reaching Triple-A Iowa in 2011. He ended the year by batting .412 for Team USA at the World Cup in Panama. Only minor injuries have slowed him, with a strained ligament in his left pinky costing him three weeks last May and a foot issue relegating him to pinch-hitting duty at the Pan American Games. Scouting Report: With solid to above-average tools across the board, as well as the ability to stay in center field, Jackson is a potential all-star. His power stands out the most, as he has the bat speed, loft and strength to drive balls out of the park to all fields. He has become much more selective at the plate than he was in college, waiting for pitches he can punish and taking walks when pitchers won't challenge him. Chicago would like to see him get a little more aggressive and attack more often early in the count. He's not a pure hitter, but he does have a compact swing and doesn't get himself out by chasing pitches out of the zone. Some scouts think Jackson's stroke can get too mechanical and believe he swings and misses too much to hit much better than .260 or .270. He pulls off pitches at times, and his strikeout rate spiked to a career-high 30 percent in Triple-A. Jackson isn't a blazer, but he has plus speed that enables him to get the job done on the bases and in the outfield. He knows when to pick his spots as a basestealer, succeeding at a 76 percent rate in the minors. Likewise, he gets good jumps and takes nice routes in the outfield. He has played all three outfield positions in pro ball, and his average, accurate arm is enough for right field if he eventually moves to a corner. His steady demeanor and work ethic are assets that have rubbed off on his teammates, such as 2007 first-round pick Josh Vitters. The Future: Not only is Jackson the Cubs' top prospect, but he's also the only position player in the upper levels of the system ready to play regularly in the majors. They resisted the temptation to promote him during their disappointing 2011 season, in part because he doesn't have to be protected on the 40-man roster this offseason. With Alfonso Soriano and Marlon Byrd due a combined $24.5 million in salaries in 2012, he could open the season in Triple-A if Chicago decides to give Tyler Colvin another chance. Even if that happens, Jackson should push his way to Wrigley Field in short order. He has the upside of Jim Edmonds at the plate, if not the same Gold Glove ability in center field.