As the Braves waited for the response, Jackson offered them one. When the time came, he was all set to take over the batting cage.
Unnoticed by most fans, the Braves accomplished a deal that could be critical to their recovery.
With Atlanta, the 21-year-old then California native has found his stroke, hitting .257 with 25 home runs through two seasons, after a .233 average and 21 homers in three seasons in the Minors with Seattle.
He was promoted to Double-A Mississippi at the end of July because of his excellent batting performance.
Despite missing a month due to tendinitis in his left wrist, Jackson hit seven home runs in April to finish fourth in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League with 14 home runs.
The right-handed batter struggled for a spell after coming off the disabled list on June 19, but he had three hits in his final game with the Fire Frogs. For the season, Jackson had a slugging percentage of 272/.333/.502 with 45 runs batted in.
He went from being the Braves’ No. 24 prospect to No. 17 after a strong season on the field and an improvement in his defense, which helped him rise up the prospect rankings.
By playing catcher and designated hitter in equal measure, Jackson caught 33 games for the Fire Frogs during the 2014 season. In the first half of the season, he committed ten errors and five passed balls. Ten of 53 base stealers were shot dead.
Coppolella added, “He’s improving every day.” “This guy’s got a cannon-like arm. On the 80-point scouting scale, it’s a 60-65-point arm. He needed to work on his footwork and receiving technique more than anyone else. Improved results have been obtained. We are confident that he can play at the highest level.”
The Braves believe they were able to address two flaws in their prospect pool with the transaction that brought them Jackson.
Is Alex Jackson Married?
Alex Jackson is not married.