Mariners Drew Jackson 1st Half Fall League Update

Jul 7, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Seattle Mariners hitting coach Edgar Martinez (11) watches batting practice before the game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 7, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Seattle Mariners hitting coach Edgar Martinez (11) watches batting practice before the game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Mariners hitting coach, Edgar Martinez is watching the Arizona Fall League very carefully this off-season. Each of the prospects that are hoping to play for the M’s one day is fighting to stand out in the shortened season. The Mariners number three prospect, Drew Jackson is one of those men, and so far he is not helping his case to earn a call-up, even to the next level of the minor leagues.

To say that expectations are high for Drew Jackson would be an understatement. As the number three prospect in the Mariners organization, it is hoped that he will soon be a star infielder in the major leagues.

In his debut minor league season with the Single-A Everett AquaSox in 2015, Jackson wowed the league with his speed and hitting ability. Over fifty-nine games he hit .358 with forty-seven stolen bases.

His numbers dropped off this past season, only batting .258, hitting six home runs in one hundred and twenty-four games with Single-A Bakersfield. He also only stole sixteen bases despite playing in three times as many games as he had in Everett.

Here is where one of the Mariners top prospects, Drew Jackson stands after the first half of the AFL season.

Drew Jackson

Jackson was ice cold to start the AFL season in mid-October. In his first six games, he went 2-21 with seven strikeouts but did collect his first RBI. These numbers were terrible compared to his Single-A Everett numbers but even looked bad next to his Single-A Bakersfield stats.

More from SoDo Mojo

It didn’t get much better over the next six games for Jackson. The Mariners prospect went 4-18, scored two runs, drove in a run, and ran to his first and only double of the AFL season. He also added five more strikeouts to his first half total. This meant that he would finish the first half with twelve K’s in twelve games.

His overall numbers of 6-40 with one double, two RBI, four walks and twelve strikeouts don’t match up with his potential. Jackson was the former North West League Most Valuable Player in 2015. His first half of the AFL season is anything but MVP-like and is definitely not helping his standing in the Mariners organization.

Next: Mariners Marlette 1st Half AFL Update

If he hopes to play in the big leagues in the near future, he will have to have an explosive second half. If he can’t get his act together in the next half of the season, Jackson will be just another player who had so much potential that couldn’t translate their talent in the big leagues.