The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed 23-year-old outfielder Bralin Jackson to a minor league contract. He was a fifth round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2012 and most recently played for the Washington (PA.) WildThings of the Frontier League.
Jackson was drafted out of high school as a raw center fielder with above average speed, a strong arm and a quick bat. He struggled at the plate during his first two seasons, then put up solid numbers in the NYPL in 2014, when he hit .279/.349/.384 with 17 stolen bases in 21 attempts at the age of 20. The next year in Low-A, his slash line stats were down slightly, but surprisingly, he went just 14-for-30 in stolen bases.
Jackson then played winter ball in Australia and had a .718 OPS in 46 games. He was moved up to High-A in 2016 and between struggles at the plate and a late season injury that cost him nearly two months, the Rays decided to move on, releasing him after the season. Jackson hit .294/.325/.477 in 95 games with Washington this season, hitting 16 homers, which was six more than he hit during his first five seasons of pro ball.
Jackson put up solid stats this year in the Frontier League, including the fifth most homers in the league. The competition is about equal to High-A ball and Jackson will be 24 when the 2018 season opens, so it’s possible he is a late bloomer who is growing into his tools. He can play all three outfield positions. Jackson made Tampa Bay’s top 30 prospect list once for Baseball America, coming in at #27 in 2012. He should compete for an outfield spot with Altoona. Earlier this month, the Pirates signed outfielder Todd Cunningham to a minor league deal.
