TEMPE, Ariz. — Jeremiah Jackson is having a pretty good week.
The Angels prospect hit a walk-off two-run homer Wednesday and spent Thursday wearing a Team USA uniform and playing alongside some of the game’s biggest stars.
“It was a great experience to be around those guys,” Jackson said Friday, a day after he was one of the prospects loaned to Team USA to finish the exhibition game against the Angels. “It was basically an All-Star team. Just to be around those guys and see how they operate, how they jell and work, it was a good experience.”
Jackson said he and teammate Jordyn Adams made a connection with Team USA and Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, who talked to them about how confidence plays a role in reaching big-league success.
“It’s the mental side,” Jackson said. “I think that’s the biggest part that people can overlook. To kind of hear from him and see how he plays and how it translates, hear his thought process, it all makes sense. Other than the skill, that’s a huge reason why you’re successful.”
Jackson, who is two weeks shy of his 23rd birthday, is still trying to find his footing as a professional.
The Angels’ second-round pick in 2018, Jackson made an immediate impact by hitting 30 home runs in his first two short-season stints in 2018 and 2019. He continued performing well in his first full season – after the season lost to the pandemic – before struggling at Double-A in 2022. Jackson hit .215 with a .712 OPS.
The Angels also moved him out of the infield for the first time, and he’s continued to get action in the outfield, including with Team USA on Thursday.
“I don’t mind,” Jackson said. “I’m going to play wherever they need me to play. I don’t make the lineup sheet, so I’m not going to be mad wherever I’m at, as long as I’m in there.”
Jackson is now ranked No. 18 among Angels prospects by Baseball America and No. 13 by MLB Pipeline.
While the Angels look for his best position, his power seems to still be his best tool. He demonstrated that when he hit an opposite-field homer to win Wednesday’s game.
“It’s more just consistency for him,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said. “Get better at each position. He’s very valuable around the field. He can go to the outfield, obviously all the infield spots. I’m seeing a really, really athletic guy that has done a lot of work on the offensive side. He’s had a really good three weeks in limited playing time.
“You can see a lot in there. There’s not many balls hit to right field like that. That came off the bat and we all stood up. We knew it was out and you don’t see that happen too often on balls hit the other way.”
Jackson said he’s trying to simplify his game at the plate.
“Just trying to have fun and hit balls hard,” he said. “Not really thinking much at the plate. Get a good pitch and hit it hard.”
NOTES
Head athletic trainer Mike Frostad explained that the Angels are continuing to move slowly with right-hander Chris Rodriguez, who had shoulder surgery in 2021 and missed all of last season. “We sort of listen to Chris and how he’s telling us he’s feeling every day,” Frostad said. “He has great days and there’s some days where it’s not as great, but we’re just continuing to let him throw. It’s a long process for him. He’s been through that a lot.” …
Right-hander Griffin Canning, by contrast, is no longer a concern medically. Canning missed a season and a half with a back injury, but Frostad said the medical staff has “no restrictions on him right now. Hopefully, it stays like that.” …
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Right-hander Sam Bachman threw a bullpen session Friday, and right-hander José Marte is scheduled for one Sunday. Both players had been out with “soreness,” according to Frostad, but are now moving toward appearing in games. …
Frostad said outfielder Ryan Aguilar is continuing to rehab his oblique strain on the minor-league side. “We expect him to be back playing sometime next week,” Frostad said. …
The Angels gave many of their players a full day off Friday, allowing them to skip coming to the ballpark entirely. Nevin said having so many day games in spring training leaves players needing a break from the early starts. “A baseball player’s body clock isn’t used to getting up this early that many days in a row,” Nevin said. He added that he would prefer the Angels have about one night game per week, which would allow for some extra sleep and also help players acclimate to seeing the ball at night.