LATEST PG SHOWCASE REPORT
2004 National Showcase
Austin Jackson is a lean athletic 6'2/180 OF from Denton, TX. Jackson, a nationally ranked prep basketball player, and is just beginning to tap his immense baseball skills. His outfield defense is outstanding and his bat speed and hand/eye coordination at the plate are just beginning to come together. Jackson has faced constant questioning for a couple of years about his sports future, hardly a fair situation for a teenage athlete. He’s a superior basketball prospect who has been ranked among the top 30 prep basketball players in the country by some ranking services, along with being placed among the top 10 players in the 2005 high school baseball class by Perfect Game USA. It’s been mentioned that he might be the first athlete ever considered for both the AFLAC All-American team and it’s basketball equivalent, the McDonald’s All-Star Game. The first thing you notice about Jackson as a baseball player is the easy grace with which he moves. He never looks like he’s accelerating but he covers ground in the outfield like a Mike Cameron/Torii Hunter type centerfielder and as a 6.50 runner in the 60, you know he’s moving fast. Jackson’s bat speed is well above average and he’s shown very good hand/eye coordination and balance in his swing. He projects to hit with more and more power down the road as he fills out his lithe 6-2, 180 lb frame. In a group of outstanding athletes in the 2005 class, Jackson ranks right with Justin Upton and Cameron Maybin at the top of the list. Austin was selected to the AFLAC All American Team.
Major League Comparison: Torii Hunter