Jeff Jackson (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Jackson is a former professional baseball
player who won the Gatorade High School Baseball Player of the Year Award in 1989. He later played in minor league baseball
for nine seasons.
in the first round (fourth overall) of the 1989 Major League Baseball Draft
out of Simeon Career Academy. He began his professional career that season, hitting .227 in 48 games for the Martinsville Phillies
. In 1990, he hit .198 in 63 games with the Batavia Clippers, and in 1991 he hit .225 in 121 games with the Spartanburg Phillies.
He split 1992 between the Clearwater Phillies (79 games) and Reading Phillies
(36 games), hitting a combined .227 in 115 games. He spent all of 1993 and 1994 with Reading, hitting .238 in 113 games in 1993 and .177 in 47 games in 1994.
He did not play in 1995. In 1996, Jackson returned to organized baseball, playing for the Will County Cheetahs of the independent Heartland League
and for the Daytona Cubs
in the Chicago Cubs
organization. He hit .300 in 26 games overall. In 1997, he played for the Cheetahs again, hitting .303 with 13 home runs in 64 games.
In 1998, Jackson spent 26 games with the Lynchburg Hillcats
in the Pittsburgh Pirates
system, as well as 15 games with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
of the independent Northern League and 26 games with the Massachusetts Mad Dogs of the independent Northeast League. He hit a combined .227 in 69 games. 1998 was in final season.
Overall, Jackson hit .234 in 666 minor league games.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player who won the Gatorade High School Baseball Player of the Year Award in 1989. He later played in minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
for nine seasons.
Draft and professional career
Jackson was drafted by the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in the first round (fourth overall) of the 1989 Major League Baseball Draft
1989 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1989 Major League Baseball draft.-Supplemental first round selections:-External links:*...
out of Simeon Career Academy. He began his professional career that season, hitting .227 in 48 games for the Martinsville Phillies
Martinsville Phillies
The Martinsville Phillies were a short season minor league baseball team located in Martinsville, Virginia. Affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies, they existed from 1988 to 1998, playing in the Appalachian League...
. In 1990, he hit .198 in 63 games with the Batavia Clippers, and in 1991 he hit .225 in 121 games with the Spartanburg Phillies.
He split 1992 between the Clearwater Phillies (79 games) and Reading Phillies
Reading Phillies
The Reading Phillies are a minor league baseball team based in Reading, Pennsylvania, playing in the Eastern Division of the Eastern League. Since the 1967 season, they have been the AA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies....
(36 games), hitting a combined .227 in 115 games. He spent all of 1993 and 1994 with Reading, hitting .238 in 113 games in 1993 and .177 in 47 games in 1994.
He did not play in 1995. In 1996, Jackson returned to organized baseball, playing for the Will County Cheetahs of the independent Heartland League
Heartland League
The Heartland League was an independent baseball league that operated from 1996 to 1998 in the central United States.The Heartland League was founded with teams in Lafayette, Indiana; Anderson, Indiana; Will County, Illinois; and Dubois County, Indiana. Lafayette won the championship in 1996...
and for the Daytona Cubs
Daytona Cubs
The Daytona Cubs are a minor league baseball team based in Daytona Beach, Florida. The team plays in the Florida State League , and is the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs major league club. The Cubs play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark; opened in 1914, the park seats 5,100 fans.The...
in the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
organization. He hit .300 in 26 games overall. In 1997, he played for the Cheetahs again, hitting .303 with 13 home runs in 64 games.
In 1998, Jackson spent 26 games with the Lynchburg Hillcats
Lynchburg Hillcats
The Lynchburg Hillcats are a minor league baseball team in Lynchburg, Virginia. They are a Class High-A team in the Carolina League, and currently are a farm team of the Atlanta Braves. They had been a farm team of the Pittsburgh Pirates since 1995, with the Cincinnati Reds fulfilling the final...
in the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
system, as well as 15 games with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks are a professional baseball team based in Fargo, North Dakota, in the United States. The RedHawks are a member of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the independent Northern League and 26 games with the Massachusetts Mad Dogs of the independent Northeast League. He hit a combined .227 in 69 games. 1998 was in final season.
Overall, Jackson hit .234 in 666 minor league games.