Graduated from Miramonte (CA) HS in 2012…Played three seasons at Stanford University (2013-15)…Originally selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 37th round of the 2012 First-Year Player draft, but did not sign…His brother, Brett, was a first round selection by the Chicago Cubs in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of California Berkeley... Selected by the Seattle Mariners in the fifth round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft and signed by scout Stacey Pettis.
2018
Named a MiLB.com Organization All-Star with Double-A Tulsa...Named a Texas League Mid-Season All-Star...Named the Texas League Player of the Week for the week on 5/13: .438 (7-for-16), 4-2B, 1 HR, 4 R, 5 RBI, 5 G...Reached base safely in 22 consecutive games (6/22-7/19), tied for 10th-longest streak in Texas League…Hit .324 (24-for-74) with three doubles, a triple, four home runs, 18 runs, and 11 RBI over that stretch...Hit safely in 15-consecutive home games from 6/22-8/14...Had a season-high 11-game hit streak from 4/6-4/22...Hit a career-high 15 home runs, matching his combined total from 2016 and 2017...Stole a team-high 22 bases; has stolen 16-or-more bases in each of his four professional seasons (106 total)...Recorded a season-high five RBI on 5/10 at Northwest Arkansas.
2019
Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 40 | Run: 65 | Arm: 70 | Field: 55 | Overall: 40
The younger brother of former Cubs first-rounder Brett Jackson, Drew hit .184 in his first two seasons at Stanford before breaking out as a junior in 2015 and winning short-season Northwest League MVP honors in his pro debut. Acquired with right-hander Aneurys Zabala for Chase De Jong in March 2017, he reached Double-A in August but batted just .234/.346/.324 there. Jackson bounced back last year in his return to the level, earning All-Star honors in the Texas League, and then he joined the Orioles via trade during the offseason shortly after the Phillies had selected him in the Rule 5 Draft.
Jackson has long stood out for his athleticism. Both his cannon arm and his speed grade are well above average and give him the ability to play all over the diamond. He's a quality defender at second base and capable at shortstop, his two main positions, and he also appeared briefly at third base and center field in the past two years.
A lack of feel for hitting hurt Brett Jackson, and Drew had similar struggles at times early in his pro career. When Jackson's getting on base consistently, he wreaks havoc with his well-above-average speed. He made strides at the plate in 2018, though, showing a combination of usable power (15 HR, 20 2B) and speed (22 SB) that makes his versatile defensive profile all the more attractive and gives him a better chance of sticking with the Orioles.
2017
Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 35 | Run: 65 | Arm: 70 | Field: 55 | Overall: 45
The younger brother of former Cubs first-rounder Brett Jackson, Drew was known mostly for his defense and batted a combined .184 during his first two years at Stanford. He broke out offensively as a junior in 2015, went in the fifth round to the Mariners and won the Northwest League MVP award in his debut after pacing the short-season circuit in hitting (.358), on-base percentage (.432), runs (64) and steals (47). After he was unable to build on that success in Advanced Class A in 2016, Seattle sent him and right-hander Aneurys Zabala to the Dodgers for righty Chase De Jong in March.
A shorter swing helped Jackson make consistent contact and hit for a high average in his pro debut, but he deviated from that contact-oriented approach last season, often selling out in an attempt to pull the ball and hit for more power. His strikeout rate spiked as a result, especially during the second half of the season, while a low on-base rate kept Jackson from truly utilizing his well-above-average speed on the basepaths as he had in the previous year.
Defensively, Jackson shouldn't have trouble sticking at shortstop, where he profiles as an above-average defender with soft hands, good range and an absolute cannon for an arm that earns him a 70 grade on the 20-80 scouting scale. Though he has much to prove at the plate, Jackson's wheels and defense should make him a big league contributor in some capacity.
2016
Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 35 | Run: 65 | Arm: 70 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50
The younger brother of former Cubs first-rounder Brett Jackson, Drew Jackson stood out mostly for his defense during his first two years at Stanford before breaking out at the plate as a junior, leading to his selection by the Mariners in the fifth round of the 2015 Draft. After he signed for $335,400, Jackson took the Class A Short Season Northwest League by storm, winning MVP honors and leading the league in average (.358), stolen bases (47), on-base percentage (.432) and runs scored (64). As a result of his success, the Mariners sent Jackson to Class A Advanced Bakersfield to begin his first full season.
Jackson hit a collective .184 between his freshman and sophomore seasons with the Cardinal, and his offensive struggles carried over to the 2014 Cape Cod League, where he hit just .196 with his Draft stock on the line. But things came together for him as a junior, and he continued to make strides at the plate in his pro debut after he shortened his swing. He's a disciplined hitter and makes a lot of contact, which in turn allows him to utilize his plus wheels. While he'll never offer much in the way of power, Jackson did show more consistent pop to the gaps in the Northwest League.
Defensively, Jackson shouldn't have trouble sticking at shortstop, where he profiles as an above-average defender with soft hands, good range and an absolute cannon for an arm. Though still has quite a bit to prove at the plate in spite of his impressive pro debut, Jackson could turn out to be one of the biggest steals of the 2015 Draft with another strong showing in his first full season.
2015
Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 35 | Run: 60 | Arm: 70 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45
The younger brother of former Cubs first-rounder Brett Jackson, Drew Jackson spent three years as part of Stanford's infield, parlaying his best offensive year as a junior into a fifth-round selection in the 2015 Draft. He promptly set the short-season Northwest League on fire, winning MVP honors and the batting title in the process.
Jackson didn't hit much until his final season at Stanford, when he topped .300 for the first time. There's no power to speak of, but he did show a solid approach at the plate during his pro debut, with an ability to make consistent contact and get on base. His 47 stolen bases not only led the Northwest League, but ranked second in the Mariners organization despite him playing just 59 games and not having blinding speed. He is, however extremely athletic and that helps him on both sides of the ball. His best defensive tool by far, though, is his arm, a pure cannon that could help him stay at shortstop.
Jackson appeared to fit the profile of a future utility infielder when he was drafted. If he can prove his debut wasn't a mirage, the Mariners just might have gotten more than they expected.
