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ATHENS, GA - JUNE 07: Georgia catcher Daniel Jackson(3) with a two run go ahead home run in the 10th inning during the NCAA Super Regional college baseball game between the Georgia Bulldogs vs Mississippi State Bulldogs on JUNE 7, 2026 Foley Field in Athens, GA. (Photo by John Adams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
After selecting switch hitting collegiate shortstop Tyler Bell with their first pick in the 2026 draft, the Colorado Rockies doubled up on collegiate position player with their second pick.
Daniel Jackson is a 6’ 2” twenty-one year-old catcher. Jackson spent the first college season at Wofford before transferring to the University of Georgia where he played two seasons and won the SEC Triple Crown and Golden Spikes award in his Junior year.
The basic summary from public prospect evaluators is that Jackson has good power, the tools to be an average defensive catcher, but his hit tool comes with strikeout risk.
Of public evaluators, Fangraphs had Jackson ranked the highest as the 27th overall on their draft board. Of Jackson’s hitting they say: “He’s fast, he swings hard, and he really stings the ball when he makes contact, with a 55% hard-hit rate and a 108 mph EV90 in 2026. Whether or not Jackson will hit in pro ball is up for debate. His underclass strikeouts, including on Cape Cod, were out of control, and even as they improved in 2026, he still had some markers of a player whose whiffs are going to be a problem.”. Overall Fangraphs gave Jackson a 45 grade as a toolsy but risky hitter.
Over at MLB Pipeline Jackson was ranked 28th in the draft class with a 50 overall grade. Notably from their scouting report on him the say that “He has demonstrated a selective approach throughout his college career and is doing a much better job this year of making contact, both against velocity and against non-fastballs.”
In terms of his defense, Baseball America says that, “He is an impressive athlete who runs well for a catcher, with average speed and savvy baserunning instincts. He has an average arm, though scouts are torn on his chances to stick behind the plate. Those most bullish see an athlete who has all the physical tools necessary to make progress in pro ball, while skeptics question if he’ll have the hands necessary for the position. If he has to move off catcher, he should be able to handle an outfield corner.”
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Overall, Jackson is someone the ceiling of a Hunter Goodman-esque catcher but that comes with the floor of swing-and-miss could prevent him from being able to get to his power.
The bonus pool value of the 37th pick is $2,696,700 and Jackson may end up being a bit of an overslot selection given his pre-draft rankings estimating him for the back end of the first round.
What do you think of this pick? Let us know!
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