It is a fun time to be a member of Birdland right now.
This offseason has been full of excitement, as the Baltimore Orioles have revamped its bullpen with the re-acquisition of Andrew Kittredge, as well as the re-signing of Rico Garcia and free agent addition of closer Ryan Helsley.
The lineup is also getting a face lift, with the Birds trading the often-injured Grayson Rodriguez in exchange for slugging outfielder Taylor Ward and signing depth outfielder Leody Taveras to the club.
Then, the big hammer dropped when the Orioles announced the second largest contract in team history, with the signing of top first baseman Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million deal.
In a matter of two months, the Orioles’ front office has made significant upgrades to get the club back on the winning track and re-open its World Series window.
As pundits and analysts are having fun showcasing the various lineup possibilities that new manager Craig Albernaz could roll out this coming season, it seems one player in particular has somewhat been forgotten about in all the hoopla and excitement this offseason has brought.
This player put forth a strong closing to the season, slashing .276/.328/.447/.775 through 48 games, and posting a .365 BABIP while learning a new position on the fly, in which he produced a .985 fielding percentage and three outfield assists.
That player is none other than Jeremiah Jackson, who turned heads by having 12 multi-hit games during his two-month stint in the big leagues last season.
As mentioned earlier, Jackson was asked to play right field for the first time in his career immediately after his call-up, committing only one error in the process. He also played both third base and second base, which opened the possibility for his value to increase as a utility player for the squad going forward.
Jackson’s minor league career leading up to Triple-A was nothing too flashy, as his highest average was set at .277, and he was married by high strikeout totals and little patience at the plate. Then, as he hit Norfolk, things changed, and Jackson started to hit for contact and consistency.
While still aggressive at the plate, Jackson was making contact with the ball, collecting 61 hits in 40 games, including 15 doubles and 11 home runs. This in-turn improved his slash line to an eye-popping .377/.400/.673/1.073, which forced the Orioles’ hand after the trade deadline had passed.
Now that both Ramón Urías and Jorge Mateo are no longer with the club, there is a gaping hole at the utility position, one that can easily be filled by Jackson given his pedigree for hitting and his ability to pick up on new positions with ease.
Jackson would be needed to play roles at second, shortstop (his natural position), third and the corner outfield slots here and there. This opens the door for the 25-year-old to step into the super utility role Mateo was supposed to occupy but, unfortunately, due to health issues, was not able to live up to in his time with the organization.
Jackson proved he could be a valuable piece to the club’s puzzle last season, and his versatility, combined with his ability to drive and put the ball in play, make him a strong candidate to help the club in that super utility role.
Not only will it provide breathers for other players throughout the season, but it also gives Jackson the ability to be more involved while keeping his bat in the lineup more often, adding another dynamic presence to a lineup that is shaping up to be one of the most dangerous in the American League.
What are your thoughts on Jeremiah Jackson and his role moving forward? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, X, Bluesky and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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