Jackson's average not improving: Cubs center field prospect Brett Jackson continues to see his batting average decline at Triple-A Iowa. After batting .236 in April, Jackson is batting .217 in 18 May games. After a 0-for-5 performance Monday, Jackson is batting just .146 (6 for 41) in his last 10 games. He is batting .228 with a .324 OBP, .430 slugging percentage and .755 OPS in 40 games this season. (Updated 05/22/2012)
Injury Report
No information available at this time (Updated 5/24/12).
Fantasy Analysis
While Jackson will likely make it to the majors at some point in 2012, he's not really forcing the Cubs hand right now. The worst stat for Jackson might be his 58 strikeouts in 40 games. The Cubs have said Jackson needs Triple-A at-bats, and if he doesn't improve quickly, then he might be forced to spend most of the season in the minors. Jackson's star isn't shining as bright with his slow start to the 2012 season, but he is still a solid prospect and has 20-20 ability at the MLB level. He's a viable long-term keeper and worth stashing in deeper seasonal Fantasy formats. (Updated 05/22/2012).
02/29/2012 11:34 2012 Draft Prep: Top 50 Fantasy prospects
Which prospects should you circle on your Draft Day cheat sheets in 2012? Our Scott White unveils his Top 50 prospects and identifies which players will make an impact on your Fantasy teams this summer.
02/25/2012 17:27 Cubs camp report: Cubs giddy with optimism despite some limitations
Wretched hitting, poor fundamentals and some remaining deadwood can't keep the Cubs from feeling excited about this season. Scott Miller says a certain new president is bringing optimism to Chicago.
02/25/2012 17:23 Cubs camp report: Likes and dislikes
As the Theo Epstein era begins in Chicago, so too does the Cubs' rebuilding process. Scott Miller says deep pitching and Starlin Castro give them a chance to improve quickly, but scoring runs will be a problem.
The Cubs may have gutted their farm system in a deal for Matt Garza last offseason, but Brett Jackson was one of the prospects they retained. He rewarded their commitment with arguably his best minor-league season yet, hitting a career-high 20 homers, including 10 each at Double- and Triple-A. He actually improved with a midseason promotion, producing a .297 batting average and .939 OPS at Triple-A Iowa. Such numbers would have earned most prospects a September call-up, but the Cubs opted for patience with a new regime on its way. The 23-year-old is more or less a finished product at this point. He does strike out at a high rate, but considering his .292 career batting average in the minors, it hasn't been a problem so far. Baseball America actually compared Jackson to Jim Edmonds, another high-strikeout type who went on to hit .300 with 30 homers more years than not. The Cubs will likely ask Jackson to begin 2012 in the minors, further delaying his arbitration clock, but the 23-year-old will surely force the issue at some point this summer. You'll want to have him stashed and ready to go in NL-only leagues when that happens. (Updated 2/9/12)