Austin Jackson Responding to Tigers' High Expectations

LAKELAND, Fla. – Lloyd McClendon looked at Austin Jackson's stats and he worried about the Tigers' new hot prospect.

All those strikeouts. Against minor league pitching?

"You worry about what that equates to at the major league level," McClendon said. "There had to be something (wrong), but I haven't seen it."

A month into Jackson's first spring training with the Tigers, his hitting coach has not seen how Jackson could have whiffed roughly once every four at-bats through five seasons in the minors.

One of the reasons the Yankees were willing to part with Jackson, one of their top prospects, was that they had concerns about his ability to hit at the major league level. They sent Jackson to Detroit as part of the three-team deal that netted them Curtis Granderson.

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Now that Jackson is comfortably in the Tigers' plans, having impressed everyone in camp on his way to being the Opening Day center fielder and leadoff hitter, he explained that the Yankees, at least indirectly, were the cause of his offensive problems.

"I've been working on some things offensively that I've always felt comfortable with," Jackson said. "I guess I'm more free to do that over here."

Jackson said he's brought back the leg kick that the Yankees took away from him.

"That's what they believed was causing me to strike out a lot, but I think it was just more of me not knowing how to control it," Jackson said. "I think that definitely had a lot to do with the strikeouts. I just needed to needed to know how to control it, but instead they took it away, and I still struck out. But now that I know how to control it, it's going to help me."

This spring Jackson is hitting .350 with seven strikeouts and six walks in 46 plate appearances. His batting average has many encouraged that Jackson is ready for the big leagues, but it's his plate discipline that has McClendon smiling.

"It's still early," McClendon said. "He's got a ways to go. What I'm most pleased about is he's laying off tough pitches. He's getting his walks. He's not swinging at balls in the dirt or chasing balls over his head. That's very encouraging."

McClendon said Jackson has proved to be very coachable and adaptable to whatever changes he's encouraged him to make.

"He's a very mature kid," McClendon said. "He processes things very well and he's able to take it into the game, which is very impressive. A lot of kids, when you try to give them something the first step is mastering it in the cage, then taking it into BP and then eventually taking it into the game. He's able to process it rather quickly and take it into the game."

The Tigers have thrown a lot at Jackson this spring. After not having so much as a September call-up with the Yankees, Detroit is counting on Jackson to hit at the top of the order and play a vital defensive position.

Johnny Damon said he's convinced that Jackson is ready, and Damon has a unique perspective. Damon saw Jackson for years in Yankees spring training. Now, he plays alongside him in the outfield and he bats behind him in the order.

"I thought he would become pretty good, but I've seen him grow right in front of my eyes," Damon said. "From what I've seen from him this spring, he's definitely ready. He looks faster. He's very mature. I see a Mike Cameron type of player when I see him. He's going to be really good."

The Cameron comparison seems appropriate because of Jackson's defensive ability and his speed, but Damon said that he even thinks Jackson has Cameron-like 20-homer potential. Jackson has hit more than 10 homers only once in the minors. Damon said the power will come out as Jackson gains some more experience.

"That sounds good to me," Jackson said, after hearing about Damon's comments. "That's something to shoot for. Right now it's just about getting to the majors and being productive."