Alex Jackson sets sights on backup catcher spot

It’s the biggest spring of Alex Jackson’s life.

Jackson, 25, is a leading candidate for the Braves’ backup catcher job behind Travis d’Arnaud. Barring a late addition, the Braves will buck their recent trend of relying on veteran catchers. Jackson is competing against William Contreras, 23, for the position.

Jackson has only nine major-league games under his belt. He debuted in 2019, playing four games in which he went 0-for-13. He fared better in the five-game sample of 2020, when he went 2-for-7 with a double. Jackson was actually the Braves’ opening-day backstop after d’Arnaud and Tyler Flowers were sidelined due to COVID-19 protocols.

Jackson, who spent the offseason training at home in California, hopes what he’s absorbed from d’Arnaud and Flowers (currently a free agent) translates on the field this season.

“Travis has been absolutely tremendous,” Jackson said. “Tyler is absolutely phenomenal. You can ask anyone in the clubhouse. He’s a phenomenal person. Phenomenal player. When it comes to helping and wanting to teach his knowledge, he’s unbelievable. Working with Travis, he’s the exact same way. It shows you the kind of guys that we bring into the clubhouse here. Everyone is willing to help. Everyone wants to better each other and it shows. It shows in how we play and how we do things.”

The reality of Jackson’s situation: The Braves have oodles of young catching talent now, including Contreras. Shea Langeliers, the team’s 2019 first-round pick, is moving quickly through the ranks. This is Jackson’s best opportunity to earn a role — and he’ll need to make the most of it when/if he does.

Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@

Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@

Jackson is undoubtedly an intriguing talent. He was a sixth overall pick by the Mariners in 2014, but after a disappointing two seasons, Seattle traded him to Atlanta. He feels growing in a winning environment has especially helped him in recent seasons.

“It’s huge because when you come up, or when you get brought over to this organization, from the time you step into the door, you have a winning mentality,” he said. “You come over here and there’s an expectation, whether it’s on the field, off the field, how you carry yourself, how you are as a person. There’s a certain responsibility being in this organization. When it comes to winning games, you come over here and you expect to win.”

Jackson has flipped between being an outfielder and catcher in his minor-league career, but the Braves have groomed him as a backstop and are happy with how he’s come along.

“I think he’s really good,” manager Brian Snitker said. “I really like him. All the work he’s done with (catching coach) Sal (Fasano) in the time he’s been here. He can really receive. He can really throw. It’s about making more contact, pretty much. He does have power. But I have no problems and love him when he’s behind the plate.”

Snitker’s brief scouting report sums it up. Jackson’s batting practices are a sight to behold. He possesses monstrous power — arguably the best in the Braves’ system – but it hasn’t always translated to games. The Braves would certainly benefit from more power off their bench.

Contact is the biggest worry: Jackson has struck out nine times in 20 major-league at-bats. In 2019, his last full season, he hit 28 homers but struck out 118 times in 306 at-bats in Triple-A (85 games).

“That’s the big thing, allowing myself to relax at the plate and see the ball,” Jackson said. “You go out there and you want to do too much sometimes. So it’s allowing yourself to take a step back and improve that contact rather than just trying to go for something big every single time. I’m working on my approach with our hitting staff. You look at the guys we have on the staff now, there’s a reason they’re here and you can’t ask for anyone better.”

If Jackson demonstrates the improvement he discussed Tuesday, the Braves’ catching depth will be better for it. And notably, so would their bench.