Daniel Jackson Could be the Steal of the MLB Draft in Round One
The MLB Draft is getting closer and closer and that is exciting if you are a follower of the draft and ultimately fall in love with prospect watching. Every draft has a player that can be tabbed as the steal of the first round or even in the early goings of the second round. This draft is loaded with hitting prospects and there are some very high end pitchers that could fall because of it. So the value you could get with an arm is in plenty. As for the bats, the one player that could end up being a massive steal is Daniel Jackson.
AP Photo/Stew Milne
During the mock drafts, Baseball America has him landing with the Houston Astros at Number 17 and MLB Pipeline has him falling right into the Yankees lap at Number 39. For me, that’s good value for both of those landing spots. That’s not to say he can’t fall further from 17 either, as you never know how drafts will go. Vahn Lackey is the most prolific catcher in this draft and is a top three pick in this draft. Jackson brings a ton of value and that shouldn’t be overlooked by fans given the hype of a lot of players above him.
The great thing about Jackson is there is versatility. He can play multiple positions, primarily being behind the dish, but also in the outfield. Jackson was a complete mainstay for the Georgia Bulldogs, starting all 63 games for the team and seeing 53 of them being behind the plate. In fact, he was regarded as the best catcher in the sport this past season.
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Every season, the Buster Posey Award goes out to the nations top catcher at the collegiate level. Jackson was the recipient for the 2026 season being recognized as the best catcher. Furthermore, he claimed the Bobby Bragan National Collegiate Slugger Award, and is also a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award. The accolades are piling on for Jackson who had the best season of his collegiate career for the Bulldogs.
When it comes down to the scouting reports on the player, Baseball America gives him a 50-55 arm grade. His pop time average is 1.94, which is good to be a starting catcher, but the defense still needs work and development. Jackson is regarded as an above-average defensive catcher and his athleticism plays a major part into that. So you’d be getting a very athletic player who has the ability to grow and improve. While that’s attractive to have behind the dish, it’s his bat that is massive and his hit tool is what should garner the attention of many teams and fans.
Georgia led all of Division I baseball in home runs and scored the second most runs. They were a juggernaut offensively and Jackson played a massive role in that. Jackson managed to have 100 hits this season, set a career high in home runs (32), drove in 87 runs, and finished the season with 212 total bases. He is the first catcher in NCAA Division I History to have at least 30 home runs and 25 stolen bases. He really is a player that can do it all and did do it all.
Jackson slashed .379/.473/.803 and with a 1.276 OPS. He won the triple crown. What was most notable was the raw power, seeing the slug rise almost 200 points. Also, his ISO (isolated power) rose from .372 to .424 and him finishing with a 168 wRC+ was 59 points better than a season ago. He drew nearly 30 more walks than in 2025, showing his ability to see the ball better and get on base more frequently. It’s a player that truly came into his own and helped guide the Bulldogs to Omaha.
We appear to be in a spot in baseball where a lot of catchers are dynamic hitters. If you have one, it’s a luxury and something you hang onto. You look at players like Cal Raleigh, Shea Langeliers, Drake Baldwin, Hunter Goodman, Dillon Dingler, and Alejandro Kirk to name a few that play regularly behind the plate, but also are prolific hitters to help elevate the lineup. Jackson can do that and would be a welcomed addition to any team searching for a player at the catcher position.
It’s going to be a very exciting draft and fans around should be excited to tune in.