Andre Jackson

Andre Jackson Signs With NPB’s Yokohama BayStars

By Anthony Franco | January 12, 2024 at 9:11pm CDT

Andre Jackson has signed with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, the team announced. The move comes a few weeks after he was designated for assignment and released by the Pirates.

Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported at the time that the DFA was a mutual decision to permit him to pursue an NPB opportunity. It wasn’t then clear with what team the 6’3″ righty would be signing. That’ll be a BayStars club that also recently added lefty Anthony Kay.

Jackson, 27, has spent the past seven years in affiliated ball. Drafted by the Dodgers in 2017, the University of Utah product reached the majors in ’21. He logged 39 innings over parts of three seasons with Los Angeles, working to a 4.15 ERA. The Dodgers DFA him and flipped him to the Pirates for cash in late June.

While Jackson had pitched exclusively in relief in L.A., the Pirates used him out of the rotation at times. Jackson started seven of 12 appearances in black and gold. He turned in a 4.33 ERA across 43 2/3 innings. His 23% strikeout rate was solid, but he also walked almost 11% of opponents. Command has been the main question throughout his career. He has walked 12.7% of batters faced while fanning just under 26% of hitters in his minor league tenure.

Jackson is out of minor league options and wasn’t firmly established on the MLB roster. Had he stayed in Pittsburgh, there was a decent chance they’d have tried to run him through outright waivers at some point. Jackson instead locks in a guaranteed salary in NPB, where he might get a full season working from the rotation. He’s certainly young enough to reemerge as an option for MLB teams in future offseasons.

Pirates Designate Andre Jackson For Assignment

By Anthony Franco | December 21, 2023 at 6:33pm CDT

The Pirates are designating right-hander Andre Jackson for assignment, as first reported by Alex Stumpf of DK Pittsburgh Sports. Pittsburgh needed to create a 40-man roster spot after re-signing Andrew McCutchen yesterday. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports (on X) that Jackson sought his release to pursue a deal with a team in Japan.

Pittsburgh acquired Jackson from the Dodgers in a minor trade in June. He’d been designated for assignment by Los Angeles leading up to that deal, which saw the Bucs send cash the other way. The 27-year-old started seven of 12 appearances down the stretch, his first rotation work at the major league level. Jackson turned in decent results, pitching to a 4.33 ERA across 43 2/3 innings. He struck hitters out at a solid 23% clip, although his 10.7% walk rate hinted at the control questions that have persisted for his entire career.

Jackson has long shown a combination of intriguing stuff and wobbly strike-throwing ability. He has pitched parts of three seasons at the MLB level, working to a 4.25 ERA through 82 2/3 frames. The Houston product has a less imposing 5.07 mark in 140 1/3 innings of work at the Triple-A level, where he has walked almost 15% of batters faced.

The control inconsistency meant that Jackson could have found himself on the roster bubble in 2024. This was his final minor league option season, so he’d have had to remain on Pittsburgh’s MLB team, be placed on waivers or traded. Given the chance that he’d have landed on the waiver wire, he apparently preferred to head to NPB and lock in some guaranteed money. He’ll technically land on waivers in the next few days but figures to go unclaimed and be released.

Pirates Acquire Andre Jackson

By Mark Polishuk | June 25, 2023 at 12:58pm CDT

The Pirates and Dodgers have worked out a trade that will send right-hander Andre Jackson to Pittsburgh, FanSided’s Robert Murray reports (via Twitter). The Pirates have announced the trade, adding that Jackson has been optioned to Triple-A and that the Dodgers are getting cash considerations in return. Mark Mathias has been designated for assignment to open up space on Pittsburgh’s 40-man roster.

The Dodgers designated Jackson for assignment earlier this week to open up a 40-man roster spot for Ryan Brasier. He’ll now change organizations for the first time in a pro career that began when the Dodgers selected Jackson in the 12th round of the 2017 draft. The righty has appeared in each of the last three Major League seasons, with a total of 39 innings on his resume.

While Jackson had a 2.11 ERA over 21 1/3 innings in 2021-22, things haven’t gone as smoothly this year, as Jackson had a 6.62 ERA in 17 2/3 frames of work. The long ball has been Jackson’s biggest nemesis, as after giving up just one home run in 2021-22, he has already allowed five homers this season. It isn’t exactly a new problem for the right-hander, as he has trouble keeping the ball in the park over his three seasons at Triple-A (in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League).

Between the homers and an inflated 14.77% walk rate, Jackson has a 5.21 ERA in 129 2/3 career innings at the Triple-A level, with a 22.07% strikeout rate. It isn’t the most promising set of numbers, yet as a pitcher capable of working as a traditional starter or long reliever, Jackson has some interesting value as at least a depth arm, particularly to a pitching-needy team like Pittsburgh.

With multiple relievers on the injured list, the Pirates will likely explore Jackson as a reliever first and foremost, or possibly as a bulk pitcher behind an opener if the Bucs get creative with their rotation. Tomorrow’s off-day is the Pirates’ last free day until the All-Star break, and coming off a stretch of 13 games in 13 days, the Pirates might be looking for spot-start possibilities.

Pittsburgh acquired Mathias in a trade with the Rangers in March, and the utilityman has been shuttled back and forth several times between the majors and Triple-A. Mathias has hit .231/.355/.269 over 62 plate appearances, playing mostly as a second baseman with a pair of other appearances in right field. 2023 is Mathias’ third Major League season, after he previously appeared in 16 games with the Brewers in 2020 and a combined 30 games with Milwaukee and Texas in 2022. In between, Mathias spent the 2021 campaign recovering from shoulder surgery.

If Mathias clears waivers, he has the right to reject a possible outright assignment to Triple-A Indianapolis. Because Mathias has been outrighted before in his career, he has the option of turning down another outright from the Bucs and instead can become a free agent.

Dodgers Designate Andre Jackson For Assignment

By Anthony Franco and Darragh McDonald | June 20, 2023 at 5:55pm CDT

The Dodgers announced they’ve designated right-hander Andre Jackson for assignment. His 40-man roster spot will go to righty Ryan Brasier, whose promotion was reported earlier. Left-hander Bryan Hudson was optioned to open a spot for Brasier on the active roster.

Jackson has spent his entire career in the L.A. organization. Originally selected in the 12th round of the 2017 draft, he made it onto the 40-man roster after the 2020 campaign. Jackson debuted the following summer and has bounced on and off the active roster for the past three seasons.

He’s worked in multi-inning relief at the big league level, tossing 39 frames over 14 outings. A personal-high 17 2/3 of those innings have come this season. Jackson has allowed 13 runs in that limited look, thanks largely to five homers. The longball has largely overshadowed a quality 16:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

A starter for the bulk of his minor league tenure, Jackson has also worked in long relief in Triple-A this season. He’s logged 27 2/3 innings across 11 outings, pitching to a 5.86 ERA in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He has a quality 25.8% strikeout rate at the top minor league level, but he’s walked over 14% of batters faced there. Strike-throwing has been the question throughout his career, as Jackson has handed out free passes at a 12.7% clip over five minor league seasons.

The 6’3″ righty clearly has intriguing raw stuff, though. He’s punched out over a quarter of opponents in the minors. His fastball sat north of 95 MPH on average during his MLB time this season, while prospect evaluators have long praised his changeup. He seems likely to draw some interest via minor trade or on the waiver wire within the next week. Jackson is in his final minor league option season, so an acquiring team could keep him in Triple-A for the remainder of the year.

Dodgers Select The Contract Of Adam Kolarek

By Nick Deeds | June 11, 2023 at 11:58am CDT

The Dodgers have selected the contract of left-hander Adam Kolarek, per a team announcement. In corresponding moves, right-hander Andre Jackson was optioned to Triple-A and transferred outfielder Trayce Thompson to the 60-day injured list.

A veteran of six MLB seasons, Kolarek made his MLB debut with the Rays in 2017, struggling to a 6.48 ERA in 8 1/3 innings of work in his first taste of big league action. He turned things around after that shaky debut, however, as he posted a 3.94 ERA (109 ERA+) in 77 2/3 innings with the Rays split between the 2018 and 2019 seasons prior the being shipped to the Dodgers at the 2019 trade deadline.

Kolarek was a revelation in LA, with a 0.77 ERA in 11 2/3 innings down the stretch with the Dodgers. He followed up with another sterling performance during the shortened 2020 campaign, pitching to a 0.95 ERA in 19 regular season innings as the Dodgers stormed to a World Series championship in 2020, though Kolarek allowed five runs in 3 1/3 innings during the 2020 postseason.

After being swapped from the Dodgers to Oakland ahead of the 2021 campaign, Kolarek’s dominance with the Dodgers seemed to vanish. In 26 2/3 innings of work with the A’s between the 2021 and 2022 campaigns, Kolarek struggled to a 5.74 ERA with a 5.53 FIP. That downturn in performance came primarily from struggles with control, as Kolarek walked a 10% of batters faced with the A’s compared to just 5.7% of batters faced across the 2018-2020 campaigns. With an equal number of walks and strikeouts during his time in Oakland, it was no surprise when the A’s designated Kolarek for assignment last summer.

Since then, Kolarek returned to LA on a minor league deal and has dominated at the Triple-A level in 2023, with a 2.18 ERA in 20 2/3 innings of work this season. Kolarek figures to give the Dodgers an addition left-handed option in their bullpen alongside the likes of Caleb Ferguson, Alex Vesia, and Victor Gonzalez going forward.

Headed out in favor of Kolarek is Jackson, who returns to the minors after a three scoreless innings against the Phillies yesterday. It was a solid rebound for Jackson, who posted an ugly 7.98 ERA in six games over two previous call-ups to the majors this season. Going forward, Jackson figures to continue serving as valuable, optionable depth in the club’s bullpen who is capable of delivering in multi-inning stints.

Thompson’s placement on the 60-day IL clears a roster spot for Kolarek and comes as little surprise after manager Dave Roberts noted recently that the outfielder would miss more than a month with his current oblique strain, though the injury is not expected to end Thompson’s season. After a breakout season with the Dodgers in 2022, Thompson has struggled in 87 plate appearances this season to a .155/.310/.366 slash line while logging time at all three outfield spots.

Dodgers Select Tyler Cyr

By Darragh McDonald | May 19, 2023 at 2:06pm CDT

The Dodgers announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Tyler Cyr, with fellow righty Andre Jackson optioned in a corresponding move. The club already had a vacancy on their 40-man roster after designating Dylan Covey for assignment yesterday.

The Dodgers’ relief corps has been getting run through the gauntlet this week, leading to various roster moves as they try to restock with fresh arms. It started on Monday when started Noah Syndergaard lasted just four innings it what eventually turned into a 12-inning game that saw the club use six relievers. Then Clayton Kershaw was also bumped after four frames on Tuesday, leading to the relievers throwing another five. The Dodgers selected Covey prior to Wednesday’s contest, then saw Dustin May depart after just one inning with a flexor pronator strain that’s going to keep him sidelined for weeks. Covey tossed four innings in relief and then four other pitchers followed him. Covey was designated for assignment the next day as Jackson and Justin Bruihl were recalled. Last night, Julio Urías was pushed out after just three innings, leaving the bullpen to pick up another five. Since they were in St. Louis and got crushed, they didn’t have to cover the bottom of the ninth but Jackson did throw 3 1/3 innings in there, getting optioned today for his troubles.

Going into today’s contest, they are yet again scrambling for a fresh arm to have on hand, tapping Cyr to be that arm. The 30-year-old made his major league debut with the Phillies last year, making just one appearance before getting put on waivers and getting claimed by the A’s. He tossed 13 1/3 innings between the two clubs with a 2.70 ERA, 29.1% strikeout rate, 9.1% walk rate and 48.5% ground ball rate.

He was released in January and eventually landed with the Dodgers on a minor league deal. He’s tossed 16 2/3 Triple-A innings here in 2023 thus far with a 4.86 ERA, striking out 31.6% of opponents and getting grounders at a 56.4% rate but issuing walks to 13.2% of batters faced. Cyr has a full slate of options and less than a year of service time, meaning he could potentially provide the Dodgers with a depth arm with roster flexibility and cheap control for years to come, provided he performs well enough to hang onto his spot on the 40-man roster.

Dodgers Designate Dylan Covey For Assignment

By Darragh McDonald | May 18, 2023 at 3:45pm CDT

The Dodgers announced today that left-hander Justin Bruihl and right-hander Andre Jackson have been recalled to the club. In corresponding moves, right-hander Dustin May was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right forearm strain and righty Dylan Covey designated for assignment.

The Dodgers have been facing various challenges with their pitching staff in recent days, leading to much improvising. They played a 12-inning game against the Twins on Monday, using six relievers after Noah Syndergaard lasted just four innings. On Tuesday, Clayton Kershaw was also bounced after just four frames, requiring the bullpen to pick up the remaining five.

That led the club to select Covey’s contract yesterday to give the bullpen a fresh arm. It was a good thing that they did, since May had to depart after just one inning with elbow pain. It was later reported that he has a flexor pronator strain and will likely miss four to six weeks, making today’s injured list placement inevitable. Covey stepped in and threw four innings in relief of May, allowing a couple of earned runs on five hits and one walk with three strikeouts. Four other pitchers came in after him as the Dodgers managed to pull off a 7-3 victory.

Despite playing a key role in that victory, Covey has been nudged out of his roster spot as the club was once again facing an exhausted pitching staff and needed some fresh arms. Prior to joining the big league club, he had a 4.22 ERA in 32 Triple-A innings on the year. The Dodgers will now have one week to trade him or pass him through waivers. He hasn’t really been a major league regular for a few years, pitching in the CPBL in Taiwan in 2021 and 2022, but it wouldn’t be a shock to see some other club express interest given the mounting pile of pitcher injuries around the league. In the event he does clear waivers, he would have the right to reject an outright assignment and elect free agency, by virtue of having a previous career outright.

The Dodgers’ Rotation Options If Tony Gonsolin Misses Time

By Anthony Franco | March 16, 2023 at 4:11pm CDT

The Dodgers were dealt some undesirable news last week when All-Star starter Tony Gonsolin rolled his left ankle during a pitcher-fielding practice session. He was diagnosed with a sprain and unable to put much weight on the leg for a few days.

Manager Dave Roberts told reporters yesterday that Gonsolin has again started throwing (via Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register). He’s progressed to long toss from 120 feet but has yet to return to the mound. With Opening Day two weeks out, it seems increasingly likely he’ll require a stint on the 15-day injured list.

If that proves the case, the Dodgers will have to add someone to the season-opening rotation behind Julio Urías, Clayton Kershaw, Noah Syndergaard and Dustin May. Los Angeles doesn’t have the luxury some clubs do of many built-in off days early in the year. They’re scheduled for games in 13 of the first 14 days and 24 of the initial 26 days of the regular season. Unless the club wants to cover some starts via bullpen games, they’ll need a fifth starter if Gonsolin isn’t available.

Likely Front Runners

Ryan Pepiot, 25, two minor league option years remaining

Pepiot seems the favorite for the job. He started seven of his first nine big league games last season, working to a 3.47 ERA over 36 1/3 innings. Pepiot struck out an above-average 26.3% of opponents but his 16.9% walk rate was untenable for a player hoping to stick in a rotation. He showed more serviceable control in the minors, walking 9.8% of batters faced with a lofty 30.9% strikeout rate and a 2.56 ERA in 91 1/3 frames for Triple-A Oklahoma City.

A former third-round pick, Pepiot has developed into one of the better pitching prospects in the sport. The Butler product has a wipeout changeup and plus spin on a fastball that averaged just under 94 MPH last season. Evaluators have expressed trepidation about his breaking ball and especially the consistency of his strike-throwing. Still, he’s an intriguing young pitcher with upper minors success who has shown a decent ability to miss bats early in his time at the big league level. He’s not a finished product but could be capable of providing the Dodgers with a few solid starts in a fill-in capacity.

Michael Grove, 26, two options remaining

A second-round pick in the 2018 draft, Grove overcame some early-career injury concerns to reach the majors last year. He started six of his first seven big league games, posting a 4.60 ERA through 29 1/3 frames. That came with a modest 18% strikeout rate and a lot of hard contact. The 6’3″ righty did a solid job throwing strikes, though, limiting walks to a roughly average 7.5% clip.

Like Pepiot, Grove had a solid 2022 campaign in a hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League setting. He posted a 4.07 ERA in 59 2/3 Triple-A frames, fanning 26.7% of batters faced against an 8.2% walk percentage. Grove held right-handed batters at the top minor league level to a .213/.266/.368 line over 263 plate appearances. Lefties, on the other hand, teed off at a .279/.344/.541 clip in 192 trips to the dish. It was a similar story at the MLB level. Righties hit .241/.293/.389 in his limited look, while left-handers managed a .275/.333/.522 slash.

Grove doesn’t throw a changeup, relying on a fastball/slider/curveball combination. Prospect evaluators have raised questions about his ability to handle left-handed hitters without a pitch that breaks away from them. That has led to concern about whether he can stick in an MLB rotation long term, though the Dodgers could match him up against right-handed heavy teams like Colorado and the Cubs in the season’s first couple weeks.

Top Prospects

Gavin Stone, 24, not yet on 40-man roster

Stone fell to the fifth round in the 2020 draft. That now looks like a coup, as the Central Arkansas product is a top 100 prospect on lists from Baseball America, FanGraphs, The Athletic and ESPN. He’s now the second-best pitching prospect in the organization (more on that in a minute) after an utterly dominant minor league season. Across three levels, he combined for a 1.92 ERA with an elite 33.9% strikeout rate and serviceable 8.9% walk percentage through 121 2/3 frames. That culminated in six Triple-A outings, in which he allowed only six runs over 23 1/3 innings.

It now seems a matter of when, not if, Stone will make his big league debut this season. Evaluators credit the 6’1″ righty with a mid-90s fastball and one of the best changeups in the minor leagues and suggest he could be a mid-rotation arm in the near future. He doesn’t have a ton of Triple-A experience and isn’t yet on the 40-man, so the most straightforward move would be to send him back to Oklahoma City to open the season. Given his minor league dominance, there’s at least an argument for plugging him in above Pepiot and Grove immediately, even if it’d require a 40-man roster move to do so.

Bobby Miller, 23, not yet on 40-man roster

The Dodgers’ first-round pick in that ’20 draft class, Miller has shot through the minor league ranks and now ranks among the best prospects in the sport. The Louisville product had a 4.45 ERA over 20 outings for Double-A Tulsa last season. That’s not the most impressive mark but it seems the product of an unlucky 62.5% strand rate. Miller struck out an excellent 30.5% of opponents, induced grounders at a quality 48.2% clip, and kept his walks to an 8.1% rate. He earned a late-season bump to Oklahoma City, where he posted elite strikeout and ground-ball marks over four outings.

He’s now almost universally regarded as the organization’s best pitching prospect and a top 50 minor league talent overall. The righty draws unanimous praise for an upper-90s fastball, a pair of power breaking pitches, and an advanced changeup. Miller’s command is still a work in progress but there’s little question the arsenal can play against major league hitters.

Miller doesn’t figure to be an option for the season-opening rotation. Roberts told reporters last week he was being built up slowly to monitor his workload and was unlikely to pitch in a Spring Training game (relayed by Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times). He’ll almost certainly be in the majors at some point in 2023 though.

Further Down Depth Chart

Andre Jackson, 26, one option remaining

Jackson has never started a big league game, coming out of the bullpen for all seven of his MLB appearances from 2021-22. The Utah product has worked as a starter in the minors, opening 19 of 21 outings with Oklahoma City last year. He allowed exactly five earned runs per nine innings in Triple-A. Jackson had decent enough strikeout and ground-ball numbers but walked an astronomical 17.2% of opposing hitters.

That’d put him behind Pepiot and Grove on the depth chart. Jackson is on the 40-man roster, though, seemingly giving him a leg up compared to the non-roster invitees in camp. He’s headed into what would be his final option year, so he’ll need to improve his control before long if he’s to earn an extended MLB look in Los Angeles.

Dylan Covey/Robbie Erlin

Both Covey and Erlin have some big league experience and are in camp as non-roster veterans. The 32-year-old Erlin was hit hard in 77 innings with Oklahoma City last season. Covey, 31, returned stateside after a couple solid years in Taiwan’s top league. Covey, in particular, has gotten out to a good start in camp. He’s struck out eight without issuing a walk over six innings. Still, neither seems likely to leapfrog the younger arms in the organization for a season-opening rotation look.

Nick Nastrini/Landon Knack

Nastrini and Knack are both fairly recent college draftees who reached Double-A last season. They’re each among the mid-tier prospects in a strong L.A. system and flashed bat-missing potential with Tulsa. Both pitchers could eventually get an MLB look, though neither figures to be in consideration for a job out of camp. They’re not yet on the 40-man and have yet to reach Triple-A.

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The Dodgers again have a few exciting pitching prospects, two of whom have already gotten a taste of the majors. Pepiot and Grove would accordingly be the safest choices to take the final rotation spot if Gonsolin can’t start the season but they’re not as touted as Miller and Stone. The latter two figure to take the Dodger Stadium mound at some point in 2023, the next in a long line of pitching talent to come through the system.

Dodgers Notes: Jarrin, Grove, Jackson, Taylor

By Mark Polishuk | October 2, 2022 at 3:50pm CDT

The Dodgers paid tribute to broadcasting legend Jaime Jarrin prior to yesterday’s game, feting the longtime Spanish-language voice of the team in his final season on the mic. Jarrin began calling Dodgers games on the radio in 1959 (the team’s second season in Los Angeles) and has been a fixture ever since, announcing last year that he would be retiring at the end of the 2022 season.

It will mark the end of an era for L.A. fans, who had the unique benefit of hearing both Jarrin and Vin Scully call games from 1959 until Scully’s retirement in 2016. The 86-year-old Jarrin has also had an incredible career beyond baseball, covering news for KWKW radio and calling other major sporting events like world championship boxing and the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. We at MLB Trade Rumors wish Jarrin all the best in retirement, though he still has some very big games left to call during the Dodgers’ upcoming postseason run.

Dodgers Place Dustin May On Injured List

By Mark Polishuk | September 24, 2022 at 7:00pm CDT

The Dodgers have placed right-hander Dustin May on the 15-day injured list due to lower back tightness. The team also announced that righty Andre Jackson was called up from Triple-A to take May’s spot on the active roster.

May is now ineligible to pitch again during the regular season, though his postseason availability could hinge on his health. Since Los Angeles already has a bye in the first round, May will get some extra time to rest and recover before the Dodgers have to make their roster decisions for the NLDS. Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports that May has a strained muscle in his lower back, and it isn’t yet known if the strain will impact his readiness for the playoffs, but the Dodgers are hopeful May will be ready.

May has already missed a lot of time with injury over the last two seasons, due to a Tommy John surgery back in May 2021. The right-hander made it back to action in August, and has a 4.50 ERA, 22.8% strikeout rate, and 11% walk rate over 30 innings in 2022. While these numbers are nothing to write home about, May’s velocity and spin rates are all still looking good in the wake of his TJ rehab.

The regular season has been a rousing success for the Dodgers, but they now face more pitching uncertainty as the playoffs loom. Tony Gonsolin has a minor league rehab start scheduled for Tuesday after missing a month due to a forearm strain, so the All-Star could be on his way back to action, though nothing will be certain until Gonsolin gets onto the mound. Ideally, Julio Urias, Clayton Kershaw, and Gonsolin would be the Dodgers’ top three starters in a playoff series, with Tyler Anderson likeliest for fourth starter duty. Andrew Heaney, May, or rookie Michael Grove would be lined up for long relief or emergency-starter depth, but as we’ve seen from past postseasons, the Dodgers are generally pretty flexible with pitcher roles in big games.

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