It took a while, but the Jacksons are starting to run MLB.
Three of the most-hyped prospects in baseball entering the season were all 20-year-olds named Jackson: Jackson Holliday, Jackson Chourio, and Jackson Merrill. And things did notgo very well for any of the three early on: Merrill's .696 OPS in April was the best of that trio, and Holliday was so bad he was sent back to Triple-A after just 10 games.
But they're all living up to the hype right now, and Wednesday was a huge day for that trio. Here's what that looked like for each of them:
- Holliday homered for the third straight game and for the fourth time in seven games since his return, and he now has 11 batted balls of at least 100 mph since his July 31 return, good for the third-most in baseball.
- Merrill homered twice Wednesday, one of which went 442 feet, an absolute monster shot while going 4 for 6 overall with three runs and three RBI.
- Chourio didn't go deep, but he did go 3 for 5 with an RBI, a run, and a couple of stolen bases and is now hitting .328 since the start of June.
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All of a sudden, that trio is looking pretty darn good. It's been a bumpy road, but all three are flashing the superstar potential their lofty prospect rankings suggested they might have, and all three should be playing their way into top-100 status in 2025 drafts. And they all just might help lead countless Fantasy players to a championship this season.
And, as a reminder, Merrill is the oldest of them at just 21; Holliday and Chourio won't turn 21 until after the season. It hasn't been the best year for prospects, but this is a reminder, for both this season and next, that patience is required when investing in young players. The learning curve at the major-league level might be steeper than it has been in a long time, but the rewards can still be massive when they figure it out.
Thursday's waiver targets
Justin Martinez, RP, Diamondbacks (9%) – In the long run, I think the Diamondbacks would like to get Paul Sewald back in the closer's role, but when he allowed a couple of baserunners in the ninth inning with a four-run lead in Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader, Martinez started to get loose down in the bullpen. And then, when the Diamondbacks held a two-run lead in Game 2, out came Martinez to close that one out. I don't know if that definitely means he is the closer, but I think you have to view him as the leader right now.
Josh Bell, 1B, Diamondbacks (58%) – Bell went 3 for 9 with two homers in the doubleheader Wednesday and now has four HR in six games with the Diamondbacks. It's eerily similar to what we saw last season when he got traded with an OPS around .700 and was a must-start player the rest of the way. And in this case, the turnaround started even before the trade, as he had five homers in his final seven games before the deadline. When he's locked in like this, Bell is worth riding.
Jake Burger, 3B, Marlins (67%) – Bell's former teammate hasn't slowed down, either. Burger homered twice Wednesday, his fourth in seven August games and his ninth since the All-Star break. It's a bad lineup in Miami, but Burger is on a 50-plus homer, 110-plus RBI pace since the beginning of July and he's eligible at both corner infield spots.
Calvin Faucher, RP, Marlins (6%) – If Martinez isn't available in your league, Faucher might actually have a bit more job security in Miami anyway. The problem is that it's a bad team and Faucher probably isn't as good as Martinez – his 1.50 WHIP is especially unsightly. But he got the save for Miami Wednesday, his second in a row, so it sure seems like he's the top option in the post-Tanner Scott era.
Adrian Del Castillo, C, Diamondbacks (3%) – If I'm looking for a catcher right now, Del Castillo is one of the top targets on my list in a two-catcher league. He made his MLB debut Wednesday with Gabriel Moreno on the IL and went 1 for 3 with a double, an RBI, and a walk, which is nice. But what's really exciting about Del Castillo is what the 24-year-old did in the minors before his promotion: He was hitting .319/.403/.608 with 24 homers in 100 games in Triple-A. Even for the PCL, that's pretty incredible production for a catcher, and it makes him worth a bet for the upside if you don't have a good No. 2 option at the position.
