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BJN Draft Profiles: Daniel Jackson is one of the best catching prospects available in the 2026 Draft

Photo credit: © Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

By Ryley Delaney

Jun 30, 2026, 12:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 30, 2026, 17:23 EDT

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It’s been a long time since the Toronto Blue Jays have had a top catching prospect in the system.

Just half a decade ago, the team had three up-and-coming catching prospects in Danny Jansen, Alejandro Kirk, and Gabriel Moreno. All three players have gone on to have good big league careers, with Kirk the last catcher remaining on the Blue Jays.

While they haven’t had a top catcher come through the ranks, Brandon Valenzuela has been a bright spot in an otherwise dismal 2026 season. Acquired for Will Wagner before the 2025 trade deadline, Valenzuela is slashing .240/.327/.420 with seven home runs in 172 plate appearances, paired with stellar defence.

It seemed at the time that the Blue Jays had their backup catcher of the future, but after the start he’s had, it’s not impossible to envision him and Kirk splitting catching duties. That said, Valenzuela wasn’t a top catching prospect at the time of his call-up.

Juan Caricote and Franklin Rojas are both off to good starts in the rookie leagues, but are years away from making an impact. Edward Duran has missed a large chunk of the season with an injury, and hasn’t had a terrific season when healthy.

The Blue Jays first pick in the 2026 MLB Draft is the 39th overall selection, and there just so happens to be an intriguing catching prospect who is projected to go in that range, Daniel Jackson.

Scouting report

Jackson is a right-handed batting catcher who stands at 6’2”, 200 lbs. The 21-year-old has spent his past two seasons with the University of Georgia and ranks as MLB Pipeline’s 39th-best draft eligible prospect. He served as Georgia’s primary catcher in 2026, but Jackson also has experience in the outfield.

What stands out about Jackson is his power. The catcher hits the ball hard and has improved in the contact department, though he stills whiffs often He sprays the ball and Pipeline gives him a 50-grade hit tool, but his 55-grade power tool is what will lead to him getting drafted as high as he will.

Having spent most of his 2025 season in the outfield, Jackson is athletic, but also needs improvement behind the plate. That isn’t too much of a concern, as Kirk was thought of as a bat-first catcher before quickly becoming one of the best defensive catchers in baseball.

Jackson features a strong arm, graded at 55 according to Pipeline, while being considered an average runner.

The statistics

Undrafted out of high school, Jackson joined Wofford College for the 2024 season. Over 56 games, he slashed .357/.460/.599 with 12 home runs in 253 plate appearances. He also struck out 45 times as opposed to 31 walks.

His strong season allowed him to transfer to Georgia to begin the 2025 season. He played 45 games with the Bulldogs, slashing .240/.365/.612 with 14 home runs in 148 plate appearances. That said, his 29.7 K% was worrisome, though he walked a tick under 13% of the time.

Jackson mainly played outfield, playing nine games in left and 14 in right, as well as 13 games as a catcher and even two games at first base. He reached a whole other level once becoming the Bulldogs full-time catcher in 2026.

This past season, Jackson slashed .379/.473/.803 with an incredible 32 home runs in 319 plate appearances. Only one player, Tague Davis, hit more home runs than Jackson in the NCAA, while Hunter Ray tied his 32 long-balls.

Encouragingly, Jackson’s K% plummeted as well, dropping from 29.7% in 2025 to just 20.1% in 2026. Moreover, his BB% jumped slightly, earning 44 walks for a 13.8 BB%. What’s more impressive was his 26 steals in 28 attempts, a solid number for any player in 67 games, even more so a catcher.

Unsurprisingly, Jackson won a whole lot of accolades after a terrific 2026 season. The catcher won SEC’s Player of the Year, Buster Posey Award (best catcher), the Golden Spikes Award, and the Dick Howser Trophy. The latter are generally awarded to the best player in NCAA baseball that season, and it’s hard to argue that Jackson didn’t deserve it.

What Jackson can offer the Blue Jays

After the season Jackson just had, it’s a big “if” they Jays can even draft the catching prospect. If he does fall and if they sign him, Jackson instantly becomes their best catching prospect, as the power and athleticism makes him one of the best catching prospects in the draft class.

His improvements are notable, but there is still work to be done defensively behind the plate. There’s a chance that doesn’t work out, but the Blue Jays’ biggest need in the farm system is a right-handed batting outfielder who’s a year or two away from big league action.

It’s just a great fit, but due to the season he just had, it seems unlikely he’ll fall to the Jays.