Chicago Cubs select Ole Miss baseball signee Jackson Ferris in 2022 MLB Draft
Jackson Ferris, an Ole Miss baseball signee and one of the highest-rated left-handed high school pitchers in the class, has found his pro baseball home.
The Chicago Cubs selected Ferris with the No. 47 pick in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft on Sunday. A 6-foot-4 and 195-pound left-hander from Mount Airy, North Carolina, Ferris was rated as the No. 19 prospect in the class by MLB.com and the No. 33 prospect by Baseball America.
MLB.com ranks Ferris as the third-best left-handed pitcher in the class, and Baseball America grades him as the fifth-best.
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What makes Jackson Ferris so good?
Ferris' combination of length and stuff make him a well-polished pitcher for his age. He throws a fastball that reaches 92-95 mph and commands his 12-to-6 curveball and mid-80s changeup well. His unconventional delivery is deceptive but also can lead to some mechanical concerns.
What are Jackson Ferris' stats?
In two seasons at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, Ferris has absolutely dominated. He has a 1.03 ERA with 189 strikeouts in 105 innings. He owns a 0.695 WHIP, and opponents are batting .124 against him.
He was more successful his junior year (0.55 ERA, .103 batting average against) than as a senior (1.03 ERA, .142 batting average against), but his strikeout rate jumped year over year, owing to the growth of his velocity.
Might Jackson Ferris make it to Ole Miss?
The Rebels went through a similar situation last summer when high school right-hander and top rated signee Jackson Jobe was picked No. 3 overall by the Detroit Tigers. That said, Ole Miss figured out a way to get Gunnar Hoglund to campus in 2019 after he was selected No. 36 in the first round in 2018.
With the injury risks inherent to pitching, it's tough to turn down first- or second-round slot money. If Ferris feels he can improve his stock at Ole Miss and find a quicker path to the pros through college, he's free to make that decision. But as with most top high school pitchers, the chances of him taking that path feels small.
Contact Nick Suss at 601-408-2674 or nsuss@gannett.com. Follow @nicksuss on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss baseball signee Jackson Ferris to Chicago Cubs in MLB Draft 2022
