Chicago Cubs prospects: Not always a happy ending

Mar 18, 2014; Surprise, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs center fielder

(7) breaks his bat on a swing in the second inning against the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Brett Jackson

Brett Jackson, one of the more recent prospects in the Cubs system that failed to reach his potential.  Jackson was drafted in the first round of the 2009 amateur draft by the Chicago Cubs.  Jackson was looked at as a future center fielder and a lead-off hitter for the Cubs.  With some power and good speed, expectations for Jackson were to be a possible 20 home run guy who could steal as many as thirty bases.  Jackson definitely gave Cubs fans and management a lot to be hopeful for.

In the minor leagues, Jackson had a decent amount of success but never really showed what the Cubs had seen in him when they drafted him.  Jackson would catch the attention of the scouts of the United States national baseball team.  Jackson would make the US National team in 2011 and play in the Pan American games and the Baseball World cup helping the team win a silver medal.

In 2012 Jackson would have his most success in the minors and with that a call up to the Chicago Cubs would be made.  In his 44 games with the Cubs, Jackson would struggle at the plate.  Jackson would strikeout 59 times in only 142 at bats, posting only a .175 batting average, 4 home runs, and 9 runs batted in.  With Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer now in charge of the front office, there seemed to be a lack of confidence in Jackson to ever turn into what was hoped of by the previous management.

Jackson would be traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for minor league pitcher Blake Cooper.  What the previous management saw in Jackson wasn’t the same that Epstein and Hoyer saw.

Next: Third base is never easy in Chicago