It’s not often that a catcher is the three-hole hitter in a lineup. It’s not often that a catcher leads a team in home runs. It’s not often that the catcher is known as the fastest guy on the team. But all of that and more is true about Georgia backstop Daniel Jackson.
When you ask head coach Wes Johnson what’s most impressive about the man known around the clubhouse as “Rhino” is, he smirks.
“We’d be here a long time,” says Johnson. “You’re seeing him mature as a hitter.”
In Georgia’s Friday game against Oakland, all of Jackson’s spectacular abilities were on full display. The big man started his day off slowly with a walk. Then Jackson showed off the wheels. He beat out a throw to second and followed it up with a steal of second.
In the fifth, the Dawgs hit some pitching struggles, but Jackson was happy to help, collecting both of the first two outs himself by throwing runners out. He led off in the bottom half of the same inning and on the first pitch deposited a solo home run into the left field trees. Not content, Jackson got another plate appearance in the same inning and blasted a three-run homer to right, completing an eight-run inning.
“I think home runs are probably the most satisfying feeling as a baseball player, at least for myself,” said Jackson. “But throwing guys out is a close second.”
Jackson, ever the dramatist, wasn’t done. The right-hander drove in another run in the seventh with a line drive to center. He finished the game with a career-high tying six RBIs and nine total bases. Though lifted for a pinch runner, Jackson represented the game-winning run that implemented the run rule shortly thereafter.
Jackson came into Georgia’s Friday matchup against Oakland, hitting .324 with a team-leading five home runs. He deepened his lead with his two additional home runs. It’s been an impressive start for a man who hit just .240 with only 17 extra base hits last year. As such, Jackson has consistently found himself in the three-hole for the Dawgs and has started every game this season.
What might shock you about Jackson is his ability to steal. Catchers, usually known for their size and strength, are not typically fleet-footed. But Jackson likes to break the mold. Last year, the catcher went 12-for-12 in stolen base attempts. So far this season, he has a team-leading five without having been caught.
Don’t think these strengths detract from his abilities behind the plate. In his freshman season, Jackson posted a .997 fielding percentage with just one error all year. He then followed the great defensive effort up with a .991 fielding percentage in his sophomore year. This year, his arm has been electric. Jackson has already caught six runners, including the two from Friday, and has so far posted a fielding percentage of 1.000.
He’s a stabilizing force for a pitching staff that’s been broadly built up of transfers. Jackson, in his second year with the Dawgs, knows how to calm his battery mate. Pitchers rave about how comfortable they are with his ability to call games. All these talents only add to what he can do with his bat.
“His leadership behind the plate has been second to none,” boasted Johnson after the game.
It’s hard to know if Jackson’s incredible success will continue all year, but when scouts look around the league for players with the five tools, it’s hard to find a better candidate than Daniel Jackson.
