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Austin Jackson, OF
Jackson does not totally fall into the “value” category in the same way that Napoli and Morneau do. The centerfielder will be 29 on Opening Day, and has a career .273/.333/.399 slash line. In a small ballpark, Jackson is a 20-20 player. Before the Wieters’ decision, an outfielder like Denard Span or Dexter Fowler seemed like a possible target for the Orioles. Now, that does not seem so likely. Jackson, however, is a lite version of Span and Fowler. Fowler is actually the most similar player to Jackson according to Baseball-Reference.
Fowler will get paid a significant amount this offseason, but Jackson’s value may not be as high. He’s coming off a season with modest numbers. Fowler has the shine of leading off for the Chicago Cubs all year. Jackson was mediocre for the Seattle Mariners, and then struggled with the Cubs. Still under 30, Jackson could very easily get back to hitting .275 with 10 triples, 15 homers, and 20 steals. If the Orioles can sign him up below market value, Austin Jackson could prove to be one of the better signings the team has made.
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