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Luke Jackson (baseball)
American baseball player (born 1991) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Luke Ray Jackson (born August 24, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Seattle Mariners organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, and Detroit Tigers. He was drafted by the Rangers in the first round, 45th overall, of the 2010 MLB draft and made his MLB debut with them in 2015.
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Early life
Jackson attended Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. As a senior, he went 8–0 with an 0.90 earned run average (ERA) in 54+2⁄3 innings pitched with 87 strikeouts for the baseball team. He graduated in 2010.[1][2][3]
Professional career
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Texas Rangers
Minor leagues
After his senior season, he was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the first round, 45th overall, of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft.[4][5] Jackson signed with the Rangers, forgoing his commitment to play college baseball at the University of Miami, for a signing bonus of $1.545 million.[6][7] He made his professional debut in 2011 for the Hickory Crawdads, for whom he was 5–6 with a 5.64 ERA.[8]
Jackson started 2012 with Hickory, and was promoted to the High-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans during the season. Between the two teams he was 10–7 with a 4.65 ERA with 146 strikeouts, the second-most among Texas minor leaguers, in 129.2 innings, and had 10.1 strikeouts per 9 innings.[2]
He started 2013 back with Myrtle Beach.[9] He was named a CAR Mid-Season All-Star.[10] Jackson was promoted to the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders during the season.[11][12] Between the two teams he was 11–4 with a 2.04 ERA (the 8th-lowest ERA among all full season minor league pitchers) in 25 games (23 starts) in which he pitched 128 innings and struck out 134 batters.[13][2] Batters hit .202 against him, the 7th-lowest batting-average-against among all full season pitchers.[2] After the season, he was named the Nolan Ryan Minor League Pitcher of the Year, and an MiLB organization All Star.[10] Baseball America rated him the 9th-best prospect in the Carolina League.[2]
Jackson started 2014 back with Frisco.[14][15][16] He was named a Texas Mid-Season All-Star.[10] He was later promoted to Triple-A Round Rock Express. His aggregate 126 strikeouts were 3rd-most among Texas minor league pitchers.[2]
In 2015, Jackson started the season with Round Rock. He converted to the bullpen in May after having started 97 of his first 101 professional games.[2] He was called up to the majors for the first time on August 6, 2015.[17] However, he was sent back down to Round Rock on August 11, before making an appearance with the Rangers.[18]
Major leagues
The Rangers again promoted Jackson to the major leagues for the first time on September 1.[19] In 2015 with Texas he was 0–0 with a 10.80 ERA in 11+2⁄3 innings, and his fastball velocity of 96.8 mph was in the top 5% in baseball.[20]
In 2016, Jackson split the season between Texas (8 games), the 15-day disabled list (back stiffness), and the minor leagues (with Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock; he was 1–1 with three saves and a 3.69 ERA in 46+1⁄3 innings over 36 relief appearances).[2]
Atlanta Braves
On December 8, 2016, the Rangers traded Jackson to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for pitchers Tyrell Jenkins and Brady Feigl.[21]
In 2017 in the majors he was 2–0 with a 4.62 ERA in 50.2 innings over 43 relief appearances, and the hard-hit percentage against him was 41.5%, in the worst 2% in baseball.[20] Jackson was designated for assignment on December 20, 2017.[22]
Jackson had his contract purchased by Atlanta on April 4, 2018. He was later designated for assignment on April 15.[23] He cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Triple–A Gwinnett Stripers. He had his contract purchased again on May 6, and was again removed from the roster two days later. On June 5, he was called up once again. Jackson was later designated for assignment omce more on June 13.[24] He was called up once again on June 17. With Triple–A Gwinnett in 2018 he was 2–1 with a 1.69 ERA across 21+1⁄3 innings in which he struck out 34 batters (14.3 strikeouts per 9 innings), in 10 games (one start).[13] With Atlanta, he was 1–2 with a 4.43 ERA and one save and three holds in 40+2⁄3 innings in which he struck out 46 batters (10.18 strikeouts per 9 innings).[13] In 2018 he stopped throwing a changeup, threw a lower percentage of four-seam fastballs and curveballs, and began to throw his slider more.[25]
In 2019, he was 9–2 with 18 saves and nine holds, and a 3.84 ERA with 106 strikeouts (13.1 strikeouts per 9 innings) in 72+2⁄3 innings over 70 relief appearances.[26] Jackson induced a 60.5% ground ball percentage, the third-highest in baseball (minimum 70 innings).[2] He induced a chase rate of 35.1%, in the best 4% in baseball, and a whiff percentage of 36.7%, in the best 3% of baseball.[20]
In 2020, he was 2–0 with a 6.84 ERA in 26+1⁄3 innings over 19 relief appearances.[26] He had a barrel percentage against of 3.1, in the best 5% in baseball.[20]
In 2021, Jackson was 2–2 with a 1.98 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 63+2⁄3 innings in 71 games (sixth-most in the NL).[27] His 31 holds ranked second in the major leagues.[26] Between 2015 and 2021, he relied mostly on his 88 mph ground ball-inducing slider and 96 mph four-seam fastball, also throwing an 85 mph curveball.[28] He won a championship ring that year as the Braves won the World Series in six games.
Prior to the 2022 season, the Braves disclosed that magnetic resonance imaging had revealed damage to the ulnar collateral ligament of Jackson's right elbow.[29][30] He underwent successful Tommy John surgery on that elbow on April 13, 2022.[31] In May, Jackson was granted a $3.6 million salary for the 2022 season via arbitration.[32] He missed the entire 2022 season due to his surgery.[33]
San Francisco Giants
On January 9, 2023, the San Francisco Giants announced that Jackson had been signed to a two-year contract, for a guaranteed $11.5 million, with a club option for a third season.[34][35] He will earn $3 million in 2023, and $6.5 million in 2024.[36] The Giants have an option for $7 million for 2025, with a $2 million buyout if the team declines to exercise it.[36] Jackson will also make donations to the Giants Community Fund of $15,000 in 2023, $32,500 in 2024, and $35,000 in 2025 if the Giants exercise their option.[36] After rehab stints with the Single-A San Jose Giants and Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, Jackson was activated from the injured list on May 30.[37][38][39]
Atlanta Braves (second stint)
On July 29, 2024, the Giants traded Jackson and Jorge Soler to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Tyler Matzek and Sabin Ceballos.[40][41] At the end of the season, the Braves declined the option on Jackson's contract, making him a free agent.[42]
Texas Rangers (second stint)
On February 17, 2025, Jackson signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Texas Rangers.[43] In 39 appearances for the Rangers, he compiled a 2-5 record and 4.11 ERA with 24 strikeouts and nine saves over 35 innings of work. Jackson was designated for assignment by Texas on July 23.[44] He was released by the team the following day.[45]
Detroit Tigers
On July 26, 2025, Jackson signed a one-year, major league contract with the Detroit Tigers for a prorated portion of the MLB league minimum. The Rangers are still responsible for the remainder of Jackson's 2025 contract.[46] In three appearances for Detroit, he struggled to a 7.71 ERA with four strikeouts across 4+2⁄3 innings pitched. Jackson was designated for assignment by the Tigers on August 8; he elected free agency two days later.[47]
Seattle Mariners
On August 21, 2025, Jackson signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners organization.[48]
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Personal life
Jackson and his wife Corinne welcomed a son in 2021.[49]
References
External links
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