Jackson Ferris’ stock is at all-time high after a dominant junior season.
The Mount Airy-native has turned heads even when put up against the top baseball recruits in the country. He’s considered by many baseball pundits to be a guaranteed first-round pick in the 2022 MLB draft.
Ferris, a left-handed pitcher, spent his freshman and sophomore years at Mount Airy High School before transferring to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. With the move, Ferris ended a verbal commitment with N.C. State and committed to the University of Mississippi.
If his 6-foot 4-inch frame wasn’t enough to make Ferris stand out, his 94-mph fastball and 77-mph curveball are. In March, Prep Baseball Report had the following to say about Ferris:
“His fastball has consistently been up to 94 mph all spring, garnering plenty of swings-and-misses along with solid feel for breaking stuff. Ferris’ ability to get whiffs in the zone on the fastball against elite high school talent is of high note with IMG’s strong schedule, and the physical profile including the impressive arm strength should send Ferris into the summer towards the top of most follow lists.”
On May 3, Ferris was named one of 10 candidates for MaxPreps National Player of the Year. Although that honor was eventually given to Jack Walker, a senior pitcher from Barbe in Lake Charles, La., Ferris was selected for the MaxPreps All-America First Team.
According to MaxPreps, Ferris threw a no-hitter in his first outing of 2021 and followed it up with a perfect game. He also had three of the biggest wins of the season, beating Baylor, Jesuit and Calvary Christian Academy. He finished the season 8-0 with a 0.55 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 50.2 innings.
IMG’s win over Calvary Christian on March 13 saw Ferris throw against Andrew Painter, who went on to be drafted No. 13 overall by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2021 draft. Ferris threw a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts and no errors as IMG handed Painter his only loss all season.
IMG Academy finished the season 23-2. MaxPreps rated the team No. 1 in Florida and No. 3 in the nation.
In addition to the MaxPreps All-America First Team, Ferris was named to the MaxPreps All-America Junior team and the Prep Baseball Report High School All-State squad.
Ferris was also earned an opportunity to shine on the biggest stage available for high schoolers: the High School All-American Game.
The game, run by Major League Baseball and USA Baseball, took place Friday, July 9, and was hosted at the Colorado Rockies’ Coors Field in Denver. The game kicked off All-Star Week festivities and was streamed live on MLB.com.
IMG Academy was the only high school with three players represented on the rosters: Ferris, Elijah Green, and Brady Neal. These three baseball student-athletes are part of a “prospect-packed roster of 39 players,” according to MLB.com.
MLB.com also called Ferris one of several prospects “who project as first-rounders for 2022.”
The High School All-American Game also served as a feeder for MLB and USA Baseball’s Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) League as well as the USA Baseball 18U National Team, which is scheduled to compete in the U-18 Baseball World Cup in September.
The PDP League will take place in late July at the USA Baseball National Team Complex in Cary, N.C.
Ferris played for the American League Team and started on the mound. He only threw the first inning, as the managers used nine different pitchers in the exhibition. The American League team won the game 8-3.
Following the All-American Game, Ferris hopped on a plane and flew to Atlanta for the World Wood Bat Association (WWBA) 17U National Championship. Ferris helped the Canes National Showcase team reach the championship game by throwing seven strikeouts in three innings on July 10.
Less than a week later on July 16, Ferris was back on the mound in Tampa, Fla., competing in the Perfect Game National Showcase. He tossed six strikeouts in two innings, which garnered the following reaction from MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) on Twitter:
“Jackson Ferris, who might be the top left-handed pitching prospect in the 2022 #MLBDraft class, was absolutely dealing in the @PerfectGameUSA National Showcase.”
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com