With the Orioles still waiting to promote Samuel Basallo, Alex Jackson has a short window to make an impression in the big leagues.
Unfortunately, the trade deadline will probably generate the most exciting action of the 2025 Orioles season. The Birds have already traded a trio of relievers for some intriguing young prospects, and the Birds still have several talented players likely to be moved by tomorrow evening.
Trade rumors have dominated the headlines over the last week, but I’m here with a change of pace. For some strange reason, I’m pondering Baltimore’s backup catcher situation once again.
Alex Jackson technically qualifies as a trade acquisition from this month. The Orioles sent cash and a player to be named later to the Yankees in exchange for Jackson on July 6. Baltimore made the move after former Yankee Gary Sánchez went down with a knee sprain.
Baltimore’s catching woes have been painfully documented this season. The O’s did their best to replace Sánchez and Adley Rutschman with internal options, but the injuries kept coming. Chadwick Tromp and Maverick Handley went down, and the front office went outside of the organization.
Mike Elias could have promoted top prospect Samuel Basallo, but he found another way. Baltimore signed Jacob Stallings and purchased Jackson from the Yankees instead.
Stallings originally appeared to hold the “starting” job over Jackson, but the veteran failed to make an impact at the plate. Stallings recorded four hits in 35 at bats in a Baltimore uniform.
Jackson, on the other hand, found a way to make a strong first impression at the dish. The 29-year-old went 7-for-26 in his first 13 appearances with all seven hits going for extra bases. Jackson smacked four doubles and added three homers (including this Happy Gilmore 2 promotion).
There’s a reason the Orioles sought out Jackson instead of all the other Four-A catchers. The San Diego native is a former first-round pick that obviously possesses at least some level of pop.
Jackson appeared in a career-high 58 games for the Rays last season. He hit at Triple-A, but struggled in the majors. Jackson slashed a disappointing .122/.201/.237 with three long balls. The Rays designated Jackson for assignment in September and he finished the year with the Durham Bulls.
Jackson actually signed with the Reds last offseason before being traded to the Yankees. The Yankees never called upon Jackson, but not every team needs six catchers in a season.
With Rutschman set to return, the Orioles were forced to choose between Stallings and Jackson. Whether or not the decision will have any lasting impact remains to be seen.
Look, I get it. Basallo should be ready any day now, and Sánchez could return by the end of the year. That being said, the O’s are going to give Jackson a look. Elias likes acquiring former first-round picks, and he has a history of making his top prospects learn to be patient.
Jackson won’t keep his 180 OPS+ pace, but he will have another opportunity to prove he belongs in the big leagues. Basallo’s path should not be altered for a flier on another catcher, but the Orioles appear content keeping their top youngster in the minors for a few more weeks. It’s nearly August already, and the Birds will likely carry three catchers during the month of September.
Sánchez went on an absolute tear before suffering another injury, but he’s on an expiring contract. The Orioles have shifted into a rebuild-like mode for the remainder of the season, and Sánchez probably will not return next year.
The Birds did a tremendous job acquiring talent from fringe players throughout their rebuild. Ryan O’Hearn (cash considerations from the Royals) and Ramón Urías (waiver claim from the Cardinals) made a long lasting impact, and several others made contributions along the way.
Jackson will remain under team control until 2029, but he’s already out of options. The Orioles already have their catchers of the present and the future, but Jackson could make a strong enough impression to remain friendly with the organization.
It’s unfortunate that Handley has missed significant time with a concussion. Handley, a controllable player with advanced defensive skills, really could have benefited from the big league at bats. Jackson’s true roster test could actually be surviving a healthy Handley instead of a promotion for Basallo. Handley can be optioned to Norfolk without losing a player.
If he hits, Jackson could find a way to stick around this season. At that point, the Birds could bring him to Sarasota and potentially work out a minor-league deal if the team breaks camp healthy. If not, he could be gone in a week.
Anyway, back to the regularly scheduled trade deadline programming.