School: IMG Academy; Class: Senior
Position: LHP; B/T: L/L
Height: 6-4; Weight: 195
Previously Drafted: N/A
College Commitment: University of Mississippi
| FB | CB | SL | CH | Command | Overall |
| 60 | 60 | 50/55 | 55 | 50 | 55 |
Background: Following the trend of recent years, Florida-based IMG Academy doesn’t just boast one, but two potential first round picks heading into the 2022 MLB Draft. And that doesn’t even include catcher Brady Neal. Overshadowed by tools-laden outfield Elijah Green, Jackson Ferris, nonetheless, might end up being the best prospect to graduate from the school’s baseball program in 2022.
A lanky, projectable, 6-foot-4, 195-pound southpaw, Ferris turned a lot of heads during his phenomenal junior campaign. The Ole’ Miss commit tossed 50.2 innings, recording 86 punch outs and just 13 free passes to go with a sparkling 0.55 ERA. But the crowning achievement that season was a dominant showing against Andrew Painter’s Calvary Christian squad in which he tossed a one-hitter with 10 punch outs against the eventual 13th overall pick. It was Painter’s only loss that year.
And Ferris picked up right where he left off in 2022.
In one of his first starts of the year Ferris tossed another one-hit shutout and struck out 17 against George Jenkins. He would finish the year with another stellar stat line: 54.1 innings, 103 strikeouts, 16 walks, and a 1.03 ERA. He would go a perfect 16-0 during his two-year stint with IMG Academy.
Scouting Report: Polished beyond his years. Removing any injury risk from the equation, Ferris might be the safest prep arm to gamble on in the 2022 draft. Fluid mechanics that don’t require a tremendous amount of effort. Quality strike-thrower – at times. Hides the ball well. And he throws three quality offerings, highlighted by a mid-90s fastball. He’ll complement the plus-pitch with a dynamite upper-70s curveball and an above-average upper-80s changeup. He also showed a solid slider during the 2021 season. His poise and deep arsenal make him a potential quick-riser once he enters the minor leagues – if he can find a touch more consistency with the strike zone. Ferris doesn’t have an elite ceiling, but he has the potential to be a quality mid-rotation caliber arm. There’s some Max Fried-type potential. Mid-first round grade.
Ceiling: 3.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
Grade: First Round
