Guardians Baseball Insider

Photo credit: Jackson Humphries Twitter

The Cleveland Guardians selected Jackson Humphries- LHSP in the 8th round of the 2022 MLB Draft.

Jackson Humphries – LHSP

School: Fuquay-Varina, HS, NC
Age: 18; Ht: 6’1; Wt: 208
Throws: Left

Pre-Draft Rankings:

GBI – 94
Baseball America – 151
Prospects Live – 175
MLB.com – 128
PG – 240

Willie Hood’s Analysis:

The North Carolina native stepped onto the scene this year flashing a mid-90s heater this spring. He appeared in Prep Baseball Report’s Super 60 Showcase in February where he impressed. Humphries is another in a long lineage of North Carolina prep lefties with big league aspirations. In 2021, he helped lead his high school baseball team to the 4-A state championship. The left-hander was a Future Games participant and appeared at the MLB Draft Combine before the Draft. Humphries is a Campbell commit and should receive a healthy signing bonus when all is said and done.

Humphries is a four-pitch pitcher with a medium athletic frame and quick arm. Reports indicated his command and overall stuff (FB 90-93 mph) backed up toward the end of spring, but there’s athleticism and potential for average (or better) command as he matures. His fastball sits 90-94 and touches 95-96 mph occasionally with above-average spin rates per Prep Baseball Report (2,350+ rpm avg). The lefty’s slider sits in the low-80s and his 12-to-6 curveball sits in the upper-70s touching 80 mph (2,950+ max spin). Humphries hard-biting slider is the better of the two pitches, but both pitches flash above-average or better potential with high spin stuff (SL 2,550 – CB 2,850+ rpm avg). He rounds out his arsenal with 85-86 mph change up (1,940 rpm avg). The left-hander is expected to receive an over-slot bonus to forego his collegiate commitment.

Press release:

A Campbell University-commit, the 17-year-old prep pitcher took home his conference’s Pitcher of the Year award after
leading his Fuquay-Varina High School Bengals to a state title. The southpaw attended the same high school as RHP Brett
Daniels, who is currently pitching for AA Akron.