In yesterday’s article, No Room in Yankees Pen for Joba Anyways, I wrote about the current state of the Yankees' bullpen and the depth that they have now that they didn’t a year ago.
One player I left out of the article was Steven Jackson. Jackson is a 27-year-old reliever who was left out because his upside isn’t as high as some of the other pitchers, but I should have included him because of his spot on the 40-man roster.
Jackson was added to the 40-man roster this offseason to protect him from the Rule Five draft. Now that unique position on the roster gives him an advantage when it comes to reaching the Bronx over others like Mark Melancon, who would have to be added before getting called up.
Jackson was a long shot to make the team out of spring training, but according to Joel Sherman of the NY Post, Jackson has pitched well enough that he has opened some eyes and may be one of the first relievers called up:
“Steven Jackson turned 27 on Sunday. He is no kid. But he is the pitcher in Yankee camp who has probably done the most to boost his stock among the club’s decision makers. He came into spring training as merely filler. But during the camp he has impressed the brass with his ability to locate his 89-93 mph fastball and his out-pitch splitter. He remains unlikely to make the team because if there is one area the Yankees are teeming with depth is with righty relief options. But as one Yankee official put it, ‘I now expect to see him during the season, and I wouldn’t have said that before camp.’”
There is one disadvantage Jackson has because he is a part of the 40-man roster. When the Yankees need to add someone to it, like Angel Berroa or Brett Tomko, they are going to have to remove someone from it to make space.
Jackson is one of the top candidates, along with Dan Giese and possibly Anthony Claggett, to get designated for assignment. At that point other teams would have an opportunity to pluck him away.
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