Jakson Reetz appreciation thread

[homer]

Jakson Reetz C, OF

What exactly do we have here? The 2014 3rd round pick of the Nats was a pretty nondescript player for much of his minor league career.  Per MLB Trade Rumors:

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He posted a combined .189/.297/.317 slash in 300 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A this past season and carries a career .230/.347/.355 batting line through 472 minor league games in total. Reetz showed some promise with a .253/.370/.441 and 13 homers in High-A back in 2019, but his return to competitive play and debuts in Double-A and Triple-A this past season didn’t go well from an offensive standpoint.

The Brewers signed him to a minor league deal this past off-season - a transaction most fans probably didn't even notice. But something in the Biloxi air has turned him into the second coming of Johnny Bench. Below are some of his offensive numbers with Southern League ranks in parentheses:

HR: 22 (1)

RBI: 58 (1)

2B: 16 (T9)

SLG: 655 (1)

OPS: 1053 (1)

ISO: 368 (1)

For context, the #2 guy in ISO is at 267 and the #2 guy in SLG is 579. He's lapping the field. Jakson does K quite a bit (26%) but it's not a major issue. Probably could walk a bit more too but again not awful (9.8%). His home/road power splits are pretty even(700 SLG at home, 611 on the road, exactly 11 HR and 8 doubles at home and road) lest you think the Biloxi stadium is giving him an advantage. He has consistently had an OPS over 1000 every month so it's not a one month fluke driving up his stats. He is 26 in AA so maybe a bit old for the league. So what is the deal here? Can we get excited about this guy? I think it's time for a promotion to AAA at the very least to see what he can do there. 

[Joseph Zarr]

It isn’t often your most productive catcher/DH also gets spot duty in left field. In 10 games of spot duty, he has a 1.000 FPCT. What I have been saying since May is: he is an incredibly underrated athlete. Kudos to the Brewers for signing what is clearly a major asset in 2022. 
 

In recent memory recall, of the two catching promotions to Triple-A in 2022 the Sounds promoted very little-used Nick Kahle for a two game stint and Brent Diaz - who is having quite a nice year himself and in my eyes remains a solid catching prospect. Diaz remains with the Sounds in Columbus and, in the games I watched, clearly has a comfort-level with the Sounds staff from his brief early-season time there in 2021. 
 

All this to say: it’s very unclear as to what the Brewers plans are with Jakson. What is clear: his 2022 season is truly unbelievably good.

 

[Robocaller]

He's done great and he might have a place on the ML team. OTOH, I'd be willing to bet that he doesn't keep this torrid pace up, and I'd be willing to trade him (to a team that values him according to his 2022 production) for a piece that improves us right now.

[Jim French Stepstool]

1 hour ago, Robocaller said:

He's done great and he might have a place on the ML team. OTOH, I'd be willing to bet that he doesn't keep this torrid pace up, and I'd be willing to trade him (to a team that values him according to his 2022 production) for a piece that improves us right now.

I'd be more than willing to deal him, if he's a necessary piece to a trade that helps the offense. Agree with Homer, I think it's a little curious he's still at AA at age 26 & needs to be movin' on up.

[Robocaller]

1 hour ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

I'd be more than willing to deal him, if he's a necessary piece to a trade that helps the offense. Agree with Homer, I think it's a little curious he's still at AA at age 26 & needs to be movin' on up.

The ONLY reason to move him up is to pay him more money.  Players get promoted to the Majors from AA all the time..

The thing that's curious is that he's totally blown away his previous performance. His last good year was at A+ and he's done far better than he's ever done. 

[Jim French Stepstool]

1 hour ago, Robocaller said:

The ONLY reason to move him up is to pay him more money.  Players get promoted to the Majors from AA all the time..

The thing that's curious is that he's totally blown away his previous performance. His last good year was at A+ and he's done far better than he's ever done. 

Some do. But players get promoted from AA to AAA all the time, too. I would hope he isn't still in Biloxi simply to keep him from getting a raise.

[nate82]

9 minutes ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

Some do. But players get promoted from AA to AAA all the time, too. I would hope he isn't still in Biloxi simply to keep him from getting a raise.

He is in AA because the main catcher at AAA needs to be catching nearly every day.  Feliciano needs to be working on his defense at catcher.  It is the main reason why Reetz is still in AA and not in AAA.  If Feliciano was struggling offensively in AAA sure you could make the case for Reetz but Feliciano is hitting AAA pitching.  

There just isn't enough playing time for both Reetz and Feliciano in AAA.  It is also not hurting him being in AA rather than in AAA.  

[Jim French Stepstool]

That's a valid point; I've been a Feliciano fan since he was playing "up" a level in the Midwest league as an 18-yr-old. It just doesn't seem like he's catching on a regular basis, even after getting healthy, and Reetz hasn't been exclusively behind the plate anyway. I think there's room for both. They view it differently. Probably won't be the last time lol.

[homer]

Also in Transactions Thread:

 

 

[CheeseheadInQC]

Good for him. It is going to be interesting to see how they distribute the at-bats once Alex Jackson is back. I imagine he might inherit some of Dahl’s outfield at-bats too.

[Joseph Zarr]

14 minutes ago, CheeseheadInQC said:

Good for him. It is going to be interesting to see how they distribute the at-bats once Alex Jackson is back. I imagine he might inherit some of Dahl’s outfield at-bats too.

Interestingly, Reetz has only played LF - and by only, I mean in the mere 10 games he's played in the OF. Dahl was almost strictly RF. SO, really, if they're trying to give Jakson AB's I'd imagine they are strictly moving him to LF and moving, say, Garrett Whitley to RF? I mean, the Sounds literally now have a mere three outfielders by trade and one of them (Corey Ray) has been injured for over a week and is now on the 7-Day IL. Almonte, like Whitely, is a fill-in right fielder. To be a fly on the wall of the ongoing discussions.?

[Robocaller]

7 hours ago, CheeseheadInQC said:

Good for him. It is going to be interesting to see how they distribute the at-bats once Alex Jackson is back. I imagine he might inherit some of Dahl’s outfield at-bats too.

I don't think gettin ABs for Alex Jackson should be a priority.  I'd look to trade him or demote him.

[CheeseheadInQC]

1 minute ago, Robocaller said:

I don't think gettin ABs for Alex Jackson should be a priority.  I'd look to trade him or demote him.

It depends on what they decide to do with Severino. If he gets traded or released, they might still view Jackson as their No. 3 catcher given Feliciano's defense. Or they might already have enough confidence in Reetz from his double-A stint to move him into that role. Who knows.

[Robocaller]

4 minutes ago, CheeseheadInQC said:

It depends on what they decide to do with Severino. If he gets traded or released, they might still view Jackson as their No. 3 catcher given Feliciano's defense. Or they might already have enough confidence in Reetz from his double-A stint to move him into that role. Who knows.

I advocate trading Severino and Jackson, if we have someone willing to take them for something potentially useful.