The son of a former big leaguer, 3B Jackson Jaha (Clackamas) owns arguably the loudest right-handed barrel in the Pacific Northwest. He generates highly advanced exit velocities because of the abundance of strength attached to his sturdy 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame. Jaha participated in the Area Code Games this fall and our last up-close look in the showcase setting came back at the Oregon ProCase in May. There, with a wood bat, Jaha’s loudest batted ball screamed off his bat at 103.7 mph, tying for the event lead. His swing is geared for elevating the baseball and working gap-to-gap, as evidenced by his 259 ft. average batted distance and 363 ft. peak batted distance at that event. Jaha’s strength has translated to the mound as well, running his fastball up to 91 mph when we saw him last April.

Committed to Oregon, Jaha will bring a true middle-of-the-order type presence to the Ducks once he arrives in Eugene. We spoke with him about several baseball related topics, including his recruitment process and how he expects his high school squad to do this year.

JACKSON JAHA

OUR Q&A

PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? What were you looking for out of a college program to continue your baseball career at?

Jaha: I was looking for a place where I’d have an opportunity to play right away and a place that can get me prepared to play at the next level.

P: Did location or distance from home play a factor in your decision?

J: A little bit, I want my family to be able to come watch me play whenever they want and Eugene is only a 1.5 hour drive.

P: When did the recruiting process really start to heat up for you? Where did the school you committed to first see you play?

J: Summer going into my junior year I started to get a lot more attention recruiting wise and Oregon started recruiting me during COVID.

P: What do you like most about the program you chose, and what were the key factors in making your decision?

J: The best coaching staff in the country, close to home, and the Ducks have always been my favorite college team. This made my decision pretty easy.

P: What other schools were on your short list before you made your final decision?

J: Arizona State, Utah, Oregon State.

P: Who is the best player you have faced in your state? What about them makes for a tough opponent?

J: LHP Nelson Keljo (Jesuit; Oregon State commit) - lefty that throws low-to-mid-90s with a ton of run on his fastball and he’s got a good breaking ball as well.

P: At what point in your career did you realize you were a college-caliber player and became serious about taking your game to the next level?

J: When I was 12 years old I was playing against 14 and 15 year olds and I was pretty successful. From that point I knew I had a chance to go somewhere in baseball and I haven’t looked back since.

P: What advice would you give to young baseball players striving to get where you are?

J: Never give up, baseball is the hardest sport in the world and you have to learn to accept failure. Through all the ups and downs this is the best game in the world and if your willing to put the work in and never give up you can be successful.

P: What is the most memorable moment in your baseball career to this point?

J: Playing at the Area Code Games. Being surrounded by that many talented players as well as scouts was definitely my favorite baseball experience so far.

P: Preview your high school team's season for us. How do you feel your team will be?

J: We should be right there with the top teams in the state at the end of the year. To me there’s not a lineup in the state that is better than ours, combine that with our speed and pitching along with our coaching staff, we should have a shot at a state title. 

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