GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Former Furman pitcher Jay Jackson has been rated the ninth best prospect in the Chicago Cubs’ organization by Baseball America.

Jackson, a ninth round selection in the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft, trailed only former TCU pitcher Andrew Cashner, a Cubs’ first round selection, and former Vanderbilt shortstop Ryan Flaherty, a supplemental first round pick, among June 2008 draftees to be ranked among the organization’s Top 10 prospects.

The former Paladin right-hander, who went 4-2 with a 2.88 earned run average for three Cubs’ minor league teams last summer, began his professional career at Boise in the Northwest League before earning a quick promotion to Peoria, the Cubs’ low A affiliate in the Midwest League, and later to high A Daytona of the Florida State League.  While at Daytona he posted a 2-0 record and 1.59 ERA while helping his squad to an FSL championship.  He earned the victory in Daytona’s 9-1 game two championship series victory over Ft. Myers, hurling 5 2/3 innings of four-hit, shutout ball.

In 50 innings of work in the minor leagues he allowed only 40 hits and 13 walks while recording 72 strikeouts.  Opponents hit just .222 against him.

A first team All-Southern Conference selection for Furman in 2008, he posted a 9-2 record with a 3.17 earned run average in helping lead the Paladins to a 33-24 overall record and 17-10 third place league finish.

The Taylors, S.C, product also earned 40 starts in the field, primarily in the outfield, and batted .336 with eight home runs and team leading 41 RBI.