GREENVILLE, S.C. – Former Furman baseball pitching standout Jay Jackson has been called up to the San Diego Padres, the club announced Monday afternoon.

Jackson, a right-hander who had his minor league contract purchased by the Padres, joined the major league team Monday and will wear jersey No. 25 for Monday night's 9:40 p.m. ET game at Arizona.

Jackson appeared in 54 games and went 3-4 with a 2.42 earned run average and 15 saves this summer, primarily with the Padres' Triple A Pacific Coast League (PCL) affiliate El Paso Chihuahuas, who claimed the PCL Pacific Southern Division title. In 74 1/3 innings of work, he surrendered 63 hits and 18 walks while recording 86 strikeouts. Opponents hit .232 against him.

A product of Taylors, S.C., and Greenville's Christ Church Episcopal School, Jackson, 27, a first team All-Southern Conference performer who pitched for Furman from 2006-08, is the first Paladin to make a major league season roster since right-handed pitcher Tom Mastny last pitched for the Cleveland Indians in 2008. If he sees action, he will be the ninth player in Furman history to play in the major leagues.

In his final (junior) season with the Paladins, he registered a 9-2 record with a 3.17 ERA in helping lead Furman to a 33-24 overall record and 17-10 third-place SoCon finish. He also played outfield, batting .336 with eight home runs and team leading 41 RBIs in 2008.

A ninth-round selection of the Chicago Cubs in the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft, Jackson has spent the last eight years in the minor leagues, including stops with the Cubs, Marlins, Pirates, Brewers, and Padres' farm systems. He signed a minor-league free-agent contract with the Padres in January and was a Spring Training invitee.

He has compiled a 46-56 career minor-league pitching record with 4.31 ERA over 857 2/3 innings.