Heading into last weekend, Harris was batting .458 with an .607 on-base percentage and 1.421 on base-plus slugging percentage.By Rubin E. Grant
Jackson Harris doesn’t mind that he can’t escape his father’s shadow. He prefers it that way.
Harris, a senior first baseman/pitcher, plays on the Vestavia Hills baseball team that his dad, Jamie Harris, coaches.
“I love it,” Jackson Harris said. “I know some people see it as a challenge, but I can’t imagine playing for anybody else, especially in high school. He’s hard on me, but he just wants me to get better.”
Jamie Harris admits it’s challenging to coach his son, especially since they have similar personalities.
“It’s been the best and hardest thing I’ve ever done,” coach Harris said. “He’s just like me. We look alike and we dress alike. We’re both hard-headed and competitive.
“I try to let one of my assistants coach him ‘cause I just want to be his dad. It’s hard to look at him as a coach ‘cause I am his dad. We’ve found a pretty good balance. We don’t take a lot of it home.”
Still, there are father-son clashes.
“Neither one of us likes to lose,” Jackson Harris said. “Neither one of us thinks we’re ever wrong.”
Somehow, they have made it work for a number of years, considering Jackson Harris has been playing baseball practically his entire life.
“He’s one of those kids who wanted to play from the time he could walk,” coach Harris said. “He was walking and running at 9 months old, and he had a ball and bat in his hands soon after that. It’s all he’s ever wanted to do. We had a wall in our den where he could throw a tennis ball off it, and he did that day and night. He loved the sport from Day 1.”
Even so, there was a little bit of a father-son disagreement when Jackson Harris began playing competitively.
“He wanted me to be right-handed, but I did everything left-handed,” Jackson Harris said. “He wanted me to be a shortstop because he was a middle infielder.”
Instead, Jackson Harris developed into a two-way player, splitting time on the mound and at first base.
“I’ve always pitched,” Jackson Harris said. “I love pitching. It’s a different mindset. I don’t like to talk on the days I’m pitching. I focus on getting in the strike zone.”
Jackson Harris mixes an 83-85 mph fastball with a curveball and change-up.
“He’s one of those lefties who throws three pitches for strikes,” coach Harris said. “He works fast and he throws strikes. He’s not afraid of pitching to contact.”
Jackson Harris has a 3-0 record this season, but it’s at the plate where he really excels. He has led the Rebels in hitting the past two seasons.
This season, heading into last weekend, Harris was batting .458 with an .607 on-base percentage and 1.421 on base-plus slugging percentage. Of his 27 hits, 14 had gone for extra bases, two doubles, three triples and two home runs. He had drawn 13 walks and been hit by pitches 11 times. He also had 22 runs batted in and scored 19 runs.
“I’m a line drive hitter,” Jackson Harris said. “Power is not my thing.”
Perhaps, that will change as Harris becomes more muscular. He’s 5-foot-10, 185 pounds.
“He was always on the smaller side growing up,” coach Harris said. “He’s put in a lot of hard work and changed his body. Pound for pound he’s one of the strongest guys on the team.
“Two years ago, he was mainly a singles hitter, but now he’s hitting doubles, triples and home runs, and he’s throwing harder when he pitches.”
Jackson Harris credits his dad for his development as a hitter.
“I’ve been hitting with my dad day in and day out since I started playing,” he said.
This spring someone else has been throwing batting practice pitches for Jackson Harris. His dad had shoulder surgery for a torn rotator cuff a few months ago.
“He had surgery and can’t throw BP, but he still gives me hitting lessons,” Jackson Harris said. “He’s about a week out from being healthy enough to throw. He has not liked it. He has had to be a vocal leader at practice.”
Still Following Dad’s Footsteps
Jackson Harris will have someone else in his ear next season, but his dad won’t be far away. Jackson Harris has signed with Samford.
“My dad played at Samford and I thought it was cool to follow in his footsteps, and Samford is close to home,” Jackson Harris said.
Jackson Harris is hoping to help bring his dad a state championship before he heads to college.
Vestavia Hills reached the Class 7A semifinals in 2022 and has many of their main players back, including Harris and 14 other seniors. Four of those seniors also have signed college baseball letters-of-intent: outfielder Christopher Johnston, Auburn; pitcher Jable Ramey, Huntingdon College; and pitcher Ryan Vermillion and catcher-outfielder Hudson Walburn, Jacksonville State.
The Rebels have a 21-4 record and are ranked No. 6 in the latest Alabama Sports Writers Association poll. They play in Area 5, arguably the toughest Class 7A area in the state. All four teams are ranked, with Tuscaloosa County (24-3) and Thompson (24-4), ranked Nos. 1 and 2. Hoover (14-9) is ranked No. 7.
Vestavia Hills opened area play Tuesday at Thompson and will host the Warriors in a doubleheader Thursday at Sammy Dunn Field.
Jackson Harris believes the Rebels can make another run at a state title. Vestavia Hills hasn’t won a state championship since 2000.
“I think we can do something special,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of talent. We just have to put it all together at the right time.”
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