While trading Marlon Byrd to the Boston Red Sox has freed up an open spot in center field, the Chicago Cubs won't simply call-up top prospect Brett Jackson to fill the void, according to Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago. Levine says that the deal shouldn't have any impact at all on how the Cubs continue to develop their prized young outfielder going forward.
The fact that the team was willing to move Byrd had more to do with his contract status and Boston’s needs rather than getting Jackson a spot on the Cubs’ 25-man roster.
Jackson, 23, was rated by Baseball America as the No. 32 prospect in all of baseball coming into this season. A first-round pick in 2009, he's performed well in essentially every stop he's made so far in his minor league career. For now, he's the starting center fielder for Triple-A Iowa, where he's currently posted a .254/.346/.493 line in his first 78 plate appearances this season.
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