Jackson Ferris has started to rediscover his form late in the season with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Jackson Ferris entered the 2026 season looking to regain the form that once made him one of the most highly regarded left-handed pitching prospects in baseball.
Now, with the Triple-A season nearing its conclusion, the Los Angeles Dodgers prospect appears to be moving in that direction.
Ferris, ranked No. 17 in the Dodgers' system by MLB Pipeline, has endured an uneven first season at Triple-A Oklahoma City. The 22-year-old has struck out 106 batters, which leads the Pacific Coast League, but his 5.51 ERA through 101.1 innings reflects some of the struggles he has experienced throughout the year.
His recent stretch, however, has provided a much more encouraging picture.
Ferris has allowed one run or fewer in each of his last five starts, covering 28.1 innings dating back to Aug. 16. During that span, he has surrendered only four runs while striking out 35 and walking 10.
The improvement has come as Ferris has begun throwing harder and showing better control, two developments that could be particularly important for his long-term outlook.
Velocity has been one of the most noticeable differences. Ferris has averaged around 93 mph on his two-seam and four-seam fastballs throughout the season, but his fastball was consistently above 95 mph during his latest outing against Sugar Land. He reached 96.1 mph, and his 18 fastest pitches of the season have come during his last two starts.
That added life has helped his entire arsenal play up.
Ferris has generated swings and misses at a 31.2 percent rate over his last five appearances, an improvement from his 25.4 percent mark for the season. His slider has remained an important weapon, while his curveball has also continued to give hitters trouble.
The improvement in command may be just as important as the velocity.
Walks have followed Ferris throughout his professional career. Since being selected by the Chicago Cubs in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft, he has posted a double-digit walk rate in each of his four professional seasons.
That has made his recent ability to work in the strike zone particularly notable.
Ferris' latest start against Sugar Land illustrated the progress. He worked ahead of hitters consistently and attacked the strike zone, allowing him to reach six innings while giving up only one run. He struck out seven and avoided the extended stretches of traffic that have contributed to his struggles earlier in the year.
The recent turnaround comes after Ferris experienced a difficult 2025 season in Double-A. Although he continued to miss bats, his overall effectiveness declined as his stuff and command became less consistent.
The Dodgers acquired Ferris along with Zyhir Hope from Chicago in January 2024 as part of the trade that sent Michael Busch and Yency Almonte to the Cubs. At the time, Los Angeles was acquiring a pitcher with significant upside and a track record that had previously placed him among the game's top prospects.
That upside has not disappeared.
Ferris still has work to do, particularly with maintaining his improved command and velocity over a larger sample. But his recent performance gives the Dodgers reason to be encouraged as the season winds down.
For a pitcher trying to reestablish himself as one of the organization's potential future rotation pieces, the timing could hardly be better.
