Oxford unveils Jackson Stephens framed Reds’ jersey to display in the press box of Choccolocco Park’s Signature Field
THURSDAY’S GAMES
Alexandria 5-13, St. Clair County 4-0
Munford 9, Donoho 6
Oxford 12-12, Southside 1-0
Piedmont 15-10, Glencoe 6-7
Weaver 8, Jacksonville Christian 4
By Al Muskewitz
OXFORD — Jackson Stephens was sitting in the visitors dugout at Petco Park in San Diego Thursday waiting for the Braves to open their first road series of the season, but even thousands of miles away he could feel the love from home.
The Braves’ game was scheduled to start at 7:10 Oxford time, just about the time the Yellow Jackets were getting ready to play the second game of their doubleheader and series sweep of Southside.
Just about the time Stephens arrived at the ballpark with the team that gave him a second chance in The Show, back in Oxford team officials were unveiling the Cincinnati Reds jersey the big right-hander wore in his 2017 big-league debut as part of Senior Night and the 10th anniversary of the big-school state championship he helped the Jackets win in 2012.
The ceremony was attended by Stephens’ parents, Jay and Tara, his grandparents, wife Brittani and the couples beloved pet, Dolly. His brother Jayson threw out the ceremonial first pitch, a perfect strike on the outside corner to Calhoun County Tournament hero Hudson Gilman.
The jersey is expected to permanently hang in the press box of Choccolocco Park’s Signature Field.
In pre-recorded comments played over the Signature Field public address system for the crowd, Stephens thanked everyone who helped him become the player he is today and “achieve this dream” of playing in the major leagues.
“Wow, what an honor to have this happen; I can’t believe it,” he said in the two and a half minute message. “It took some work, but kept that drive within me to keep pushing and pushing.
“I wouldn’t have done anything in my own baseball career if it weren’t for my teammates at Oxford who got me better every single day and accepted me for who I was and being great friends and being a great team.
“We had a lot of talent in 2012 when we won the state championship, but there also was great chemistry and great teammates. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them. That means a lot to me.”
Stephens was drafted by the Reds after that championship season and signed right out of high school. He made his big-league debut on July 1, 2017 against the Cubs, striking out eight in five innings and even delivering a two-run single, a circumstance that isn’t likely to happen again with baseball’s move to the universal DH.
He was outrighted by the club in 2019, but never lost the dream to pitching in the big leagues. He toiled in solitude in the Mexican and Venezuelan winter leagues in 2021 – he was the Venezuelan League pitcher of the year – before signing a minor-league contract with the Braves in January.
The Braves recalled him on Tuesday after one start with Triple-A Gwinnett and he was back in the bigs that night, pitching the last three innings of a 16-4 win over Washington for his first big-league save.
“It was really great to watch him come out of that bullpen and see that Braves jersey and then get an opportunity to pitch for the Braves and not against the Braves,” proud papa Jay said. “To go through what he did for two years and the sacrifices that he did the second time around, this time it’s like it’s more appreciative than the first time.
“The first time you’re appreciative but it sort of happens and you’re overwhelmed at first and then you settle in and then it works. This thing you don’t know is if it’s going to happen and you’re out there grinding and doing everything you can do to get that next chance. We’re blessed enough to say we got another chance. I know Daddy is appreciative of what he went through to get this, but I think he’s more appreciative, too.”
Oxford coach Wes Brooks and his family went to Cincinnati to watch Stephens’ big-league debut, but they didn’t make it to Atlanta for the return. The Yellow Jackets were playing for an area championship in Southside when they learned Stephens had been recalled and got back to town just in time to watch Jacko finish the game.
Once known for his two-seam fastball and an insanely high spin-rate curve when he threw it, Stephens threw six different pitches for strikes against the Nationals.
His reward for that nice debut with the Reds was being sent back down to the minors after the game. He remained on the Braves’ roster when they went west.
“I tell our players all the time the game of baseball knows, the game of life knows,” Brooks said. “If you treat the game of baseball the way it’s supposed to be treated, play the right way, the game will treat you – but not always on your time. The game will reward you in its time. When the game is ready to reward you, it will reward you.
“To me, he is a perfect example of that phrase that the game will reward you. I’m not saying there’s other guys who had come through here that didn’t treat the game right, but he’s just a guy who’s just a great teammate, he’s loved by his teachers who were here, coaches; I don’t think he has any enemies. Even the teams that he beat while he was here they respected the way he went about his business.” [*** read more]
