The son of local basketball star Foster Jacobs is rising on the list of top prospects.
FORT MYERS, Fla. - Striding across the long stretch of grass between the clubhouse and the minor league fields, Brandon Jacobs still looks like he could be playing college football.
The Boston Red Sox outfield prospect is all baseball, though. The son of former Putnam Vocational basketball star Foster Jacobs of Springfield is moving up the organization's chart of top prospects.
"I concentrated on conditioning and hitting in the offseason. I'm working on pitch selection, keeping my foot down, driving the ball the other way,'' said the righty-hitting Jacobs, 21.
This Brandon Jacobs is not to be confused with his unrelated namesake, a running back who was released by the New York Giants last week.
Baseball's Jacobs knows football, too. A 6-foot-1, 225-pounder who initially committed to Auburn University as a running back, he brings a power of combination and speed that tantalize experts and appeal to the Red Sox.
Jacobs has several relatives in Springfield. He has visited the city often from his home in Atlanta.
In 2011, he hit 17 home runs with 80 RBIs and a .303 average for Single-A Greenville. Jacobs also stole 30 bases in 37 attempts.
He is as proud of his speed as his slugging. Jacobs is moving up at a time the organization putting a premium on complete players.
"Bobby Valentine has a good philosophy that will trickle down (to the minors). You can win with small-ball,'' Jacobs said.
A pro since 2009, Jacobs played his first full season last year. He appeared in 115 games, mostly in left field and occasionally in right.
Jacobs batted against Clay Buchholz in an intrasquad game Tuesday.
"That was definitely cool. He's one of the greats in today's game,'' Jacobs said.
The outfielder grounded out to third.
"It was good to see big league pitching. I thought I had a pitch to hit, but he's got so much. I got a little rolled over,'' he said.
Jacobs' middle name is Foster, after his father. He said he grew up hearing his dad talk about Carl Yastrzemski and other Red Sox stars.
The younger Jacobs loved basketball, too, but said he has never regretted choosing baseball.
He does not know where he'll be assigned, but this could be a breakthrough year.
One noted analyst, Kevin Goldstein, ranks Jacobs as Boston's No. 2 prospect and one of the top 50 in baseball.
An online fan vote ranked Jacobs ninth. The list also included Ryan Lavarnway and Will Middlebrooks as 1-2, with Ryan Kalish fourth and Jose Iglesias sixth.
"I'm very, very excited about this year,'' Jacobs said. "I'm preparing for a 140-game season, and my approach will be to stay within myself.''