MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — Down at FedEx Park inside of the Tigers batting cage, the team’s workout gear doesn’t don a Memphis logo.
That’s because they haven’t earned it.
“I don’t want anybody coming in with the idea of, ‘oh, I’m here, so I’ve arrived,'” said Tigers coach Kerrick Jackson. “No, you’re here, but you haven’t arrived yet. So, putting them in a position where they understand how important that is and what that logo means.”
Everyone is starting with a clean slate. It’s a philosophy the team respects, especially the new transfers like Glenn Green III, a pitcher from UGA.
“I think that’s one of the best ways that you can challenge people to like get started,” Green said. “And especially with a new system like this, he can definitely challenge everybody to be better.”
Glenn joins Mississippi State OF Brayland Skinner, Ole Miss LHP Luke Ellis, and Missouri IF Dexter Swims as the Tigers’ new SEC transfers.
They all decided to now give the Tigers a chance because of one man, Kerrick Jackson.
“I know what he did with the program at Southern,” said Swims. “I knew guys who played under him as well and they say he was a great baseball guy, but a family guy as well.”
“He’s a highly respectable coach like MLB Draft League President,” said Green. “Everybody knows him. He knows all his stuff. There’s just like, why not? I had to come here. I wanted to be a part of whatever he was building.”
What Jackson is building is a program that can compete with anyone in the country. That starts with some big portal pick-ups and a solid group of returners that have really bought in.
“Myself and Coach Jamison coaching in the SEC and coaching in the Big 12, we know what that looks like and we know where we want to be as a program,” Jackson said. “So bringing those kids in here that can kind of speak to those guys in the locker room about what it’s about I think will be helpful.”
“I think [the returners] believe in the vision that we have and know that we’re going to do some positive things. So, I’m looking forward to it.”
And, with everyone locked in, the Tigers are already a family.
“Seeing everyone, how they interact with each other I’ve never been a part of a team that’s such a team environment,” said Green.
“They’ve welcomed me with open arms. I can say that about a lot of guys, the way they interact in the locker room or in the weight room, they’re patting you on the back telling you good job correcting all the things you’re doing wrong.”
“You hear people talking about it like all over those like, ‘oh, there’s a new baseball coach,'” Swims said. “I think that [Jackson] coming in is good for us, but also like the city.”