All-SEC catcher Jackson Appel selected in sixth round by the White Sox

All-SEC honors? Good.

Professional future? Better.

On Monday, Texas A&M catcher Jackson Appel was selected in the sixth round, 169th overall, by the Chicago White Sox in the 2024 MLB Draft.

Appel becomes the third A&M position player to come off the board as five total Aggies have now been taken in this year’s draft behind Braden Montgomery, Chris Cortez, Ryan Prager and Tanner Jones.

Appearing in 65 games and making 59 starts in 2024, Appel emerged as an All-SEC First-Team selection at catcher.

The Ivy League transfer hit an impressive .331 with 10 home runs and 41 RBIs in the middle of one of the nation’s top lineups while posting an incredible .997 fielding percentage behind the plate.

Appel enjoyed multi-hit outings in six of A&M’s 11 NCAA Tournament games, going 6-for-12 in the three-game Men’s College World Series Finals vs. Tennessee.

An ever-reliable bat behind the Aggies’ “big three” of Gavin Grahovac, Jace LaViolette and Braden Montgomery, Appel’s best night in Maroon & White came on April 9 against UTSA when he launched a trio of round-trippers, including an opposite-field walk-off blast.

Prior to his time in College Station, Appel spent four years at Penn but only played 14 total games across 2020 and 2021 due to Ivy League COVID-19 restrictions. However, in 2022 and 2023, he earned All-Ivy League recognition. As a sophomore, Appel was a second-team honoree after hitting .346 in 42 games, and the following season, he hit .300 and threw out 39.3 percent of would-be base stealers on his way to a first-team nod.

A Houston Memorial product, his success continued upon his arrival in Aggieland as the childhood A&M fan helped the Ags reach the MCWS for just the eighth time in program history.

Ryan Brauninger’s scout of Jackson Appel

“Switch-hitting catcher with multiple years of production at different levels of college baseball. Simple, consistent approach in the batter's box with quality command of the strike zone. Shows ability to hit a bunch of different pitch types and locations. Will cut the swing down even more with two strikes. Power and contact quality seem fairly consistent from each side of the plate. Durable, mobile defender behind the dish. Accurate thrower and saw an increase in arm strength after offseason surgery to remove bone spurs in his elbow. Reliable presence in the lineup and on defense.”