Jay Jackson: More Than Baseball — Building Life, Mindset & Legacy

In Season 5, Episode 24 of the Slide Podcast, Coach Aaron and Mic Check Mariah sit down with former MLB pitcher Jay Jackson for a wide-ranging conversation about professional baseball, international baseball, adversity, mindset, mentorship and his new mission with the Smile Zone.

Jay’s baseball journey spans 17 years of professional baseball, beginning when he was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2008. After years in the minor leagues, he made his Major League debut with the San Diego Padres in 2015. His career would take him through organizations including the Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, Toronto Blue Jays and Minnesota Twins.

Jay also spent three seasons playing in Japan with the Hiroshima Carp, where his team won three consecutive Central League championships. He shares what made Japanese baseball different, what he learned from the culture, and why his experience overseas changed the way he viewed technology, teamwork, discipline and community.

The conversation also includes some incredible stories from Jay’s career, including facing MLB stars such as Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, the famous Aaron Judge home run that came after Judge recognized Jay tipping his pitches, and the toughest hitters Jay faced throughout his career.

But the biggest focus of the episode is what Jay is doing now.

After retiring from professional baseball in 2025, Jay created the Smile Zone, a mindset and mentorship program designed to help young athletes become better players by first becoming better people.

Jay explains that SMILE stands for “Start Making Intentional Life Efforts.” His philosophy is built around helping athletes develop confidence, resilience, character, leadership and a positive mindset while learning how to handle failure and adversity.

Jay and Coach Aaron discuss the enormous pressure young athletes face today, including social media, statistics, comparisons, expectations from parents and coaches, and the growing number of kids who walk away from sports at an early age.

Rather than focusing solely on numbers, mechanics and performance, Jay believes athletes need to enjoy the game and the journey. He explains why having fun, being surrounded by positive mentors and understanding who you are can ultimately make you a better athlete.

Jay also shares his personal experiences with injuries, setbacks and difficult moments throughout his career and explains how maintaining a positive mindset helped him continue playing at the highest levels.

His vision for the Smile Zone goes well beyond baseball. Jay hopes to build a worldwide community of athletes, parents, coaches and mentors while eventually creating Smile Zone academies in different countries and expanding the mindset curriculum into other sports.

The episode also explores why character matters to professional scouts, how mentorship can give young athletes an advantage, and why becoming the best version of yourself is ultimately more important than simply becoming the best player on the field.

And, of course, no Slide Podcast episode is complete without the toughest question of the night:

Bottom of the ninth. Two outs. Bases loaded. What’s your walk-up song?

Jay Jackson has an answer.