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First-year UNM baseball coach Tod Brown makes no bones about wanting to see top local players in New Mexico uniforms.
“New Mexico is our first priority for recruiting,” Brown said. “We’ll definitely recruit Texas, Arizona, Colorado and the junior colleges, but it always starts at home.”
That was music to the ears of Jaren Jackson, a Rio Rancho native and Cleveland High alum currently pitching for Arizona’s Pima Community College. Coming off a strong freshman season, Jackson had Division I options including at Arizona State. Jackson opted for a homecoming in 2022-23.
“UNM was my best option,” Jackson said in a phone interview.