Rank History
| Year | Team | Position | Team Rank | OFP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | PIT | RHP | 13 | 45 |
Grades Update: Jan 2021
| OFP | Role | FB | SL | CH | Ctr/Cmd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 40 | 50 | 50 | 40 | 45/40 |
Jan 2021 Report
Evaluator: Jason Kamlowsky
Age: 19 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 180 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2020 Round 2
RuleV: 2024
Physical Description: A bit undersized but one of the better high school athletes in the 2020 draft class and a Texas commit. Explosive athlete who was a two-way player in high school. Projectable body with plenty of room for growth, though he looks bigger than 180 pounds. Thick and defined calves give me optimism that he will add good weight in his lower half. Tapered shoulders with long arms. Upper body is lagging behind the lower body a bit in development. Father was drafted by Arizona in 1997 and has two cousins who both pitched in the majors.
Delivery & Mechanics: Athletic delivery with a high 3/4 arm slot. Slight rocker step to the first base side of the rubber. Gets to the balance point well and pushes off his back hip. Drives down through his front side well. Can trail off to the first base side at times. Repeatability needs some work and has a little more effort than I prefer in a potential starter. If he can keep his head still and settle himself down through the balance point there is a load of potential here.
Fastball: Velocity is already plus. Sits 93-96 but has touched 98 with some late riding life. Gets better run on the glove side and some cutting action. Consistently paints arm-side black. Control over command at this point but should develop into a plus offering. Grade: 50
Slider: 80-83 above average offering with tight spin and good bite. Like most teenagers, command is still a work in progress. Gets good tumble and fade. Arm can lag causing the pitch to hang high in the zone at times. Has a good feel despite his age. Would like to see him throw it harder to compliment the excellent velocity on his fastball. Grade: 50
Changeup: 85-88 MPH. Developmental offering at present. Will need to establish it if he wants to have a chance to be a starter. Hasn't thrown it enough to warrant much more consideration than a show-me offering. Grade: 40
Control and Command: Like most teenagers, is working on his command. Refining his delivery to have less effort will help development here. Does have a feel for how to pitch and set hitters up. Will throw to both sides of the plate, though consistency can be questionable at times. Off the chart athleticism and competitiveness should help his command develop. Control: 45 | Command: 40
Overall: A two-way high school star at La Mirada High School, Jones fell into the Pirates lap at 44th overall as he was being projected as a possible first round pick. He is one of the best overall athletes in the 2020 draft class and he could have been a high round pick even as a position player. Jones is somewhat of a project as a pure pitcher as he has a high effort delivery and he lacks prototypical size. That said, he has a high baseball IQ and is a fierce competitor which is something the Pirates system has lacked in recent years. From a projection standpoint, his athleticism reminds me a little of the Orioles D.L. Hall who also slid down the first round back in 2017 and is now regarded as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. That would obviously be a top-5% outcome for Jones but one that is fun to dream on.
OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Long Reliever or Spot Starter
Risk: High
