Jared Jones 2020 MLB Draft Profile
Jared Jones is a 6’2”, 175-pound high school graduate from La Mirada High School in Southern California. His pitch arsenal made him tough to hit in high school – and that’s putting it mildly. In March of 2019, he threw a perfect game against Bellflower High School. He also runs well and has solid power, making him appealing as a third baseman. However, his commitment to play college ball for the University of Texas might make teams balk at selecting him.
Strengths
In his 79-pitch perfect game, Jones struck out 10 of the 21 batters, with only 18 pitches being balls. According to his profile on Perfect Game, he has a high leg kick, fast arm rhythm, and a 3/4 overhand delivery. His fastball topped out at 96 mph, but his young age means that he can add even more velocity to his heater. He also gets “riding life up in the zone and sink down in the zone.”
The Jared Jones draft profile video on MLB.com mentions a hard, biting slider in the mid-80s that turns into an upper-70s slurve if he changes his arm angle. Perfect Game also mentions a changeup that has topped out at 90 mph, meaning that it’s usually in the high-80s. Although he’s a two-way prospect now, Perfect Game says his “future is on the mound.”
Weaknesses
The main “weakness” isn’t a weakness regarding his playing ability but, rather, his signability. Originally, he committed to play at the University of Southern California, but, according to burntorangenation.com, he switched his commitment after USC fired the head baseball coach. These two school choices can be evidence of his desire to play at an elite college program, given that they have combined for 18 national championships and have consistently sent top talent to the major leagues.
If Jones goes high enough in the draft, it may net a large enough contract to lure him away from the Longhorns. However, that is a risk many teams are unwilling to take. With the minor league layoffs, that may dissuade Jones from signing a pro contract. Furthermore, with a shortened draft, that severely decreases his chances of being selected in the first place. A lot of teams may prefer to draft outgoing college seniors who have a much higher chance of signing a pro contract.
MLB Comparison
Jared Jones is the same height and of a similar build to Zack Greinke of the Houston Astros, Chris Archer of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Robbie Ray of the Arizona Diamondbacks. His pitch speeds and pitch selection draw few comparisons to modern players. They are almost identical, however, to a recently retired player – Kerry Wood, although Wood is a bigger guy at 6’5”, 210 lbs.
Outlook
Jared Jones is a fireballer with movement and a nasty arsenal of breaking pitches. He will only continue to get better no matter what path he chooses. One cannot see him be very likely to pass up an elite college program to play with a struggling major league franchise, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Either way, fans can expect to see the name “Jared Jones” often within the next few years.
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