The MLB draft is still three months away. In fact, the first round goes off three months from today. We are going to profile a new player here each Sunday, starting today (PS: Happy Easter). We are starting at the top with Georgia prep outfielder Druw Jones, son of long-time MLB star Andruw Jones. The Pittsburgh Pirates pick fourth overall, which means no one should be off-limits with so much time left before the draft, but I’m not here to get your hopes up about Jones. He’s the consensus top prospect in this draft for a reason…well, plenty of reasons actually.
Jones has above average tool ratings across the board according to MLB Pipeline. His 55 hit tool rating is his lowest mark. He has 60 power, 65 arm, 70 speed and 70 defense. An article by Keith Law, who saw Jones live and talked to multiple scouts first, backs up those ratings, though he was higher on his power rating, giving him a 70. Baseball America is a little lighter on him presently, saying the power could develop into a plus tool as he fills out his 6’4″ frame (currently listed at 180 pounds). However, they say some scouts have given his arm an 80 grade. He’s going to be a Gold Glove quality center fielder, but just to show his athleticism, he has the ability according to scouts that have seen him take infield, to play shortstop at a high level.
Just to summarize, you have three different sources who talk to plenty of scouts besides their own coverage, and four tools got mentioned at 70 or better. That’s almost unheard of for scouting grades. The only thing that keeps him from being one of those elite draft prospects everyone is sure will go first overall in any year is that scouts aren’t completely in love with his swing, but no one is giving him anything less than a 50 grade now.
Time to look at some videos. This one has a few homers, a couple of base hits, two steals and then it ends with him on the mound. He is not a potential two-way player, but it’s there to watch anyway
Here’s some BP/game action from last year. You can see some improvements since this video has been posted, plus he appears to have filled out some
and here’s the popular video from this year when he homered during overrated chants
Amidst chants of “overrated”, CF Druw Jones gets a hold of 92 up and goes out to the deepest part of the park. pic.twitter.com/tREKGVWxGX
— Will Hoefer (@whoeferbaseball) March 2, 2022
