Wednesday, February 11, 2015

DrB's 2015 Giants Top 50 Prospects: #49 Christian Jones

Christian Jones, LHP.  DOB:  1/27/1991.  6'3", 210 lbs.

2014  Low A:  5-9, 3.33, 110.2 IP, 2.11 BB/9, 8.13 K/9, GO/AO= 2.05.

Christian Jones was drafted in round 18 out of Oregon in 2013.  As a sophomore in 2011, he was looked upon as a possible future first rounder.  Then he missed all of 2012 with TJ and worked out of the pen in 2013 as a redshirt Jr in a rehab year which hit his draft stock.  He signed with the Giants to get his pro career started rather than try to rebuild his draft stock as a redshirt senior.  The Giants like to grab these former studs whose stock drops for whatever reason.

Jones has a nice frame.  He pitches with a minimal windup and has a very low 3/4 delivery, almost sidearm.  I don't have much of a scouting report, but found one mention of a 90-91 MPH FB with a ton of natural sink.  Based on what I saw in a couple of videos, I would guess that his main secondary pitch is a sinking changeup that he puts on the outside corner to RH batters.  As you can see, he had a very nice K/BB for Augusta with elite GB ratios.  He faded a bit down the stretch as you might expect with the jump in innings.

Expect to see him in San Jose to start 2015 which will be a much sterner test than Augusta which is very pitcher-friendly.  With that delivery, he might be better suited for a future bullpen role, but the extreme GB tendency and changeup should also play against RH batters.

3 comments:

  1. A potential first rounder, at 24 years old, with TJ history, as your 49th best prospect is not bad at all.

    Here's hoping he's a sleeper who will wake some people up, with another year removed from the surgery.

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  2. So long Chris Dominguez. It was nice while it lasted. Signed by the Reds....

    Alan

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  3. Kudos to Oregon ' s coach George Horton for limiting Jones' s role to relief pitching in 2013 to keep the pitcher healthy. So what if it may have hurt Jones's draft stock. He was throwing 82-83 in a game here so it's good to see him at 90-91 now. He does sound like a nice LHP sleeper prospect.

    LG

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