2017 17th round pick (518): Greg Jones - SS - Cary HS

[weams]

5'11" 170lbs DOB: 03/07/98

 

 

[lovetoaster]

Here come the overslots. Ranked #84 by MLB:

Quote

Because Jones stood 5-foot-5 and weighed 150 pounds midway through his junior year at Cary (N.C.) High, he wasn't a high priority for the 2017 Draft. But that has changed as he grown six inches, added 20 pounds and emerged as one of the fastest runners available. High-level decision-makers poured into North Carolina to see him throughout the spring and while he generates some mixed opinions, he might not last past the second round. Jones famously clocked a 3.85 home-to-first time from the left side of the plate in front of several scouts in mid-April and gets running grades from 70 to 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale. Speed is far from his only intriguing tool, as he's a switch-hitter with surprising bat speed and deceptive wiry strength and also possesses a strong arm. There are some questions with Jones. The UNC Wilmington commit doesn't always play with a lot of energy and some scouts wonder if he has the hands to stick in the infield, though the worst-case scenario is that he'd still be a valuable defender in center field. He'll be 19 years and three months old on Draft day, making him one of the older players in the 2017 crop.

 

[lovetoaster]

Sounds like a heck of an intriguing prospect. We have definitely had an interesting draft strategy thus far. 

[lovetoaster]

Quote

Greg Jones, Cary HS - Just like a teen movie makeover, Jones shot up six inches between his junior and senior year and started attracting the interest of scouts. He’s a plus defender and some scouts put an 80-grade on his speed. He’s also a switch-hitter who’s much stronger than his still-slight frame appears.

http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2017/6/6/15742192/mlb-draft-2017-infield-prospects-the-mariners-might-like

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, lovetoaster said:

http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2017/6/6/15742192/mlb-draft-2017-infield-prospects-the-mariners-might-like

Sounds like someone that could raise their stock by going to college.

[lovetoaster]

Quote

Greg Jones is a switch-hitting infielder, who batted .459 and stole 14 bases in his junior season for Cary High School. Jones was a first-team All-Conference selection and played for the EvoShield Canes Central 18u program over the summer.

"Greg is able to make this look easy. He's an extremely athletic and gifted player. Defensively, he's strong in the infield and his athleticism lends itself to maybe see time in the outfield. Greg brings plus-plus speed along with his athleticism. We think he's poised to have a great career in the Seahawk uniform!"

Well...I hope we never see him in a Seahawk uniform (by the way, Jones is committed to the UNC Wilmington Seahawks). 

http://www.uncwsports.com/news/2016/11/18/baseball-diamond-hawks-announce-signing-class-for-2017-18.aspx

[lovetoaster]

1 minute ago, Can_of_corn said:

Sounds like someone that could raise their stock by going to college.

Oh absolutely. But I hope he doesn't.

[oriolediehard]

Here something funny.  Bleached Report gave the O's a D rating for picking Matt Hall, the reporter comment that the O's should have chosen Greg Jones over Matt Hall.

 

Second Round (No. 60 Overall): Adam Hall, SS, A.B. Lucas SS (Canada)

Hall was the top position player among this year's Canadian crop.

He should be able to stay at shortstop and, as MLB.com put it, he's "capable of making the spectacular play" on defense.

There's also some power potential as he fills out his 5'11", 165-pound frame and he makes enough consistent contact to eventually tap into it. That said, he's still rough around the edges and will be something of a project.

Grade: D

I like Nick Allen, Brady McConnell and Greg Jones better if they wanted a high school shortstop

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2715096-2017-mlb-draft-picks-live-team-by-team-day-1-grades-and-analysis?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=mlb 

[lovetoaster]

Just now, oriolediehard said:

Here something funny.  Bleached Report gave the O's a D rating for picking Matt Hall, the reporter comment that the O's should have chosen Greg Jones over Matt Hall.

 

Second Round (No. 60 Overall): Adam Hall, SS, A.B. Lucas SS (Canada)

Hall was the top position player among this year's Canadian crop.

He should be able to stay at shortstop and, as MLB.com put it, he's "capable of making the spectacular play" on defense.

There's also some power potential as he fills out his 5'11", 165-pound frame and he makes enough consistent contact to eventually tap into it. That said, he's still rough around the edges and will be something of a project.

Grade: D

I like Nick Allen, Brady McConnell and Greg Jones better if they wanted a high school shortstop

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2715096-2017-mlb-draft-picks-live-team-by-team-day-1-grades-and-analysis?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=mlb 

 

Hahahahahahaha...maybe we read that article.

[sportsfan8703]

11 minutes ago, oriolediehard said:

Here something funny.  Bleached Report gave the O's a D rating for picking Matt Hall, the reporter comment that the O's should have chosen Greg Jones over Matt Hall.

 

Second Round (No. 60 Overall): Adam Hall, SS, A.B. Lucas SS (Canada)

Hall was the top position player among this year's Canadian crop.

He should be able to stay at shortstop and, as MLB.com put it, he's "capable of making the spectacular play" on defense.

There's also some power potential as he fills out his 5'11", 165-pound frame and he makes enough consistent contact to eventually tap into it. That said, he's still rough around the edges and will be something of a project.

Grade: D

I like Nick Allen, Brady McConnell and Greg Jones better if they wanted a high school shortstop

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2715096-2017-mlb-draft-picks-live-team-by-team-day-1-grades-and-analysis?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=mlb 

 

2nd and 17th are basically the same rounds for HS kids.  We had to go with a guy we knew we could sign so we wouldn't lose the slot money.  We could still end up giving this guy 500,000.  

[Luke-OH]

Yeah, I'm going to wait to see who signs before I make any judgements.

 

I don't agree with Bleacher Report though, I had Brady McConnell, then Adam Hall, then Greg Jones in that order. It's funny that their biggest criticism of Hall is that he's a project, Jones is just speed and projectability at this point, he's much more of a project in my mind, but then again, most non-1st round high schoolers are.

[scarey1999]

Jones swing looks like it needs a lot of work.  Juuuust a tad long from what I've seen.

[lovetoaster]

3 minutes ago, phillyOs119 said:

It's funny that their biggest criticism of Hall is that he's a project, Jones is just speed and projectability at this point, he's much more of a project in my mind, but then again, most non-1st round high schoolers are.

That's exactly what I was thinking. They call Hall a project, and he seems to be a little bit of one. But they suggest that we should have drafted Jones...who seems like more of a project than Hall is. Extremely talented, but a project nonetheless. 

[MachoMachadoMan]

If they saved enough under slot with all of the college juniors and seniors in 1-10, I hope they make a big run at him. It's a lot of risk but could be big reward. CF, SS or 2B with lead off potential and speed. We don't have a ton of speed in the organization, but Hays and Mullins made a big difference in that last year. Would love to see Jones add to that

[Cumberbundy]

Love the pick. We took a decent but if speed.