Adam Jones Stats & Scouting Report

AB	7009
AVG	.277
OBP	.317
SLG	.454
HR	282

Full name Adam LaMarque Jones
Born 08/01/1985 in San Diego, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Samuel Morse
Debut 07/14/2006
Drafted in the C-1 round (37th overall) by the Seattle Mariners in 2003 (signed for $925,000).

View Draft Report

Jones warrants interest as both a pitcher and position player. He was scouted more as a shortstop early in the season, and then he touched 96 in late April and generated first-round attention while becoming the most talked-about player in talent-rich San Diego. Jones has limited skills beyond raw stuff, and little feel for pitching. He prefers to be an everyday player and is athletic to play almost any position on the field. He is a potential five-tool talent, though his bat is a bit suspect. Makeup is also an issue with Jones, who has had a tough upbringing. Mission Bay High's Matt Bush, a top prospect for the 2004 draft, has been considered the best pitcher/shortstop in San Diego, and scouts say Jones is bigger, faster and has a better arm, though Bush is more refined.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

When Seattle took Jones with the 37th overall pick in 2003, it put an end to a dismal string of top draft choices that began with Ryan Anderson in 1997. Many teams preferred Jones as a pitcher after seeing him top out at 96 mph in high school, but he wanted to play every day and the Mariners granted his wish after signing him for $925,000. Jones has improved steadily as he has climbed the minor league ladder, and he has quickened his pace the last two seasons, opening 2005 at high Class A Inland Empire and reaching Seattle in mid-2006. Changing positions didn't slow him down. Jones spent his three years in pro ball at shortstop, but Yuniesky Betancourt seized that spot with the Mariners thanks to his defensive wizardry. Jones played two games in the outfield at the end of the 2005 season and worked on his center-field skills in the Arizona Fall League. In his first full year at the position, managers rated Jones the best defensive outfielder in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. Jones has drawn Mike Cameron comparisons since changing positions. He's an excellent athlete who has gotten both stronger and quicker since turning pro. He has increased his power output each year and still has room to add another 20 pounds to his frame. He's an above-average runner, a long strider who's more effective taking an extra base rather than stealing one. The Mariners believe he can become a consistent 20-20 man like Cameron, and that might be a conservative estimate of Jones' power. He also has the tools to emulate Cameron and become a Gold Glove outfielder. Jones tracks balls very well, covers plenty of ground and has one of the strongest center-field arms in the game. He recorded five assists in 26 major league games. If needed Jones also could return to shortstop and become at least a solid-average defender there. He has shown a strong work ethic and the ability to adapt to tougher competition throughout his pro career. Jones can be too aggressive for his own good. Plate discipline never has been his strong suit, and the biggest difference between him and Cameron is that Cameron walks more. Jones swings and misses enough that he may not hit for a high average and will pile up some strikeouts, though he's still young enough to make further adjustments. Breaking balls still give him trouble on occasion. Defensively, he can improve his routes, especially on balls hit over his heads. He made some errors early in 2006 due to too many needless throws. One of the youngest and best players from his 2003 draft class, Jones has the ability to become a much-needed building block for the Mariners. He could use a little more time to polish his game, so he probably will open 2007 at Triple-A Tacoma. When he returns to Seattle, he could face another position switch. The Mariners plan on playing Ichiro in center field, so Jones could move to right, where he has played briefly in the minors.
Many clubs wanted to make Jones a pitcher after he hit 96 mph in high school, but the Mariners granted his wish to play every day after signing him for $925,000. Jones was developing nicely as a shortstop, but Yuniesky Betancourt's fielding wizardry led to a change in plans. Seattle had Jones play center field in the Arizona Fall League and will keep him there. He reminded the Mariners a lot of Mike Cameron when he changed positions. Both are premium athletes with plus speed, solid power and strong arms. Jones improved with the bat in 2005, showing more discipline and consistency. His arm is still a cannon, and he could play shortstop if needed. Jones can get out of control at the plate when he tries to do too much. Breaking balls still can give him trouble. Jones hit well in Double-A last year, but Seattle may send him back there because he pressed at the plate while adjusting to center field in the AFL. If Jeremy Reed doesn't start hitting, Jones could make a play for his job in 2007.
Jones lit up radar guns with some 96s as a high school senior, leading many clubs to target him as a pitcher. The Mariners liked him both ways and granted his wish to play shortstop after signing him for $925,000 as their top pick in 2003. A premium athlete, Jones continues to draw gasps with his arm, rated the best among Midwest League infielders. He hit 11 homers as a teenager in low Class A, and there's more power coming. He has a sound swing and has been compared to Reggie Sanders, who also began his career as a shortstop. Jones runs well once under way and has solid range at shortstop. Jones needs to improve his grasp of the strike zone and his ability to work counts. He did show aptitude for making adjustments, overswinging less and using the whole field more later in the season. Though he could outgrow shortstop, he should retain his athleticism and at worst would become a center fielder. The Mariners like to work their shortstops at multiple positions, and Jones will get a taste of that in 2005. He's ready for high Class A.
Scouts were tracking Jones as a shortstop when he hit 96 mph off the mound last spring, spurring many of them to prefer him as a pitcher. But Jones wants to play shortstop, and the Mariners acceded to his wishes when they signed him for $925,000. If that doesn't work out, Seattle always can convert him to the mound like it did with former position players Rafael Soriano and Jorge Sosa. Jones has a chance to be a five-tool shortstop. Though he's tall for the position, he has a narrow waist and thus projects to retain his athleticism as he fills out. He has a cannon arm to go with good hands and actions. He has plus speed, and should hit for average with power. Though he hit .303 in his pro debut, there are still questions about Jones' bat. He's raw at the plate and will overswing at times. He also made 12 errors in 30 games at short, so he's still learning on defense as well. It will take time to turn Jones' tools into baseball skills. He'll move up to low Class A in 2004.

Minor League Top Prospects

With one season in center field and in the PCL under his belt, Jones shone brightly in his repeat of the league. Most impressive was his increased power output--just another step in a career-long trend--as he clubbed two home runs in a game four times during the season and finished with 25 in 101 games. He also ranked third in the league with a .586 slugging percentage. Opposing managers liked practically everything about Jones, from his excellent range in center to his strong arm (he recorded 12 assists) to his improved plate discipline. Once susceptible to breaking balls out of the zone, he showed he would not automatically chase this year, and his on-base percentage climbed nearly 40 points from 2006. He also showed more willingness to go the other way, as he has above-average plate coverage, and that development could be the difference between him being an average hitter and an above-average one in the majors. Though he's an above-average runner, Jones' speed is better suited to covering ground in center and to taking extra bases than it is to stealing bases.
Coveted by many clubs as a pitcher out of high school, Jones came up through the minors as a shortstop until Yuniesky Betancourt emerged as world-class defender at that position for Seattle. Shifted to center field in the Arizona Fall League last offseason, Jones rated as the best defensive outfielder in the PCL and also showed off one of its strongest arms. His quick transition didn't surprise Tacoma manager Dave Brundage. "I've had him for the past two years and this kid absorbs everything you teach him," Brundage said. "He wants to learn and he applies everything to his game. As a result, he improves from week to week and month to month. His athleticism is off the charts, he's a good baserunner and I think he could be a middle of the order hitter once his body matures." Jones' power took a step forward this season, furthering comparsions to Mike Cameron. Jones jumped from low Class A in 2004 to the majors in mid-2006, and he's still figuring out plate discipline and how to handle advanced pitching. He has speed, making him a potential 20-20 man if not more.
Jones looked like the Mariners' shortstop of the future until the club signed Yuniesky Betancourt in the offseason. Now it looks like Jones will have find another position, and he was scheduled to play some center field in the Arizona Fall League. Jones replaced Betancourt after Betancourt's promotion to Triple-A, and the Missions didn't miss a beat. Jones has the talent to remain at shortstop. He shows good range and stays under control, and he has a well-above-average arm. Jones has better offensive potential than Betancourt, with a bigger frame and more strength, and his OPS was 115 points higher than Betancourt's at San Antonio even though he's three years younger. Jones didn't make many adjustments and looked a little wild at the plate at times, but he should become a more polished hitter with experience.
While not as highly acclaimed as Butler and Barton, Jones was another teenager who impressed scouts and managers. His entire game added polish, as he improved his approach dramatically both at the plate and in the field. "He's just become a baseball player," an AL scout said. Jones' raw tools and athletic ability rank with almost anyone's in the minors. He has an ideal baseball body and a quick fluid swing with developing power. He has fantastic instincts defensively, plays with a flourish and features one of the best infield arms around. "He brings so much to every game," Bakersfield manager Arnie Beyeler said. "He'll find a different way to beat you on any given day." Like many young players, Jones has trouble at times with breaking balls and shows almost too much faith in his cannon arm. He'll try to make the impossible throw when he'd be better off just holding onto the ball. With a glut of infielders in their system, the Mariners are toying with the idea of moving Jones to center field, where he'll play in the Arizona Fall League.
Jones owned the best infield arm in the MWL this season, no surprise considering he hit 96 mph as a high school senior and had several clubs after him as a pitcher. He wants to play shortstop, however, and has the tools to become a good one. Despite his cannon arm, Jones' offensive potential outshines his defense. One scout compared him to a young Reggie Sanders, who entered pro ball as a shortstop, and the ball jumps off Jones' bat. He has a sound swing and made progress using the whole field, but still is learning to work counts. Though he's not quick out of the batter's box, Jones runs well underway and has enough range at shortstop. Already 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, he could outgrow the position, and despite his athleticism he's not especially smooth. To stay at shortstop, he'll have to improve his footwork and do a better job of making routine plays.
Clubs were split on Jones as a pitcher or shortstop before the draft. The majority preferred him on the mound, but the Mariners elected to look past his mid-90s fastball and play him every day. "We're still not sure what we've got," Mariners manager Scott Steinmann said, "but he prefers to play in the field. It's possible we won't make a final determination on whether he's a pitcher or shortstop until next year. He's got a lot of upside either way." Jones has all the tools and actions to play shortstop, though he was inconsistent in the field. At the plate, he overswung at pitches early in the season but was more in control later in the year. He showed a knack for getting on base and ran well once he got there.