Zack Jones Stats & Scouting Report

IP	238
ERA	3.63
WHIP	1.336
BB/9	5.824
SO/9	12.403

Full name Zachary James Jones
Born 12/04/1990 in San Jose, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School San Jose State
Drafted in the 4th round (130th overall) by the Minnesota Twins in 2012 (signed for $356,700).

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Jones was a 24th-round pick out of high school in San Jose by the Royals in 2009, but chose to stay close to home instead of signing. He has pitched primarily out of the bullpen for the Spartans, though he has made eight starts this season, and scouts view him as a reliever because he has two pitches: a fastball that sits in the 94-96 mph range and tops out at 98 and a potentially above-average slider. He mixes in a curveball when he starts, but it's a soft, loopy pitch that probably won't work in pro ball. At 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, Jones is more physical than Braves fourth-round pick J.R. Graham was last year coming out of Santa Clara, but Graham had a better feel for throwing strikes. Both pitchers lack plane on their fastballs at times, letting the pitch get flat. That's why Jones has never posted an ERA under 3.50, even with his electric arm. Jones came to San Jose State as a two-way player and is a good athlete, but his delivery is a little rough, which limits his ability to throw strikes.

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The hard-throwing Jones' rapid progress was slowed in 2014 by February surgery to repair an aneurysm in his upper right arm, an issue that initially began with a circulation problem that cut short his 2013 stint in the Arizona Fall League. Once he returned, he made up for lost time. Two years after signing for $356,700 as a fourth-rounder in 2012, Jones paired with fellow ex-college closer Nick Burdi to lead a shutdown bullpen at high Class A Fort Myers en route to a Florida State League title. Jones hit 100 mph several times in August and during the playoffs, and his overpowering fastball sat at 95-97 mph with late run. His 78-82 mph slider shows potential but still lags well behind the fastball. Armed with a closer mentality and a quiet confidence, he has works a lot of deep counts with career rates of 5.1 walks and 13.4 strikeouts per nine innings. His poise and mound presence are a tick better than Burdi's at this point, though the raw stuff isn't quite as good. He could open 2015 at Double-A Chattanooga with a chance to resume his progress after his health scare.
Armed with one of the biggest fastballs in the organization, the 2012 fourth-rounder out of San Jose State has moved rapidly since signing for $356,700. He converted 14 of 18 save chances at high Class A Fort Myers in 2013, fanning 13 batters per nine innings. Sitting at 96-97 mph most nights, he has touched 99 but doesn't often command the fastball. Jones issued 5.2 walks per nine innings and has failed thus far to develop a reliable breaking ball. He has experimented with different types since coming to the Twins, with the slider showing the most upside. Like many relievers he needs to do a better job holding runners, but he is a good athlete who fields his position well. Jones struggled in the Arizona Fall League, walking nine batters in just six innings before missing the final two weeks with a finger issue on his pitching hand. The issue wasn't serious and didn't come as a result of an angry outburst, but still was shrouded in some mystery. Jones should get a chance to close at Double-A New Britain in 2014. If he improves his command and sharpens his slider, he could climb the ladder fast.
A 24th-round pick in 2009 by the Royals, Jones opted for college and was a two-way player at San Jose State. His pitching load as well his ERA rose every season, but he had 22 career saves and spent part of his junior season in 2012 in the Spartans rotation. The Twins targeted power arms in last year's draft, and Jones had the best fastball of the group. Signed for $356,700 in the fourth round, he works in the mid-90s and touched 100 mph during instructional league. His fastball tends to straighten out at its highest velocity, and he'll never have true command of the pitch. His delivery involves plenty of effort, but he gets the most out of his athletic frame. Jones throws a solid slider in the mid-80s that has its moments. Jones struggles to throw consistent strikes and may have to tone things down a bit to repeat his delivery. He could move quickly as a reliever after striking out 34 in 20 innings and reaching low Class A in his pro debut. It's not out of the question that he could be the closer at high Class A Fort Myers in 2013.

Draft Prospects

Jones was a 24th-round pick out of high school in San Jose by the Royals in 2009, but chose to stay close to home instead of signing. He has pitched primarily out of the bullpen for the Spartans, though he has made eight starts this season, and scouts view him as a reliever because he has two pitches: a fastball that sits in the 94-96 mph range and tops out at 98 and a potentially above-average slider. He mixes in a curveball when he starts, but it's a soft, loopy pitch that probably won't work in pro ball. At 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, Jones is more physical than Braves fourth-round pick J.R. Graham was last year coming out of Santa Clara, but Graham had a better feel for throwing strikes. Both pitchers lack plane on their fastballs at times, letting the pitch get flat. That's why Jones has never posted an ERA under 3.50, even with his electric arm. Jones came to San Jose State as a two-way player and is a good athlete, but his delivery is a little rough, which limits his ability to throw strikes.