Happy New Year! One of my favorite things about living in Florida is that the baseball offseason is essentially two months long. When the World Series ends in late October, there are just a few weeks to wait until prep tournaments are up and running in the new year. This is truly the first look at how players spent their downtime and is the start of the most important spring of their baseball lives for high school seniors.
Before we get started, keep in mind that this tournament took place in the middle of January and is the first live action some players have seen in several months. Most everyone is out here to shake off the rust as they start preparing for their school season start. So, it’s expected that velocities and timing might be a touch off when compared to midseason form. Without further ado, here’s what I saw at the fields.
2022
Jayson Jones - Savannah, TX
Arkansas commit
Jones was without a doubt the most high profile player at the event. He’s a bat-first shortstop (likely destined for third base down the road given his strong, muscular build) who brings big time bat speed and power to the plate. The offensive profile is power over hit and Jones looks to do damage on just about every swing – and when he connects, the contact is loud. It was a tough weekend for him at the plate in his first action of the new year as he struggled to make consistent quality contact, but he did manage to square up a few pitches and collect extra bases. How much Jones hits will be the biggest question for him heading into this spring. The more he hits, the higher he’ll rise up draft boards.
