JUNE 11: Jones receives the full slot value of $3,027,000, per MLB.com’s Jim Callis (via Twitter).
JUNE 7: The Rays have agreed to an at-slot deal with 22nd overall selection Greg Jones, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link). The UNC-Wilmington shortstop will receive just over $3MM.
Jones was a bit of a polarizing player entering the draft. All agreed that Jones has true standout speed and base-running ability, with at least average raw power. His prospect value depends upon whether you believe he’ll ultimately make full use of his tools.
The Fangraphs prospect team was far and away the most bullish, ranking Jones 27th overall. MLB.com and Baseball America were slightly more concerned with the profile, grading Jones in the top-fifty range. ESPN.com’s Keith Law did not include Jones in his own top fifty list, but did mention that he anticipates an eventual move to the outfield.
Going to the outfield grass isn’t necessarily a problem, as Jones seems to have the promise of becoming a high-grade defender in center. The question remains whether he’ll ever hit enough to be a big-league regular. The Rays obviously see a path to that outcome.
If the Rays are lucky, he might turn into Billy Hamilton…which is not good. I believe it’s an overdraft, especially if they paid him full slot, but hope I’m wrong. The Rays always fall in love with these athletic types who can’t hit, it never fails and hardly ever pays off. They can draft and develop pitchers with the best of them, position players not so much and their past 10 years of first round position player draft picks have been dreadful!!
It will be a while before we know for sure, but I think the obvious comparison to Hamilton is misleading. Unlike Hamilton, Jones seems to have some power and also takes walks, two skills that Hamilton has never developed.
I also think that picking 22nd in a somewhat weak draft class, the strategy of taking risks on upside makes sense, and that is what the Rays did throughout the draft.
Also, the Rays have never been cheap in the draft. McKay received the biggest bonus in history at the time he was picked, and the Rays have always spent on the draft and for international prospects.
As for not picking offensive players there have been a lot of misses, but on the roster now is Brandon Lowe who looks quite good, and in the minors are a number of high ceiling offensive players such as Nate Lowe, Vidal Brujan and first and foremost, Wander Franco..
It is true the Rays go for athleticism, but not true that those picks are generally or even often weak hitters.
What power has Jones showed and what patience? Everything I’ve read says he should be below average at both at the next level. Granted some players get better, but usually if you have a weak hit tool and weak recognition skills in college, those things usually do not get a lot better.
I completely understand taking risks, but the risk has to be worth it. Let’s say everything goes well with Jones and he ends up in centerfield and hits .270-.280 and steals 30-40 bases, fine player for sure but one they could find on free agent market and a profile that is not that uncommon. And that’s only if everything goes right which has a low chance of happening. Compared to picking a player with a higher upside and would give them more overall value. Jones isn’t completely terrible, but according to all the “draft professionals” he was a big overreach and usually you would only do that if he had accepted a below slot deal which is not the case here. And based on the Rays drafts, I’m not likely to give them the benefit of the doubt and trust the “professionals” more.
I never said the Rays were cheap, I agree they pay their drafted players well. All I said was I didn’t think Jones was worth a full slot deal and every other draftnik out there agrees. Yes Brujan and Franco look great so far and I hope it continues but they were international draftees and I was only referencing the draft. Lowe and Lowe look promising but you’re talking about 2 players out of 11 years of drafts which haven’t contributed much of anything in terms of offensive players.
2008 Tim Beckham- They picked him because he was “athletic” and might play shortstop…hmm sounds like Jones? We know how this one turned out.
2009 LeVon Washington – Didn’t sign and even when he signed with another team the next year he couldn’t hit. Another “athletic” center fielder with lots of speed and questionable hit tool. Sound familiar?
2010 Josh Sale, Justin O’Connor, and Drew Vettleson – All “athletic” outfielders and catchers with questionable hit tools. None could hit a lick in minors.
2011 Mikie Mahtook, Jake Haeger, Brandon Martin, Tyler Goeddel, Kes Carter, and James Harris – “Athletic” shortstops and outfielders who had questionable hit tools. None could hit in the minors or majors. Waste of 10 of top 60 picks (outside of Snell of course)
2012 Richie Schaffer- Moderate power, questionable hit tool when drafted. Terrible in minors and majors and released.
2013 Nick Ciuffo – “Athletic” catcher with questionable hit tool when drafted. Has proven to have zero bat and adequate defense. Career backup at best, most likely released after this season.
2014 Casey Gillaspie – See Richie Schaffer
2015 Garrett Whitley – “Athletic” centerfielder with speed and very questionable hit tool when drafted. Hasn’t shown much hitting improvement at all after 3 years in minors.
2016 Josh Lowe – “Athletic” third baseman they turned into an outfielder with moderate pop and questionable hit tool. Hasn’t improved much after 2+ years in minors, has been surpassed by later round pick older brother as Rays prospect.
Does this first round list inspire you? Would you trust a team that has gone 0-fer in 11 years of drafts??? You see where I’m going with this how their continued obsession with this draft profile has gotten them nowhere and they should re-evaluate their scouting.
Wow! Do you have a life!!??
I do have a life, thank you for confirming. And I am infinitely more knowledgeable than you in every subject chump!
It’s my humble opinion that the Rays front office is smarter than you when it comes to running a MLB team. Even if it turns out poorly, they’re way more invested in it than you so they clearly have a good reason to bet on him.
Wow, talk about a comment that makes zero sense? They’re more invested than I am so my take isn’t valid? My post highlights that their “good reasons” to bet on first round picks has been terrible for most of the past 11 years. Not my opinion, just facts.
Absolutely agree. Have they finally shifted McKay to the mound? His numbers in the box have been woeful
The word is that he’ll remain in the duel role at least for this year. His continued success in the mound may force the issue very soon.
They had a pretty “meh” draft in a very “meh” drafting kind of year. But they had a high CBA pick, plus they obtained another one in the Indians trade last winter. That translates, especially for the Rays, into going on the cheap side.
FWIW, Jones had all kinds of “helium” going into Monday, so SOME scouting guys thought it was a good pick. But when all is said and done, ya, they may have gotten themselves a whole lot of Billy Hamilton. But there wasn’t a whole lot else out there, unless they were committed to spending money.
The only teams that , IMHO, did OK were the D-Backs (they had a gazillion picks), the O’s (who obviously had decided to spend) and the Mets (ditto). Gunner Henderson (O’s) and Matt Allen (Mets) may have been the best non-top-7 picks here.
Agree it was a very “meh” draft, I just wish they would take chances on players who have higher ceilings. I also don’t like when they have so many picks in first few rounds, it makes them go cheap with all of their picks. It gets people excited and talking “oh wow, Rays have 4 of the top 40 picks!”, then they go cheap with all 4 hoping to spread money elsewhere. So instead of 1-2 lottery tickets with high ceilings and over slot deals, they end up with 4 “meh” players who were mostly all over drafted. It drives me crazy and they do it time and time again, their 2011 draft was prime example and I see the same happening with this year’s draft.
A couple of years ago, Fangraphics had an article pointing out that the Rays were the worst drafting team of all time, in ANY sport, when you consider location and number of picks. It boils down to their best pick was Longo; but they passed on Kershaw. That’s a net negative. And Longo was their best (no credit for Price; he was “chalk”; everybody would have taken him).
I think it’s changed somewhat. Getting Matt Libertore where they did was a steal; and they obviously hit on McKay. Moreover, those drafts appear to have produced at least some MLB-average types lower down, which is really all you can ask.
And they’ve made up with it with (a) some outstanding International signs. Again, no credit for Franco; everybody knew about him. But Hernandez, Brujan, Gomez, Alvarado et al are pretty significant “gets”.
And (b), some outstanding pro scouting; they do have a talent for finding other teams’ nuggets while doing trades, from Ben Zorbist to the “Archer collection”. They’re hampered in this area by being forever looking to dump money, and every other team knows it. But they still do well.
The question as always is whether they’ll make the leap to actually contend. I have my doubts.
Bob, stop with this false, garbage comment that you are regurgitating from last year. I called you out on your lies last year with facts, yet here you are again spouting nonsense. I’m not sure what anti-Rays agenda you have, but stop pretending to be a fan of the team while making up lies to degrade them. Your Sox have won a couple of WS recently, so stop with your Rays jealousy just because they win more efficiently.
What did he say that was false? Asking for a friend.
Huh?
Poor Jorge doesn’t understand basic English, find another site to troll loser!
You’re very mean.
I mean Moonlight Grahamcracker guy.
How am I mean? Because I said he doesn’t understand English? Has nothing to do with his name being Jorge, I would’ve said the same if his name was Tom. The fact that his only response was “huh?” after a long post was evident he has no reading comprehension skills no matter what his nationality is.
Speaking on the topic of Rays drafts, I used to reap the rewards of their being so bad in their early years because I lived in Charleston, SC which at the time was their A affiliate. Got to see Hamilton, Crawford, etc
I was formerly the sports editor in Wilmington, where Jones played college ball. Always enjoyed chatting with them. Will never forget the emotional scene after the Seahawks bowed out of the NCAA Regional in Mark Scalf’s final game. Wish him noting but the best. If anyone wants to talk sports follow me on Twitter: @bsans10
Here’s a link one of my writers did on Jones prior to the season:
theseahawk.org/21399/sports/baseball-bonanza-greg-…
Thank you for sharing. As a Rays fan I hope he turns out to be a great player. I’m just concerned with his draft profile and high potential to be a bust or 4th/5th outfielder at best. I hope to be pleasantly surprised!