New York Yankees pick Vanderbilt baseball’s Spencer Jones in first round of 2022 MLB Draft
Vanderbilt baseball outfielder Spencer Jones was drafted Sunday night by the New York Yankees, 25th overall, in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft.
Jones had a breakout of the 2022 season, hitting .370 with 21 triples and 12 homers and was named Second Team All-SEC and Corvallis Regional Most Outstanding Player. He is noted for having some of the top exhaust velocities in the draft class, as well as above-average speed and arm strength.
Once a two-way prospect, 6-foot-7 Jones is now a powerful, athletic outfielder with a sweet left-arm swing. Although Jones struck a lot, it is hard to ignore his reversal. He got better every year with the Commodores, especially after he was overtaken by two major hand injuries while pitching, one in 2019 and one in 2020.
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The second of the two injuries, a torn UCL that required Tommy John surgery, occurred two years before the first round of the draft, said Jones. Told on Twitter.
He’s had his fair share of big moments with Vanderbilt, including scoring a walk-off run against Stanford in the 2021 College World Series, a 6-for-6 game with a walk-off single in May, and a Moonshot Home Run Against Oregon State in the regional.
His selection gives the Commodores a first-round choice in eight of the last nine years.
More on Spencer Jones
Jones’ Journey: How Spencer Jones Reclaimed His Smile After a Long, Painful Journey With a Vanderbilt Baseball
top performance: Spencer Jones and Vanderbilt Top Single-Game Performances in Baseball History
Doctor. Odd Gloves: The inside story of Vanderbilt Baseball’s Avengers-themed gloves — and the mission they represent
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt Athletics for The Tennessean. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter @aria_gerson,
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessee: MLB Draft 2022 From Vanderbilt Baseball’s Spencer Jones to the New York Yankees
