Druw Jones

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #2 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 60/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Jones, the son of 10-time Gold Glove center fielder Andruw Jones, has long reminded onlookers of his father. He had an impressive run on the prep showcase circuit before winning Gatorade’s player of the year award in Georgia in 2022. He was drafted by the D-backs, who had him ranked atop their draft board, with the second overall pick and signed for full slot value of just shy of $8.2 million. His professional career has thus far been clouded by injuries. Jones needed surgery for a left labrum tear almost immediately after signing, then missed significant time in 2023 with right quadriceps and hamstring issues. He enters 2024, his third pro season, having played just 41 games.
  
  Scouting Report: Jones still has all the raw tools that made him a top-of-the-draft talent, but far more questions were introduced in 2023 in terms of his ability to tap into them, starting with his direction at the plate. He has plus bat speed, plus raw power, recognizes pitches well and makes good swing decisions. Yet he tapped into his offensive upside infrequently because he routinely bailed out on swings, giving the impression he was afraid of the ball. Stepping in the bucket left him off-balance, which led to a high groundball rate. Cleaning up his direction—or at least ensuring he is in a better launch position—will be a focus for Jones and the D-backs. He came mostly as advertised on defense, showing plus range and a plus arm in center field and looking like a future double-plus defender at the position. When healthy, he is at least a plus runner.
  
  The Future: If Jones can stay healthy and get his swing ironed out, he might still have the same massive upside as before. If the swing issues persist, he could still end up a plus defender with occasional power.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 65 | Field: 70 | Arm: 60
• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #4 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 65/Very High
  
  Track Record: Andruw Jones won 10 Gold Gloves in center field and slammed 434 career home runs in a 17-year career--and his son Druw reminds everyone of his father. After an impressive run on the showcase circuit, Jones went on to win Gatorade's Georgia player of the year award in 2022. His combination of tools, skills and projection put him at the top of the D-backs' draft board--and most other teams'--and they were ecstatic when he fell to them at No. 2 overall. He received a signing bonus just shy of $8.2 million. He hit an obstacle when he tore his left labrum during batting practice on his first day at Arizona's spring training complex and needed season-ending surgery.
  
  Scouting Report: Jones has a simple, repeatable swing and an advanced approach that the D-backs believe will allow him to hit for both average and power. He times pitches with a small leg kick that leads to a short, compact stroke. His bat stays through the zone well and allows him to take aim at the middle of the field. He can handle both velocity and spin, and he showed improvement last year at laying off breaking balls out of the zone. Jones should have an impact bat, but time will tell whether he produces gaudy home run totals like his father or is more about using his plus speed to produce loads of doubles and triples. He is a graceful defender in center field who gets good reads and glides to where the ball will be. He has a plus arm and gets good carry on his throws.
  
  The Future: Jones provided little to nitpick during his amateur career, and he enters pro ball with sky-high expectations of a potential franchise-altering player. Once his shoulder is fully healthy--which could happen in time for Opening Day--he should open in Low-A Visalia to make his official pro debut.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 60. Power: 55. Speed: 70. Fielding: 70. Arm: 60

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #1 prospect in 2022 draft
  School: Wesleyan HS, Norcross, Ga. Committed/Drafted: Vanderbilt
  Age At Draft: 18.6
  BA Grade: 65/Very High
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 55 | Run: 70 | Field: 70 | Arm: 65
  Unsurprisingly, the son of five-time all-star and 10-time Gold Glove center fielder Andruw Jones is an excellent defensive center fielder as well. Druw is the top player in the 2022 draft class thanks to his unique combination of present skills, projection and loud supplemental tools while handling a premium defensive position. Jones stood out during the summer showcase circuit with plenty of hard contact and the ability to drive the ball with authority to the right-center gap. His swing wasn’t always the most fluid or ‘hitterish’ and at times he would get out of sync with his lower and upper halves, resulting in lots of ground ball outs, but he has improved the consistency of that swing this spring. Jones has an advanced approach at the plate with solid pitch recognition and pure bat-to-ball skills. As he continues to add strength to a lean frame, he should grow into above-average or plus raw power, and he could become a plus hitter with above-average game power. He’s a lock to play center field at the highest level and is one of the best defensive outfielders scouts have seen in years, with the instincts and physical tools necessary to be a 70-grade defender at the position. Scouting directors unanimously named Jones the best defensive outfielder in the high school class prior to the season, and he has a case as the best defender in the entire class as well. He’s a double-plus runner with a fantastic first step that allows him to track difficult balls into the gaps and to the fence with instinctual route-running ability on top of that. His arm strength is a cherry on top of his tool set and it’s at least plus with some scouts putting 70 grades on his throwing ability as well. If Jones weren’t such a dynamic center fielder, teams might be inclined to try him at shortstop as well, where he shows advanced actions and instincts as an infielder. Jones is committed to Vanderbilt but is expected to be one of the first players selected in the 2022 draft. He has all-star upside and should impact the game in many ways.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #78 prospect in 2023
• Ranked Baseball America's #23 prospect in 2023

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 65/Very High
  
  Track Record: Andruw Jones won 10 Gold Gloves in center field and slammed 434 career home runs in a 17-year career--and his son Druw reminds everyone of his father. After an impressive run on the showcase circuit, Jones went on to win Gatorade's Georgia player of the year award in 2022. His combination of tools, skills and projection put him at the top of the D-backs' draft board--and most other teams'--and they were ecstatic when he fell to them at No. 2 overall. He received a signing bonus just shy of $8.2 million. He hit an obstacle when he tore his left labrum during batting practice on his first day at Arizona's spring training complex and needed season-ending surgery.
  
  Scouting Report: Jones has a simple, repeatable swing and an advanced approach that the D-backs believe will allow him to hit for both average and power. He times pitches with a small leg kick that leads to a short, compact stroke. His bat stays through the zone well and allows him to take aim at the middle of the field. He can handle both velocity and spin, and he showed improvement last year at laying off breaking balls out of the zone. Jones should have an impact bat, but time will tell whether he produces gaudy home run totals like his father or is more about using his plus speed to produce loads of doubles and triples. He is a graceful defender in center field who gets good reads and glides to where the ball will be. He has a plus arm and gets good carry on his throws.
  
  The Future: Jones provided little to nitpick during his amateur career, and he enters pro ball with sky-high expectations of a potential franchise-altering player. Once his shoulder is fully healthy--which could happen in time for Opening Day--he should open in Low-A Visalia to make his official pro debut.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 60. Power: 55. Speed: 70. Fielding: 70. Arm: 60
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 65/Very High
  
  Track Record: Andruw Jones won 10 Gold Gloves in center field and slammed 434 career home runs in a 17-year career--and his son Druw reminds everyone of his father. After an impressive run on the showcase circuit, Jones went on to win Gatorade's Georgia player of the year award in 2022. His combination of tools, skills and projection put him at the top of the D-backs' draft board--and most other teams'--and they were ecstatic when he fell to them at No. 2 overall. He received a signing bonus just shy of $8.2 million. He hit an obstacle when he tore his left labrum during batting practice on his first day at Arizona's spring training complex and needed season-ending surgery.
  
  Scouting Report: Jones has a simple, repeatable swing and an advanced approach that the D-backs believe will allow him to hit for both average and power. He times pitches with a small leg kick that leads to a short, compact stroke. His bat stays through the zone well and allows him to take aim at the middle of the field. He can handle both velocity and spin, and he showed improvement last year at laying off breaking balls out of the zone. Jones should have an impact bat, but time will tell whether he produces gaudy home run totals like his father or is more about using his plus speed to produce loads of doubles and triples. He is a graceful defender in center field who gets good reads and glides to where the ball will be. He has a plus arm and gets good carry on his throws.
  
  The Future: Jones provided little to nitpick during his amateur career, and he enters pro ball with sky-high expectations of a potential franchise-altering player. Once his shoulder is fully healthy--which could happen in time for Opening Day--he should open in Low-A Visalia to make his official pro debut.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 60. Power: 55. Speed: 70. Fielding: 70. Arm: 60
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 65/Extreme
  
  August Update: Jones&#39 2022 pro season ended before it started. He had a shoulder injury that required surgery and will sideline him until 2023.
  
  Unsurprisingly, the son of five-time all-star and 10-time Gold Glove center fielder Andruw Jones is an excellent defensive center fielder as well. Druw is the top player in the 2022 draft class thanks to his unique combination of present skills, projection and loud supplemental tools while handling a premium defensive position. Jones stood out during the summer showcase circuit with plenty of hard contact and the ability to drive the ball with authority to the right-center gap. His swing wasn&#39t always the most fluid or ‘hitterish&#39 and at times he would get out of sync with his lower and upper halves, resulting in lots of ground ball outs, but he has improved the consistency of that swing this spring. Jones has an advanced approach at the plate with solid pitch recognition and pure bat-to-ball skills. As he continues to add strength to a lean frame, he should grow into above-average or plus raw power, and he could become a plus hitter with above-average game power. He&#39s a lock to play center field at the highest level and is one of the best defensive outfielders scouts have seen in years, with the instincts and physical tools necessary to be a 70-grade defender at the position. Scouting directors unanimously named Jones the best defensive outfielder in the high school class prior to the season, and he has a case as the best defender in the entire class as well. He&#39s a double-plus runner with a fantastic first step that allows him to track difficult balls into the gaps and to the fence with instinctual route-running ability on top of that. His arm strength is a cherry on top of his tool set and it&#39s at least plus with some scouts putting 70 grades on his throwing ability as well. If Jones weren&#39t such a dynamic center fielder, teams might be inclined to try him at shortstop as well, where he shows advanced actions and instincts as an infielder.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 60. Power: 55. Run: 70. Field: 70. Arm: 65.