Justin Horowitz admitted he was a "little bit surprised" when Louisiana State first baseman Jared Jones was available in the seventh round at No. 263. But the Pirates' draft room didn't hesitate.
Jones, 6-4, 246 pounds, is seen as one of the best power hitters in this year's class and has been viewed as such over the last three seasons. He hit 64 home runs over three years with the Tigers, while winning two College World Series titles, including one with Paul Skenes. He was a 2025 first-team All-American and was named to the 2025 College World Series All-Tournament team.
"A lineup anchor and someone we're excited about," Horowitz said. "I think, obviously, he's got some things to work on, to improve upon, to be an impact major-league bat. But there's one thing that he can do that very few people in the world can do, and that's hit the ball really, really hard and really, really far."
In 68 games this season, Jones slashed .323/.414/.613 with 22 home runs and a career-high 76 RBIs. He drew 38 walks and struck out a career-high 85 times, which will be a concern moving forward. He did produce an average 94.1 mph exit velocity, which ranked fourth among Division I hitters.
Jones has a 65-grade arm, but with a 35-grade run, he's possibly limited to first base at the next level. He was ranked No. 101 by MLB Pipeline and No. 205 by Baseball America, so the Pirates got great value by selecting him in the ninth round. However, playing for one of the best college programs in the country comes with its benefits, which might make him a difficult sign.
Name, Image, and Likeness deals in college have made it challenging for organizations to sign players out of the draft because they can often make more money in college. Jones is one of the players.
"I'm sure that LSU has some interest in bringing him back," Horowitz said. "But we're optimistic that he'll be able to join the Pirates. We're gonna continue to work on that over the next couple weeks."
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THE ASYLUM
Greg Macafee
6:18 pm - 07.14.2025DOWNTOWNPirates 'surprised' by Jones' fall
Justin Horowitz admitted he was a "little bit surprised" when Louisiana State first baseman Jared Jones was available in the seventh round at No. 263. But the Pirates' draft room didn't hesitate.
Jones, 6-4, 246 pounds, is seen as one of the best power hitters in this year's class and has been viewed as such over the last three seasons. He hit 64 home runs over three years with the Tigers, while winning two College World Series titles, including one with Paul Skenes. He was a 2025 first-team All-American and was named to the 2025 College World Series All-Tournament team.
"A lineup anchor and someone we're excited about," Horowitz said. "I think, obviously, he's got some things to work on, to improve upon, to be an impact major-league bat. But there's one thing that he can do that very few people in the world can do, and that's hit the ball really, really hard and really, really far."
In 68 games this season, Jones slashed .323/.414/.613 with 22 home runs and a career-high 76 RBIs. He drew 38 walks and struck out a career-high 85 times, which will be a concern moving forward. He did produce an average 94.1 mph exit velocity, which ranked fourth among Division I hitters.
Jones has a 65-grade arm, but with a 35-grade run, he's possibly limited to first base at the next level. He was ranked No. 101 by MLB Pipeline and No. 205 by Baseball America, so the Pirates got great value by selecting him in the ninth round. However, playing for one of the best college programs in the country comes with its benefits, which might make him a difficult sign.
Name, Image, and Likeness deals in college have made it challenging for organizations to sign players out of the draft because they can often make more money in college. Jones is one of the players.
"I'm sure that LSU has some interest in bringing him back," Horowitz said. "But we're optimistic that he'll be able to join the Pirates. We're gonna continue to work on that over the next couple weeks."
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