The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. And in Andruw Jones’ case, if the apple were to fall far, he would probably just dive and catch it.
Jones was perhaps the greatest defensive center fielder in major league history. He also happened to club 434 homers during his career, including 51 in 2005.
And although the Curaçao native struggled in the back half of his career, Jones is undeniably one of the best players to ever play at his position.
Now, there’s another Jones manning the No. 22 in center field. He’s rangy, fast, blessed with power and got has a cannon of an arm. Oh, and he’s only 18 years old. Druw Jones is the presumptive No. 1 pick in this year’s MLB draft. He’s also Andruw’s son.
So who is Druw Jones? And how does he compare to his All-Star-caliber father? The Sporting News breaks down everything you need to know about the talented youngster who looks poised to take the league by storm.
MORE: MLB Mock Draft 2022 l MLB Draft Big Board
Who is Druw Jones?
According to MLB.com, Druw Jones is the top prospect in the 2022 MLB Draft.
He’s a five-tool prospect who projects as a potentially-Platinum Glove caliber defender — some even say Druw has the skillset to transition to shortstop.
The 18-year old made his bones at Georgia baseball superpower Wesleyan High School, just a 45 minute journey from Turner Field, the place his dad called home for 11 years.
Druw’s numbers at Wesleyan were nothing short of staggering: He hit .570 with an OPS approaching 1.800. He hit 13 dingers, scored 72 runs and struck out just nine times the whole season.
Oh, and he went 10-1 on the mound.
ill post my stats for the culture. .570/.675/1.026 1.702 OPS 65 hits 7 doubles 3 triples 13 homers 39 RBI’s 72 runs 33 walks 9 strikeouts 32 stolen bases 10-1 on the mound. i’d say i had a sucessful season
— druw jones (@jones_druw) May 25, 2022
It’s no surprise why so many franchises are enamored with Druw Jones’ long-term potential. One major league scout — whose team owns a top-10 pick — told SN’s Bill Trocchi that Druw is “as close to his dad as anyone I’ve ever seen.”
“Maybe Griffey. Now listen, I don’t think the kid is Ken Griffey Jr. But this kid plays center field about as good as you can play center field,” the scout added. “He could play Double-A center field right now. He’s that good defensively.”
That’s pretty high praise. Take one look at Druw’s highlights and it makes sense why he’s touted so highly around the league, though.
He’s got the swagger; peep this moonshot that Druw smoked after hearing “overrated” chants at one of his games.
He’s got the frame; at 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds, Druw has that sort of mystifying blend of speed and size that major league sides salivate over.
And he’s got the production; MLB.com rates Druw Jones as a 65-grade prospect. For comparison, Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson, the No. 5 prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, is a 60-grade prospect.
He’s also got the pedigree; here’s what the scout said regarding the similarities between Druw and his dad around the same age.
“He’s got the frame, and it’s scary — he walks exactly like his dad,” the scout said. “He moves exactly like his dad defensively. When he’s running the bases, it is a lot like Andruw. As we know, Andruw had power. It just came quicker for Andruw. People ask Andruw, compare yourself to your son. And he would say, ‘I don’t know. I was in the big leagues at (19).’ His power came quicker than Druw’s, but they are just so similar.”
Druw Jones will undoubtedly be one of the top selections in the 2022 MLB Draft. He’s a curious prospect, one who has the sort of bravado and skillset to be one of the most exciting players in the league — just like his dad was some 25 years ago.
Like father, like son.
Druw Jones highlights
This news is republished from another source. You can check the original article here