Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 70 | Arm: 65 | Field: 70 | Overall: 65 

Andruw Jones made five All-Star teams and won 10 Gold Gloves in a 17-year career in the Majors, and his son reminds scouts of his father's game. Druw is taller and leaner than his dad was as a teenager, but he has similar five-tool potential as a center fielder. He improved throughout the summer on the showcase circuit and he has impressed scouts this spring with a more selective approach and more consistent at-bats. He led Wesleyan (Norcross) to the Georgia Class A private school state title en route to winning Gatorade's Georgia high school player of the year award. 

While Jones' right-handed swing is still somewhat of a work in progress, he understands it well, shows the ability to make adjustments and does damage against quality pitching. He already has plenty of bat speed and drives balls to the gaps, and as he fills out his 6-foot-4 frame he should develop plus power. He's a plus-plus runner when he turns on the jets and is capable of beating out ground balls to the left side. 

Jones is the best defensive center fielder in the 2022 high school crop and might be the best defender in the entire Draft. His speed and instincts combine to give him tremendous range and his well-above-average arm strength stands out at a position not known for many cannons. Scouts who have seen the Vanderbilt recruit take infield say he has the tools and actions to play a fine shortstop as well.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 70 | Arm: 65 | Field: 70 | Overall: 55

As the son of former Braves star Andruw Jones, the younger Jones became one of the most closely followed talents in the 2022 Draft, and he impressed at nearly every stop with his multitool potential before going second overall to the Diamondbacks, who signed him to a franchise-record $8,189,400 bonus. Shortly after, Jones sustained a left shoulder injury during batting practice before he could debut in the Minors, and then he battled quad and hamstring injuries during his first full season last year. When he did get on the field, he slashed .252/.366/.351 with two homers in 29 games at Single-A Visalia.

Starting with the positives, which remain numerous, Jones is an easy plus-plus runner who tracks down balls with ease in center field, much like his father did on his way to winning 10 Gold Gloves. The teenager made that defense stand out in his first pro game when he made a Willie Mays-style over-the-shoulder grab in the deepest part of the ballpark. His arm strength will also give plenty for opposing runners to chew on, and if he only had the wheels and glove, he’d still be a solid prospect.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds, Jones has ample bat speed and generates solid exit velocities relative to his age and experience. The ingredients are there for at least above-average power. But his bat left something to be desired in the California League as he pushed the ball 48.1 percent of the time to the opposite field while also hitting it into the ground a rough 61.3 percent. Cleaning up the mechanics of his swing (e.g. keeping his front end from leaking out) as he gets farther from the health issues would help in his pursuit of reaching his immense ceiling.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 70 | Arm: 65 | Field: 70 | Overall: 55

The son of 10-time Gold Glover Andruw Jones, the younger Jones was always going to be a close follow for scouts out of Georgia leading up to the 2022 Draft. The 6-foot-4 outfielder was a consistent showcase standout and then took his game to another level with more consistent at-bats back home. He picked up team (state title) and individual (Gatorade Player of the Year honors) in the Peach State and was considered MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 Draft prospect heading into July. The D-backs selected him second overall and signed him to the third-highest bonus in Draft history at $8,189,400. Before Jones could step on the field in the Minors, he suffered a left shoulder injury in batting practice, and he's battled quad and hamstring issues throughout his first full season in 2023.

When healthy, Jones has the potential to be one of the toolsiest players in the Minors. He showed plenty of bat speed from the right side before the shoulder injury, though it's becoming clear the bat will need longer to develop than the other aspects of his game. He had little issue putting the ball in the gaps in high-school showcases, and given his current size, he projects for potential plus power at his peak once he reins in his early whiff issues.

He certainly follows in his father’s footsteps on the defensive side. Jones’ plus-plus speed is an obvious asset in center, and he has the instincts to track down balls most would miss. His well-above-average arm strength gives him another weapon from the grass and may aid his own future Gold Glove pursuits. He’s in a system with two other stellar outfield defenders in Alek Thomas and Corbin Carroll, though it’ll likely be years before the trio joins forces depending on how Jones’ bat takes to the pro game.

Scouting grades: Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 70 | Arm: 65 | Field: 70 | Overall: 60

Andruw Jones made five All-Star teams and won 10 Gold Gloves in a 17-year career in the Majors, and his son reminds scouts of his father's game. Druw is taller and leaner than his dad was as a teenager, but he has similar five-tool potential as a center fielder. He improved throughout the summer on the showcase circuit, and he has impressed scouts this spring with a more selective approach and more consistent at-bats. He led Wesleyan (Norcross) to the Georgia Class A private school state title en route to winning Gatorade's Georgia high school player of the year award. Arizona selected Jones with the No. 2 overall pick and signed him for $8,189,400, the third-highest bonus in Draft history. Jones suffered a season-ending left shoulder injury in a round of batting practice before he could make his pro debut in 2022.

While Jones' right-handed swing is somewhat of a work in progress, he understands it well, shows the ability to make adjustments and does damage against quality pitching. He already has plenty of bat speed and drives balls to the gaps, and as he fills out his 6-foot-4 frame, he should develop plus power. He's a plus-plus runner when he turns on the jets and is capable of beating out ground balls to the left side. 

Jones was the best defensive center fielder in the 2022 high school crop and might have been the best defender in the entire Draft. His speed and instincts combine to give him tremendous range, and his well-above-average arm strength stands out at a position not known for many cannons. He’ll aim to join Alek Thomas and Corbin Carroll in a potentially elite Arizona outfield in perhaps a short few years.

Awards

CAL Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2024

Futures Game Selection

Year	Team
2024

MiLB Awards Defensive Play of the Year

Year	Team
2023

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	07/16/2024	Visalia Rawhide activated OF Druw Jones from the temporarily inactive list.
	07/14/2024	National League Futures activated OF Druw Jones.
	07/12/2024	Visalia Rawhide placed OF Druw Jones on the temporarily inactive list.
	03/23/2024	OF Druw Jones assigned to Arizona Diamondbacks.
	03/07/2024	Arizona D-backs Prospects activated OF Druw Jones.
	08/15/2023	Visalia Rawhide activated OF Druw Jones from the 60-day injured list.
	08/11/2023	Visalia Rawhide sent OF Druw Jones on a rehab assignment to ACL D-backs Red.
	08/11/2023	Visalia Rawhide sent OF Druw Jones on a rehab assignment to ACL D-backs Red.
	08/07/2023	Visalia Rawhide sent OF Druw Jones on a rehab assignment to ACL D-backs Black.
	08/07/2023	Visalia Rawhide sent OF Druw Jones on a rehab assignment to ACL D-backs Black.
	08/01/2023	Visalia Rawhide sent OF Druw Jones on a rehab assignment to ACL D-backs Red.
	07/25/2023	Visalia Rawhide placed OF Druw Jones on the 60-day injured list.
	06/20/2023	Visalia Rawhide sent OF Druw Jones on a rehab assignment to ACL D-backs Black.
	06/20/2023	Visalia Rawhide sent OF Druw Jones on a rehab assignment to ACL D-backs Black.
	06/20/2023	Visalia Rawhide sent OF Druw Jones on a rehab assignment to ACL D-backs Black.
	06/19/2023	Visalia Rawhide sent OF Druw Jones on a rehab assignment to ACL D-backs Red.
	06/19/2023	Visalia Rawhide sent OF Druw Jones on a rehab assignment to ACL D-backs Red.
	06/17/2023	Visalia Rawhide sent OF Druw Jones on a rehab assignment to ACL D-backs Black.
	06/13/2023	Visalia Rawhide sent OF Druw Jones on a rehab assignment to ACL D-backs Red.
	04/22/2023	Visalia Rawhide placed OF Druw Jones on the 7-day injured list.
	04/03/2023	OF Druw Jones assigned to Visalia Rawhide from ACL D-backs Black.
	03/27/2023	OF Druw Jones and assigned to Arizona Diamondbacks.
	10/19/2022	ACL D-backs Black activated OF Druw Jones from the 60-day injured list.
	08/06/2022	OF Druw Jones assigned to ACL D-backs Black.
	07/23/2022	Arizona Diamondbacks signed OF Druw Jones.
	09/23/2021	OF Druw Jones and assigned to National.
	08/18/2021	OF Druw Jones and assigned to PG East.
	07/13/2021	PG National 5 - Maroon activated OF Andruw Jones.
	07/08/2021	National activated OF Andruw Jones.
	07/08/2021	National activated OF Andruw Jones.