Right-handed pitching prospect Jared Jones has made the Pittsburgh Pirates' Opening Day roster. Pirates manager Derek Shelton delivered the news to Jones on Monday:
Jared Jones talking about how Derek Shelton messed with him before delivering the news that he made the Pirates’ Opening Day team pic.twitter.com/r9oLRKCjnJ
— Alex Stumpf (@AlexJStumpf) March 25, 2024
Jones, 22, is a former second-round pick out of La Mirada High School in California. Coming into this season, CBS Sports ranked Jones as the No. 3 prospect in a Pirates system that has elite right-hander Paul Skenes at the top of the list. Here's part of our write-up on Jones:
Jones may be listed at only 6-foot-1, but you wouldn't know it based on his massive right arm. He averaged 96 mph during his stay in Triple-A, and he was clocked as high as 99.9 mph. Truthfully, Jones' fastball plays even hotter than that because he's able to get down the mound, giving him a deeper release point than his height indicates. He also generated more than 33% whiffs on a pair of breaking balls. Jones, who pitches off a high front side, scuffled with his command following a promotion to Triple-A. It's worth noting, too, that Jones has yet to clear 130 innings in a season (though he has topped 120 in each of the last two years). Those questions aside, Jones has at least mid-rotation upside and he should make his debut sooner than later in 2024.
Across parts of three minor-league seasons, Jones has pitched to a 4.31 ERA and a 2.90 K/BB ratio in 66 starts and four relief appearances. This spring, he didn't allow a run in 16 1/3 innings of work.
The Pirates are coming off a 2023 season in which they went 76-86 and finished in fourth place in the National League Central. Jones will join a rotation that includes Mitch Keller, Marco Gonzales, Martín Pérez and Luis L. Ortiz.
