Adam Jones
From BR Bullpen
| Adam LaMarque Jones OF
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Adam Jones was the first selection of the Seattle Mariners in the 2003 amateur draft. The 37th overall pick, he was compensation for the club's failure to sign 2002 first-rounder John Mayberry Jr.. He had hit .348 as a high school senior and signed for a bonus of $925,000. A shortstop and pitcher in high school, he played solely shortstop in the minors that year. Jones hit .284/.368/.349 for the AZL Mariners and .462/.467/.538 in three games for the Everett Aqua Sox. He was picked as the 8th-best prospect in the Arizona League by Baseball America.
In 2004, the 18-year-old Jones hit .267/.314/.404 for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, striking out 124 times and fielded .943 at short with 32 errors. He was selected the #13 prospect in the Midwest League. For 2005, Jones hit .295/.374/.494 for the Inland Empire 66ers and .298/.365/.461 for the San Antonio Missions. Overall, he hit 15 homers and struck out 112 times. As one of the youngest players at the level, he was rated the #9 prospect in the California League and 14th overall in the Texas League. He was picked as Seattle's minor leaguer of the year.
Jones batted .277/.320/.472 for the Tacoma Rainiers in 2006, moving to the outfield, and on July 14 was called up to the Mariners. He was rated as the Pacific Coast League's #8 prospect by Baseball America, between Chris Young and Jason Hirsh. He popped up against Casey Janssen in his MLB debut and went 0 for 3 with a walk and a time caught stealing. He began his career in The Show 0 for 12 before a single off of Sidney Ponson for his first MLB hit. Jones hit .216/.237/.311 in 32 games for the 2006 Mariners.
Jones made the PCL All-Star team in 2007, joining Delwyn Young and Rick Ankiel in the outfield. He hit .314/.382/.586 for Tacoma and was named The Mariners Minor League Player of the Year. He led Seattle farmhands in average and slugging. He was rated as the best defensive outfielder and having the best outfield arm in the PCL according to Baseball America. They ranked him as the PCL's #2 prospect, behind only Yovani Gallardo and right ahead of Billy Butler, Andy LaRoche and Ian Stewart.
With the 2007 Mariners, Jones batted .246/.300/.400 in 41 contests.
After the season, Jones was the centerpiece in a package including George Sherrill, Chris Tillman, Tony Butler and Kam Mickolio that Seattle sent to the Baltimore Orioles for Erik Bedard.
