BBTF's Sox Therapy Discussion :: Weekly Minor League Thread: How did this guy go undrafted?

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Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Weekly Minor League Thread: How did this guy go undrafted?

Hunter Jones is 6’4, 240 lb. lefty who pitched for Florida State. According to his Sox Prospects profile, he features “a low 90s two-seam fastball, a circle change, and a curveball.” He apparently missed some time in college with a fractured arm (pitched with it during his sophomore year) and had a rather unimpressive 5.05 ERA in 2005, his last collegiate season. Somehow, this was enough for him to go completely undrafted. How bad could have been that nobody even took a flier the big huge lefty who throws in the 90s? Heck, his pedigree sounds a lot like Kris Johnson, who the Sox took in the supplemental round the following year. Wasn’t he worth a 40th round pick to check out?

The Red Sox instead signed him as an undrafted free agent and he has moved quickly through their system. He had a nice showing in Lowell in 2005, then spent the whole year at Greenville in 06, splitting time between the rotation and pen. He put up a nifty 100 Ks in 94 IP, with only 87 H, 20 BB, and 8 HR. This year, he’s been moved to the pen full time. In Lancaster, he sported a 2.11 ERA, thanks in part to allowing only 2 HR in 47 IP. That earned him a bump to Portland, where he’s fanned 34 and walked only 11 in 36 IP.

Jones is still only 22 and in the space of just two years, he has made himself into a borderline prospect.

(This interview sheds a bit of light on how Jones came to be undrafted and sign with the Sox.)

Darren Posted: August 22, 2007 at 10:52 PM | 7 comment(s)
Related News: Boston

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1. DavidC Posted: August 23, 2007 at 12:46 AM (#2496296)

I saw him pitch an inning for the Sea Dogs on Monday. He faced 3 batters and struck them all out. I remember remarking at the time that that was the first display of competence by the Sea Dogs all night, though perhaps that was unfair to the other players (but not very unfair).

2. John S Posted: August 23, 2007 at 02:11 AM (#2496338)

he gives a really great recruiting pitch for fsu in the interview.

3. Chip Posted: August 23, 2007 at 08:01 PM (#2497353)

Sox sign Royce Clayton to a minor league contract and assign him to Pawtucket, according to NESN.

4. Darren Posted: August 23, 2007 at 09:42 PM (#2497578)

That's hilarious because that's who Rally predicted was the next in line of Cabrera/Renteria/Gonzalez/Lugo (ie seemingly each next SS gets worse).

5. Darren Posted: August 26, 2007 at 06:36 PM (#2500304)

Hagadone with another nice performance today: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 4 K. Since his disastrous first start:

7 G, 17 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 0 HR, 3 BB, 22 K.

6. Templeusox has reached his genetic threshold Posted: August 26, 2007 at 11:13 PM (#2500562)

Went to the game today. Here is the pitching chart:

Radar Readings from Spinner's Ballpark gun

1st Inning

Batter 1 (Snyder): Strike- Fastball- 88 MPH
Ball- Change up- 80 MPH
In Play 4-3- Fastball- 95 MPH (Weak GB to 2B)

Batter 2 (Holliday) - In Play- F-7- Fastball- 95 MPH (Lazy FB to LF)

Batter 3 (Sublett)- Strike- Fastball- 91 MPH
Ball- Slider- 82 MPH
Ball- Slider- 82 MPH
Foul- Fastball- 95 MPH
Ball- Fastball- 94 MPH
Foul- Fastball- 92 MPH
In Play- 4-3- Fastball- 93 MPH (Weak GB to 2B)

Inning totals- 11 Pitches, 7 Strikes, 4 Balls
8 Fastballs, 1 Change, 2 Sliders

2nd Inning

Batter 1 (Pruitt)- Strike- Fastball- 92 MPH
Ball- Fastball- 96 MPH
Ball- Change up- 82 MPH
Strike- Fastball- 91 MPH
In Play- 6-3- Change up- 82 MPH (GB to SS, very nice play by Tejeda)

Batter 2 (Gil) - Ball- Change up- 82 MPH
Strike- Fastball- 92 MPH
Strike (Swinging)- Change up- 82 MPH
Strikeout Swinging- Slider- 82 MPH

Batter 3 (Williams) - Strike- Fastball- 94 MPH
Foul- Fastball- 93 MPH
Strikeout Swinging- Change up- 82 MPH

Inning totals - 12 Pitches, 9 Strikes, 2 Balls
6 Fastballs, 5 Change ups, 1 Slider

3rd Inning

Batter 1 (Hollingsworth) - Strike- Fastball- 95 MPH
In Play- Single to CF- Fastball- 93 MPH (16-hopper up the middle)

Batter 2 (Morris- Ball- Fastball- 95 MPH
Strike- Change up- 79 MPH
In Play- Single to LF Center- Fastball- 95 MPH (bloop variety)

Batter 3 (Krum) - Strike- Fastball- Reading unavailable
Foul- Fastball- 94 MPH
Foul- Change up- 84 MPH
Strikeout Swinging- Slider- 85 MPH

Batter 4 (Snyder)- Strike- Slider- 83 MPH
Strike- Fastball- 95 MPH
Foul- Slider- 84 MPH
Ball- Fastball- 91 MPH
Ball- Slider- 84 MPH
Strikeout Swinging- Slider- 83 MPH

Batter 5 (Holliday) - Strike- Change up- 80 MPH
Strike (Swinging)- Change up- 82 MPH
Ball- Change up- 81 MPH
Ball- Fastball- 94 MPH
In Play- F6- Fastball- 91 MPH (pop up to 6)

Inning Totals- 20 Pitches, 15 Strikes, 5 Balls
9 Fastballs, 6 Change ups, 5 Sliders

Game Totals: 43 Pitches, 31 Strikes, 12 Balls
23 Fastballs, 12 Change ups, 8 Sliders
11 Batters faced- 9 1st Pitch Strikes
6 Swinging Strikes

Game line- 3IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 4/0 K/BB

Hagadone throwing a pitch for a strike (video)

Oscar Tejeda triple (video)

Hagadone looked very impressive; in control the entire time. He has excellent command of his fastball, and even surprised me with the ease which he could seemingly gas it into the mid-90's. His arm speed on his changeup improved over the course of the game, and he really started fooling batters with his off-speed and breaking pitches.

Oscar Tejeda looked fantastic all-around. He made a very nice play in the field on a groundball to his left and displayed an excellent arm. At the plate, he looked excellent for a 17-year old. His first two hits were two the opposite field, and he laced the triple featured in the video. He got a little antsy in his 4th AB when he needed a HR for a cycle, and he swung at some bad breaking balls. But all things considered, a very impressive showing.

7. IronChef Chris Wok Posted: August 27, 2007 at 01:34 AM (#2500618)

Lin is hitting a bunch of XBH. YAY!

Walk dammit

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Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Weekly Minor League Thread: How did this guy go undrafted?

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