Marlins nab athletic outfielder Jones in 3rd round

Miami focuses on speed, power, pitching with its eight picks on Day 2

June 10th, 2016

MIAMI -- Speed, power and pitching all were addressed by the Marlins on Friday in Day 2 of the 2016 MLB Draft. After going with prep standouts with their first three selections, the organization used its final six selections on college players.
The Marlins had nine selections in the first 10 rounds. The breakdown is four pitchers, four outfielders and one catcher.
The Draft concludes on Saturday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at noon ET.
"The overall goal was to try to get a little more in the college game," said Stan Meek, the team's vice president of scouting. "We've taken a lot of high school kids the last couple of years. After taking the three kids first out of high school, we felt we need to balance this with some college guys. Both of the pitchers we took, we think are multiple role guys. We think both of them can start. Then we went and got two college center fielders."
The Marlins opened the Draft on Thursday by taking left-hander Braxton Garrett seventh overall out of Florence (Ala.) High School.

With their third-round pick on Friday, they selected center fielder Thomas Jones, also a football standout, from Laurens (S.C.) High School. Garrett and Jones have commitments to play at Vanderbilt University, but the Marlins are confident they will sign both.
Jones has game-changing speed and power potential.
"With the body that he has and the athleticism that he has, really, the sky is the limit on what he can be," Meek said. "Obviously, he's got to get at-bats under his belt. He's one of those special athletes."
Track every Marlins pick from Day 2 of the 2016 MLB Draft, which consisted of Rounds 3-10.
Round 3 (84th overall), Thomas Jones, CF, Laurens (S.C.) High School
A two-sport standout, Jones is 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds and can play all three outfield positions. He is considered athletic enough to play center field, a priority position for the organization. Heading into the Draft, the Marlins made it clear they wanted to add as many up-the-middle players as possible, and Jones fits the bill. Jones has a 3.66 GPA, and as a senior, he batted .420 with five home runs and 19 RBIs.
Along with being a baseball star, Jones also played safety on the football team. His 40-yard dash time was 4.50 seconds. Like Miami's first-round pick, left-hander Braxton Garrett, Jones has a commitment to play baseball at Vanderbilt. The recommended slot bonus for the 84th pick is $741,700.
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In football, Jones is a 3-star recruit. He opted to commit to Vanderbilt after receiving offers to play football at Notre Dame, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Round 4 (113th overall), Sean Reynolds RF/1B/RHP, Redondo Union High School (Redondo Beach, Calif.)
The Marlins will have some decisions to make with Reynolds, a rangy 6-foot-7 right-handed thrower, left-handed hitter. When making their selection of Reynolds, Miami listed the California native as a right fielder. However, he also can pitch, and in high school, he also saw action at first base. His fastball has been clocked between 88-92 mph.
As a senior, Reynolds impressed wherever he was on the field, batting .380 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs. On the mound in his senior season, he was 7-0 with a 1.23 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 57 innings.
A lifelong baseball fan, Reynolds in 2007 attended a Red Sox game at Fenway Park. That day, Clay Buchholz tossed a no-hitter.
The bonus slot value for the 113th pick is $526,300.
Round 5 (143rd overall), Sam Perez, RHP, Missouri State
Perez capped a brilliant senior season by graduating recently from Missouri State. The right-hander excelled in the classroom (pre-med student) and on the field. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound right-hander was 8-0 with a 2.86 ERA in 36 appearances, all in relief. In 91 1/3 innings, he struck out 112 and walked just 35, allowing only three home runs.
The Marlins haven't typically drafted primary relief pitchers. They usually draft starters, and if they project better out of the bullpen, they adjust. Perez could find himself going multiple innings, perhaps as a starter and a long reliever in the Miami system. His fastball is listed between 90-94 mph.
The bonus pool figure for the pick is $394,100.
Round 6 (173rd overall), Remey Reed, RHP, Oklahoma State
The Marlins appear to be on a new trend this year in the Draft by identifying specific relievers, compared to selecting starters and then seeing where they project while in their system. Reed, from Frisco, Texas, started off at Navarro Junior College in Texas before going to Oklahoma State, where he posted a 3.82 ERA in 23 relief appearances. Reed was 4-1 and struck out 44 while walking 16 in 35 1/3 innings. Opponents batted .202 against the sophomore this year.
The bonus slot for the pick is $294,900.
Round 7 (203rd overall), Corey Bird, OF, Marshall
Bird is from Elkview, W.Va., and he found a home at Marshall, where he started in center field in all 55 games for the Thundering Herd this season. A speedster, Bird swiped 34 bases, which paced Conference USA. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder didn't show much power, batting .300 with a .375 on-base percentage and 22 RBIs. He scored 44 runs, had six doubles and a triple. Bird was a standout in the Conference USA Tournament, going 8-for-19 with two RBIs.
The slot bonus for the pick is $221,100.
Round 8 (233rd overall), Aaron Knapp, CF, Cal
Knapp, a junior, has strong family ties to Cal-Berkeley. His father, Mike, is a former catcher at the school, as was his brother, Andrew Knapp, the Phillies' second-round pick in 2013. Knapp is a left-handed hitter who throws right-handed. Listed at 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds, he batted .251 with a .302 on-base percentage while stealing 10 bases. Knapp didn't show much power, as his slugging percentage was .340 this season. But he puts the ball in play, striking out 31 times in 215 at-bats, with 12 walks.
The recommended bonus slot for the pick is $182,200.
Round 9 (263rd overall), Jarett Rindfleisch, C, Ball State
The Marlins traditionally pick a catcher in the first 10 rounds, and the selection of Rindfleisch (6-foot-1, 225 pounds) is the latest example. He showcases a strong arm, and he grinds out at-bats while also showing the ability to hit for power. His slash line as a junior was .307/.446/.503 with 12 doubles, one triple, seven home runs and 31 RBIs. Rindfleisch also has taken a beating at the plate. He was hit by pitches 17 times this year. He also struck out 40 times in 179 at-bats, while drawing 32 walks.
The recommended bonus for the pick is $170,300.
Round 10 (293rd overall), Dylan Lee, LHP, Fresno State
Lee is a lanky 6-foot-4, 210-pound lefty who was used in relief his senior season. The Marlins lack lefty bullpen depth, and Lee has a chance to move through the system as a reliever. The 21-year-old had a 3.45 ERA in 27 appearances. He struck out 44 while walking 15 in 47 innings. Lee also collected six saves in his final college season.
The bonus pool slot recommended for the pick is $159,300.