Langhorne’s Nolan Jones selected by Cleveland Indians in MLB Draft (VIDEO)
LANGHORNE MANOR – It came a little later than expected but Holy Ghost Prep senior Nolan Jones was selected in the second round of the Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft, which kicked off last night in Secaucus, New Jersey.
Back in Bucks County, friends, family and boosters of the Firebirds shortstop were on hand, screaming wildly at the Irish Rover Station House when the Cleveland Indians chose Jones, who hails from Langhorne, with the 55th overall pick. Jones’ family hosted a party Thursday night for the 6-4, 195-pound prospect at the Penndel eatery that’s located across Bellevue Avenue from the Langhorne Septa Regional Rail Station.
Before the big event, some prognosticators predicted Jones would be among the first 23 picks. Indeed, MLB.com had Jones rated as the 20th-best prospect heading into the Draft.
The moment. pic.twitter.com/VpH5FFXskV
— Jarrad Saffren (@JarradSaff) June 10, 2016
Jones is a big, left-handed batter who hits for both power and average. As a high school junior, Jones hit .544 with 34 runs scored, 28 RBI, a .982 slugging percentage and a .658 on-base percentage while leading Holy Ghost to a 19-4 record and a PIAA District 1 Class AAA title in 2015.
This year, Jones outpaced that astounding clip, despite entering the season battling back problems. In 19 games, Jones hit an incredible .636/.750/1.181, helping the Firebirds clinch a tie for the Bicentennial Athletic League (BAL) title with a 12-1 win over Lower Moreland, a late-season duel in which Jones hit a pair of home runs.
All told, Jones collected five home runs, five doubles, two triples, 24 RBI, 26 runs scored and 17 steals in 17 attempts. He also piled up far more walks (24) than strikeouts (three).
In his final at-bat for Ghost, Jones gave his team a chance with two outs in the seventh inning of a district semifinal matchup with Radnor, crushing a two-strike pitch over the right field fence at Great Valley, drawing the ‘birds within a pair of runs in an eventual 11-9 victory for the Red Raiders, who went on to capture the 2016 D-1 trophy.
On the mound, Jones made only a handful of appearances for Holy Ghost this season. He struck out 11 batters in eight innings, giving up five runs (3 earned) on five hits in the last four innings of his high school career.
Jones is a University of Virginia commit, though the Tribe has expressed confidence in signing their second-round selection.
A former hockey player at Holy Ghost, Jones side-stepped his last season on the ice this year at HGP, concentrating his efforts on the diamond. He also beefed up in the offseason, gaining about 30 pounds since his junior year while adding muscle mass and strength.
Given his new size and power, some Draft pundits including those in the Cleveland organization see Jones as a third baseman, though his athleticism could keep him at shortstop, his preferred position.
Jones’ older brother Peyton (HGP, Class of 2014) could be the family’s next pro sports Draft selection. A two-year goaltender for the USHL Lincoln Stars and a recent addition to the Penn State ice hockey team, Peyton was recently named a Top 40 Prospect by the USHL after posting a goals-against average of 2.29 and a save percentage of .923.
The 2016 NHL Entry Draft will be held June 24 and 25 at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo so stay tuned.
Contact Steve Sherman at ssherman@21st-Centurymedia.com or @BucksLocalSport on Twitter
