As the Florida Gators baseball team arrived back in Gainesville from their magical College World Series run, the coaching staff got some good news from the transfer portal.
Former Stetson outfielder Madison Kyle Jones (goes by middle name) announced his commitment to the Orange and Blue on social media. Jones slashed .355/.459/.476 as the starting centerfielder for the Hatters last year.
Jones was named the ASUN Freshman of the Year after leading Stetson in batting average, runs, doubles, stolen bases and on-base percentage. He also made the All-ASUN Third Team and was the only freshman finalist for the 2024 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I Gold Glove team.
Excited for the future! Go Gators🐊🐊 pic.twitter.com/PmLfblhnfu
— Kyle Jones (@kyle_jones142) June 20, 2024
Scouting Report
Most of Jones’ power is to the pull side due to his plus bat speed, but it isn’t home-run power yet. He only belted five long balls a year ago, which isn’t typical of players Florida goes after in the portal, but he has borderline elite bat-to-ball skills and a Tyler Shelnut-esque frame at 6-foot-3-inches and 170 pounds. In a perfect world, he matures physically and pushes double-digit homers while maintaining a plus-contact tool.
Even if he doesn’t add the power, Jones struck out just 27 times to 33 walks last year. He’s going to get on base, and he’s not going to blow it in big opportunities.
There’s also a speed element to Jones’ game. Prep Baseball Report recorded a sub-6.6-second 60-yard dash during his high school days. He’s rangy enough to play center field and has a solid (but not elite) arm — 90 mph from the outfield. Jones made just one error last season.
That plus speed also helps on the basepaths. He’s liable to leg out doubles more often than his counterparts — 15 in 2024 — and is a threat at all times on the basepaths. Jones stole 23 bags successfully last year and was caught only five times.
Where does Jones fit in Florida’s lineup?
Everything about Jones’ profile screams starting center fielder, but it’s going to be hard to unseat Michael Robertson from that spot, assuming a return.
Robertson could try his luck in the draft, but he spent most of the season battling for playing time before clicking in the postseason. If Robertson can reach his full potential, Jones will need to play left field for the Gators. Jones is still a better candidate to leadoff, though, because of his 8.9% strikeout rate.
One domino falling usually…
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