Merit Jones, a starting pitcher for Utah Baseball, has been selected by the Minnesota Twins
SALT LAKE City— Merit Jones, a University of Utah starting pitcher, was the final college student with Utah roots to hear his name called when the Minnesota Twins picked him in the 20th round of the Major League Baseball draft.
In the 2024 MLB First-Year Player Draft, the Twins picked Jones with the 608th pick overall. D1Baseball.com classified Jones as the Pac-12’s No. 29 overall prospect for the 2025 MLB Draft.
Jones had 14 appearances and 13 starts for the Utes as a sophomore, going 3-5 with a 5.56 ERA in 68.1 innings pitched. He recorded his first career save, retiring six consecutive Oregon Ducks in the Pac-12 Tournament.
Jones may return to Utah if he does not sign with the Twins.
He is the third generation of his family to attend the University of Utah, following in the footsteps of his grandparents and parents.
Related: Kai Roberts. Merit Jones was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 2024 MLB draft.
Jones graduated from Idaho Falls High School in Idaho Falls, Idaho, where he was the 2022 5A All-Idaho Player of the Year, the 2022 Gatorade Idaho Player of the Year, and a 2022 Perfect Game Preseason All-American under head coach Trent Johnson.
Jones, the No. 1 righthanded pitcher in Idaho by Perfect Game and the second-ranked player in the state, finished 7-1 with a 1.57 ERA and 71 punchouts in 53.1 innings as a senior. He was 9-0 with a 1.25 ERA and 64 strikeouts as a school junior.
