Mississippi State University has signed Tyler Jones of Mobile, Ala., to a national letter of intent, MSU head baseball coach Ron Polk announced Monday. Jones is a 6-foot-2-inch, 170-pound outfielder at Mobile’s McGill-Toolen High School, where he is hitting .430 and owns a 7-0 pitching mark in his fourth year as a starter for coach David Weems. As a junior in 2001 the left-handed hitting Jones earned all-conference and Mobile Register “Deadly Diamond” honors, hitting .405 with 15 stolen bases in 17 attempts while helping lead the McGill-Toolen HS Yellow Jackets to a 20-9 record.
On the mound he notched a 6-1 record with a 1.25 earned run average and 43 strikeouts in 43 innings.
“We are so pleased to announce the signing of Tyler Jones,” coach Ron Polk said. “Not only is Tyler an outstanding student, but he also has the skills to play major college baseball.
He has enjoyed a stellar career at McGill-Toolen High School and we look forward to working with him next year as he enrolls at Mississippi State University.”
Jones, a member of the National Honor Society and McGill-Toolen’s Roll of Honor, hit .380 as a sophomore and earned all-conference honors in 2000.
“I feel honored to sign with one of the nation’s elite college baseball programs and to have an opportunity to play for a great coaching staff and a living legend in Ron Polk,” Jones said.
The MSU baseball signee is the son of Mark and Anita Jones of Mobile.