E-W’s Austin Jones drafted in seventh round by Yankees

Austin Jones takes a swing during the Warriors' playoff game against Mariner in May.

It must have been fate that Edmonds-Woodway High School first baseman Austin “Bubba” Jones was sitting in drafting class when he was drafted by the New York Yankees.

Too nervous to concentrate on his school work, Jones was watching the Major League Baseball draft tracker on the computer when he saw the news pop up on the screen: The Warriors’ slugger — who batted .568 this year and helped propel E-W into the state baseball playoffs — had been drafted by the Yankees in the seventh round, number 239th overall.

“I just started freaking out,” said the 18-year-old Jones, who said he ran outside to call his mom. Immediately, he began receiving texts and phone calls of congratulations from friends, coaches and family, including a message from older brother Owen (EWHS class of 2007), a pitcher for the University of Portland.

Now comes the hard part for Jones, who committed earlier this year to play at the University of Arizona: deciding whether to stay with college baseball or turn pro. “It’s going to be a tough decision,” said Jones, who bats left and throws right.  For now, he’s going to savor the moment, then talk with his parents and coaches from his select team, Chaffey Baseball. “I’ll be weighing the pros and cons,” he said.

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