If you had checked the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes roster a week ago, you would have noticed something – or rather not noticed something. You would have not seen the name Owen Jones on the roster. But if you had checked it again on Tuesday night, April 30, you would have not only seen Jones’ name on the roster but you would have seen that the 6-1 190 pound right-hander made his 2013 debut with the Quakes, faced five batters, allowed no runs, one hit and one walk while striking out the side.

And if you listened to the Quakes game on Thursday night, you would have heard Jones make his second appearance in the 7th inning of the Quakes exciting 6-5 win over the Stockton Ports and would have heard that he pitched a 1-2-3 inning and… struck out the side.

So who is this Jones kid and where did he come from?

Owen Jones

Owen Jones was born in Edmonds, Washington on June 12, 1989. After graduating from Edmonds-Woodway High School in 2007, he attended the University of Portland where he played for the Pilots as a shortstop, but was quickly converted over to a starting pitcher because of his very strong arm. Unfortunately, that strong arm required Tommy John surgery in 2009 but Jones rebounded nicely, appearing in 15 games (14 starts) in 2011. He compiled a record of 5-6 in 90.0 innings pitched, striking out 64 while walking 17. Jones finished his senior year striking out 31 batters in 29 innings while walking only nine. He finished his senior year tied for the fewest earned runs allowed at four.

Jones was selected by the Dodgers in the 19th round of the 2012 MLB Amateur Draft and assigned to rookie ball with the Ogden Raptors, where he compiled a 1-2 record with an ERA of 4.28 in 24 games. He earned 7 saves as the Raptors closer while striking out 28 and walking only 5 in his 27.1 innings of work – numbers good enough to earn him a promotion to the Dodgers Advanced Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes this past week.

Owen is not the only member of the Jones family to be drafted into professional baseball. A year earlier his younger brother Austin “Bubba” Jones was selected in the 7th round of the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft by the New York Yankees after graduating from Edmonds-Woodway High School. Talk about an instant sibling rivalry – the Yankees and the Dodgers?

Wendy and Greg Jones with their son Owen at the University of Portland.
(Photo courtesy of myedmondsnews.com)

As you might expect, Wendy and Greg Jones are extremely excited to have two sons in professional baseball.

“Of course Greg and I are proud of both our boys as both of them have worked extremely hard at this,” said Wendy Jones during a June 2012 interview with Ian Waldron of My Edmonds News. “It’s always nice to have such a positive affirmation that your work has been noticed. They are both very humble young men and appreciate the opportunity to play pro ball for a living. I am excited that they will always have this bond.

“I am completely in awe of the scouts that watch these players day in and day out in all kinds of weather,” she added. “Mike Thurman from the Yankees and Hank Jones from the Dodgers will always have a special place in our hearts. I like that the scouts draft kids as much or more based on their character than what they do on the field.”

Now granted, facing a total of eight batters and striking out six of them in only two innings pitched is way too small of a sample size to adequately evaluate 23-year-old Owen Jones, but in his very brief time with the Quakes thus far, he has already shown a great mound presence and excellent control that certainly makes him someone worthy of keeping an eye.

I know I definitely will be.