Heath Jones followed brothers to pros, saw two seasons
"The main thing is that I want to go as far as I can with my baseball career," Jones told The Times then. "If I make it to the majors, that's great. But if I see that I can't make it, then it's time to go and make a living."
Jones ended up going in that year's draft to the Giants, though he didn't improve his position. And, as it turned out, he could only go as far as two seasons. He toped out at short-season Everett.
Jones' career began in 1989, taken by the Giants in the 47th round of the draft out of El Camino. He'd passed on the Padres out of El Segundo High School after they took him in the 38th round of the 1988 draft.
Jones' older brothers also played pro. His brother Terry Jones played five seasons and made AA. His other brother Tracy Jones made six major league seasons.
Heath Jones played the summer of 1987 on the local El Sagundo American Legion team, hitting 14 home runs and recording 60 RBI, The Torrance Daily Breeze wrote.
"He's a great hitter," rival Redondo Coach Harry Jenkins told The Daily Breeze. "He hit three home runs in a doubleheader against us about a month ago. I told (the El Segundo coach) after the game that I never want to see him again."
Heath Jones started with the Giants at rookie Pocatello. He saw 35 game and hit .205. He also hit one home run and knocked in 12.
He then returned for 1990, playing at short-season Everett. His season, however, proved brief. He saw just six games, 18 at bats. He did not record a hit. Those six games proved his last as a pro.
- Torrance Daily Breeze, Aug. 2, 1987: El Segundo's star
- Los Angeles Times, March 24, 1989: Dodged in the Draft
Made the Majors:1,487-31.6%
Never Made Majors:3,223-68.4%-X