Pierce Jones was the talk of the Little League World Series after going 4-for-4 with 3 home runs and a triple in his first game at Williamsport Thursday. He played so well and looked so good that MLB personnel took note.
Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin, who was serving as an analyst for ESPN for Jones’ Jackie Robinson West Little League game Thursday — a 12-2 win over the team from Washington — said on the air the next day that he was hearing from agents and MLB executives who were asking about Jones.
Jones is still a good 5-6 years away from being draft-eligible, but this gives you an idea of how much he stood out. It also gives you an idea of how aggressive some agents and execs can be when it comes to spotting and signing talent.
How good will Jones be a handful of years from now? Nobody knows. Some kids are stars at 12 years old because they are bigger and stronger than their competition at that age, but once everyone else catches up, they’re no longer great. It doesn’t look like that will be the case for Jones; he looked legit.
