Ty (Michael Tyler) Jones '23 Recruiting Profile

I am a class of 2023 student at Southside High School. I am a RHP/2B at 6’1 190 lbs. I would like to play baseball in college while pursuing a degree in Athletic Training. I have maintained a 4.0+ GPA while managing the work and pressure of being a student athlete. Neither of my parents were able to graduate with a college diploma. I have seen how much harder my parents have had to work to get into the position that they are in now, and it has shown me the importance of attending college. I would like a mid-sized city that offers opportunities to meet new people and a variety of activities and entertainment. 

 While my priority is to earn a degree, I also want to take my love of baseball to the next level. To many, baseball is a fun activity to take part in outside of school. However, to me it’s more than that. It’s more than a time to be social with friends or to win a few games. It is what keeps me pushing to be the best person I can be. I constantly want to be in the gym working to outperform everyone else around me. If it wasn’t for baseball, I feel like I would be a completely different person. My passion for baseball is something that can’t be described in words. I look at players who just play the game compared to players who truly love the game. You can identify those who love the game just by how they carry themselves on the field - sprinting onto the field even when they are down by 7 or having the same attitude when they are 3-3 with 2 homeruns as they do when they are 0-4 with 3 strikeouts.

In February of 2021, I had Tommy John Surgery to repair a torn UCL. From that experience I learned that you cannot take anything for granted. Through my recovery process, I have worked overtime to have the opportunity to play college baseball. The ups and downs of my recovery, though challenging, helped me grow as a player and made me want to play college baseball even more than before.  

 Baseball also has prepared me for real life. I have learned that hard work and dedication is what will allow me to accomplish great things. I’ve been told all my life that my dreams were too big and that I needed to be more realistic.  While I could have allowed these statements to discourage me or to set easier goals, instead they have motivated me to work even harder.  While there may be athletes with more natural ability, I will always push myself to out-work them and overcome.   The saying, “Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard” has always stuck with me. I think that the way you will outperform someone is, not only by being more talented, but by practicing good work ethic. The greats that everyone knows - Mike Trout, Aaron Judge, Kolton Wong - are all players who are always putting in the work. You never see them taking time off because they are tired. I am much the same way. I have been a multi-position athlete along with being a multi-sport athlete. I learned and played all positions on the baseball field and played most positions in all other sports, allowing me to step in anytime a coach needed me. I have been told that I am the “Glue” to the team. They say it is because I have earned the trust of not only my coaches but also my teammates by being an unselfish player and working hard to obtain the team goal. I take pride in knowing that the coaches believe that I am someone who keeps the team running smooth.

https://www.prepbaseballreport.com/profiles/AR/Michael--Ty-Jones-8536194207