Kansas State outfielder Brendan Jones heard his name called Tuesday, as he was selected in the 12th round (No. 361 overall) by the New York Yankees on the final day of the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft.
With Jones’ selection, and four picks in the first 10 rounds, it marks the first time since 2011 K-State had five collegiate draft picks in the same year. Jones becomes the sixth Wildcat taken by the Yankees and first since Jordan Floyd in 2013.
A year after hitting .238, Jones had a breakout junior campaign where he produced a slash line of .303/.442/.500 with career-bests in doubles (13), triples (3), home runs (9), RBI (35), walks (55) and stolen bases (40).
Additionally, the All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection led the Conference in walks, while his career-high 69 runs scored was third.
Jones’ 40 steals in 2024 led the Big 12 and is the second-most in a single-season in K-State history, while he is third all-time with 70 career stolen bases. Jones finished fifth in the nation in stolen bases, while his .66 stolen bases average was ninth.
A native of Greenbrier, Tenn., Jones made history this year, as he became the first Wildcat to be named a Gold Glove Finalist by the American Baseball Coaches Association and Rawlings with a .994 fielding percentage.
In 149 games during his three-year career at K-State, he committed only two errors for an incredible career fielding percentage of .993 with 289 putouts and seven assists.
Head coach Pete Hughes has now overseen 89 draftees in his 27-year head coaching career, including eight first rounders. In total, Hughes has recruited 143 players who have joined the professional ranks.
