Devin Jones struggled in the NYPL in 2011, where he posted a 6.08 ERA in 14 appearances with Aberdeen. However, in 2012, his greatly improved command and sinker allowed him to dominate out of the bullpen in the South Atlantic League and enjoy success as a starter in the Carolina League.
Jones made 19 appearances out of the bullpen for the Shorebirds, where he struck out 51 and walked only 11 in 54.1 innings. He allowed just 1 home run as a Shorebird.
Not only was Jones promoted to Frederick mid-season, but he was also moved into the rotation. While his strikeout numbers didn’t translate, his GO/AO ratio was an outstanding 2.15. As a Key he also threw 2 complete games and walked 12 batters in 54.2 innings.
Jones’ clear progress after a year of struggles in 2011 earned him this award. He’ll likely open 2013 with the Keys once again but should see Bowie later in the season.
