Completed Event: Baseball versus No. 11 seed Kansas State on May 19, 2026 , Loss , 5, to, 9
Final Score
Baseball
5
vs No. 11 seed Kansas State
9
The University of Utah Athletics
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Jersey Number 11
Merit Jones
- Position:
- RHP
- B/T:
- R/R
- Class:
- Junior
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-4 / 200
- Hometown:
- Idaho Falls, Idaho
- High School:
- Idaho Falls HS
- Major:
- Health & Kinesiology
MLB Draft
2025 – Junior
2024 – Sophomore
2023 – Freshman
Prior to Utah
Personal
Jones on the U
“I chose the University of Utah because of the phenomenal coaching staff. I want to play for them and to go up against tough competition. I also like that it is close to home and allows my parents to come and see me play.”
- Selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 2025 MLB Draft (Round 14, Pick 419)
- Selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 2024 MLB Draft (Round 20, Pick 608)
2025 – Junior
- Academic All-Big 12 Team
- D1Baseball.com’s Preseason Top Big 12 Prospects, 2025 MLB Draft (No. 16)
- Held the Saturday spot for much of the season, making 15 appearances (14 starts) and finishing with a 4-6 record and 79 innings pitched.
- Ranked fifth in the Big 12 (regular season) for innings pitched.
- Won his final two starts of the season, including a road outing at Arizona (May 10) with seven innings of three-run, two-hit ball.
- Followed that with a six-inning start vs. TCU (May 16) as Utah evened up that series.
- Received a no-decision but held BYU to three earned runs (April 11) in six innings and struck out a season-high eight batters.
2024 – Sophomore
- CSC Academic All-District Team
- Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll
- Ranked by D1Baseball.com as the Pac-12's No. 29 prospect for the 2025 MLB Draft.
- Made 14 appearances with 13 starts, finishing 3-5 with a 5.66 ERA in 68.1 innings.
- Also earned his first career save during the Pac-12 Tournament, going six up, six down (three K) vs. Oregon (May 22).
- Struck out 68 batters in total on the season.
- Tossed seven innings of three-run ball in the win at Cal (March 22), striking out four Golden Bears.
- Delivered another seven-inning performance vs. Stanford (March 28), striking out six with only two runs allowed on four hits and a walk.
- Had a six-inning outing and victory vs. UCLA (April 27), fanning six.
- Left with the lead in the series opener against Oregon State (March 15) and had a career-high nine K’s but ultimately received a no-decision.
2023 – Freshman
- Led the team with 13 starts, finishing with a 2-4 record over his 60 innings.
- Ranked third on the team with 49 strikeouts.
- First collegiate win came in a combined shutout at Washington (March 12), going six-plus innings of five-hit, walk-free ball with four strikeouts.
- Season-high six punchouts came in the series finale at No. 23 UCLA (April 8).
- Earned the victory in the USC series finale (April 2) with a six-inning outing.
- Started the middle game of the sweep over Washington State (April 29) but received a no-decision.
Prior to Utah
- No. 1 ranked RHP in Idaho by Perfect Game and No. 2 overall player in Idaho for the Class of 2022.
- 2022 Perfect Game Pre-Season All American
- 2022 Gatorade Idaho Player of the Year
- 2022 Post Register Baseball Player of the Year
- 2022 4A/5A High Country Conference Player of the Year
- 2022 District 5/6 5A Pitcher of the Year
- 2022 5A All Idaho Player of the Year
- 2021 4A/5A High Country Conference Pitcher of the Year
- Played at Idaho Falls High School under head coach Trent Johnson.
- Pitched to a 7-1 record in 2022 with a 1.57 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 53.1 innings.
- Also in 2022, had a .405 batting average, six home runs, 27 RBI and OPS of 1.404.
- Was the winning pitcher for the Idaho Falls Bandits in the championship game of the 2021 American Legion World Series. Was named the First Team pitcher on the All-World Series team.
- Perfect 9-0 record in 2021 with a 1.25 ERA and 64 strikeouts.
- Also played basketball in high school.
Personal
- Son of Dewey and Nichole Jones.
- Has five siblings, Easton, Holden, Isabelle, Lacey and Summer.
- Third generation of his family to attend the U, following his grandparents, both parents and several other family members.
Jones on the U
“I chose the University of Utah because of the phenomenal coaching staff. I want to play for them and to go up against tough competition. I also like that it is close to home and allows my parents to come and see me play.”
Tuesday, May 26
Friday, May 15
Tuesday, May 12
Wednesday, April 29
