Q&A With Mercer Commit: '16 Jordan Ammons, SS, Cretin-Derham Hall

December 7, 2015

By Rob Allison
Prep Baseball Report Minnesota

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Name: Jordan Ammons
Position: SS
Class: 2016
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4, 200-pounds
High School: Cretin-Derham Hall
PBR Rank: #51 in MN 2016 Class

Evaluation: 6-foot-4, 200-pound shortstop. 7.00 60 time. Projectable long body with room to add weight. Present wiry strength in frame. Right-handed hitter with tall athletic stance. Creates great leverage down and through baseball. Hand-eye coordination is excellent. Consistently squares baseball creating back-spin with gap to gap approach. Linear lower half with good direction and transfers weight well through contact with long finish. 81 mph exit velocity. Above average actions in field. Covers ground well laterally. Feet are light for bigger player and hands are soft. Exchanges are crisp and clean. Moves with fluidity. Shows plus actions on body control plays. Has ability to slow game down in middle infield.

PBR: Why did you choose Mercer University?
AMMONS: I chose Mercer because it has a great combination of competitive baseball and high academics. The coaches there really believe in me as a player, which made my choice pretty easy.

PBR: What other schools were you considering?
AMMONS: I was also looking at Holy Cross in Boston and Davidson as other possible colleges.

PBR: Where did the coaching staff first see you? How did your relationship develop with them?
AMMONS: The coaching staff first saw me at a showcase this summer in East Cobb, Georgia. They called me afterwards saying they were interested and that they wanted to come to some of my games. They ended up coming to around 6-8 of my games with the East Cobb Patriots before I ended up committing.

PBR: Do you feel relieved now that the process is over and you can just focus on baseball and not deal with everything that goes into picking a school?
AMMONS: I am incredibly relieved that the whole college application and selection process is done for me. Now I can just enjoy my senior year of baseball and basketball without much pressure at all.

PBR: Was there one deciding factor that put your choice over the top?
AMMONS: The biggest bonus that choosing Mercer has is that tuition will not be burdensome on my parents. The coaching staff was very generous with my scholarship offer and there are still some academic scholarships that could help out as well. Graduating college without debt is very important to me.

PBR: Who has helped you the most to get to where you are today?
AMMONS: There is no way that I would be where I am at today without the help of my parents. They’ve been my biggest supporters and have always believed in me. My coaches at Hit Dawg Academy have also played a huge role in my life for the last five years.

PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? Was it easy/difficult?
AMMONS: My expectations about the recruiting process were that it would be quick and easy. This wasn’t the case at all. I spent six long weeks playing in Georgia this summer with the East Cobb Patriots. The team was full of players from around the country who were looking to play ball for schools with high academics. At the end of the day it was all worth it.

PBR: What plans does the coaching staff have in store for you in your freshman season?
AMMONS: I will have the opportunity to get playing time right away if I hit the ball well enough. They have a returning shortstop and third baseman so they would likely put me somewhere in the outfield or first base if they want my bat in the lineup. I will have the opportunity to play shortstop after my freshman year.

PBR: What is your most memorable baseball moment to date?
AMMONS: My most memorable baseball moment is for sure winning the VFW state championship two summers ago. It is the only time I have ever won a championship and doing it with such a great group of guys made it all that much better. We were all about that hustle, loyalty, and respect.

PBR: Who is the best player that you have competed against?
AMMONS: The best player I have ever played against was a guy from Atlanta named Sylvester Toe, but we all call him Sly. He ended up hitting almost .450 this summer and only struck out like five times. He hit one of the hardest line drives I have ever seen right to me at shortstop and my coach had to take me out because my hand swelled up after catching it. He’s going to University of Alabama Birmingham and will probably start at a freshman.

Q&A With Mercer Commit: '16 Jordan Ammons, SS, Cretin-Derham Hall

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