New York Yankees Select E-W's Austin Jones

Edmonds-Woodway High School baseball standout Austin Jones on Tuesday was selected by the New York Yankees in Major League Baseball's annual draft. Jones was selected in the seventh round with the 239th pick.

Jones, a 6'1" senior, set two team records and tied for a third this year while leading the Warriors. He batted .568 with a .667 on-base average, both tops in E-W history. His 39 RBI tied a record set in 2004 by Jake Beattiger.

Jones, 18, is a first-baseman who also catches and pitches.

This season, the Warriors finished fifth at state with a record of 17-8. Their last games was a 5-2 loss to Bothell.  In that game, Jones hit a 2-run home run in the first inning.

Jones has already accepted a scholarship to play baseball at the University of Arizona, so he has to decide whether he wants to follow that route or sign a contract with the Yankees.

Jones was the highest pick among Washington high school players on Tuesday.

On Monday, the first day of the draft, Shorewood High School standout pitcher was chosen by the Tampa Bay Rays with the 52nd pick.

Jones is the first player from E-W to be selected in the MLB since Blaine Hardy was selected in 2008.

The highest pick is E-W history came in 1999 when pitcher Gerik Baxter was selected with the 28th pick by the San Diego Padres. He signed for $1.1 million and played for three minor-league teams in 1999 and 2000.

Tragically, Baxter was killed in a car crash in July 2001 near Indio, Calif., when his truck crashed after one of its rear tires blew out. Also killed in the crash was Baxter's former E-W teammate, Mark Hilde.