Why silence and focus make Star-Banner Pitcher of the Year Hunter Jones so competitive

Hunter Jones has a presence on the mound. The slender 6-foot-3 right-handed pitcher with a 92-mile-per hour fast ball is a daunting figure from 60 feet away.

His chains sparkle under the bright ballpark lights. There’s a piercing scowl on his face as he stares down a batter. His aura exudes confidence. It's what you'd expect from a University of Florida baseball commit.

If game day is your first time meeting Jones, you won’t recognize him on an off day. His swagger and chains are still present, but a smile replaces his scowl.

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The same guy who prepares by siloing himself from every distraction, including his teammates, is a man of the people any other time. His teammates understand the switch in personality is necessary.

The intensity he brings on game day isn't meant for teammates. Yet, it's so contagious that the guys behind him match his fire.

“Hunter is an absolute competitor on the mound,” North Marion pitching coach Garrison Vandeventer said. “You hear people say bulldog, but he actually is.”

Vandeventer has known Jones for his entire four-year varsity career. He remembers the first day Hunter walked into the dugout. He was 135 pounds soaking wet with a promising future.

In those days his love for competition was pointed at himself. When he made a mistake, his harshest critic was within.

Things that he’d dismiss with a blink today would weigh on him for several innings in earlier seasons. As much as his velocity improved over his career, a bigger factor may be his mental toughness. He’s become a more resilient person on the mound because of it.

On game days you won’t hear much from Jones. He doesn’t completely disconnect from his teammates—they’ll still get a fist bump or two when they return to the dugout. But there’s a calm focus that those around him see before every game he pitches.

“Hunter is the ultimate competitor,” North Marion head baseball coach Dale Hall said. “He prepares like no other. He wants to excel in everything he does.”

His concentration goes farther than moving on from a blunder. It’s created a mind-body connection that surprised his coach on several occasions.

Jones felt like something was wrong with his follow through midway through the season. Vandeventer didn’t see it during the game, reassuring Jones he was having a good outing.

The next day the two watched film to find Jones’ final step was a few inches away from his normal path. That’s the attention to detail that lies in Jones. To feel something so small that a coach who’s been around the game for 20 years and played college ball didn’t notice in the moment.

Things like that make Jones a special prospect. Usually, only athletes at the highest level demonstrate that level of mindfulness.

Jones is doing it as an 18-year-old.

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Meet the Ocala Star-Banner 2023 Pitcher of the year Hunter Jones