King applied everything his dad taught him about the game and took his talents to the next level and received an academic and athletic scholarship to attend Kansas State University. Between 2011-2013, he batted .340, with 43 doubles, 22 home runs and 140 RBI’s. In 2012, as a sophomore he was named the Big 12 regular season batting champ with a .378 batting average. King shared with me how he felt about playing college baseball, “Playing in college was great. Playing in the prestigious Big 12 conference really prepared me for my professional career,” says the outfield prospect.
While playing in college, he also felt his brother was a big influence in his life, “I played with my brother for a year at Kansas State and he got drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2011. He taught me how to be an adult and manage my time as well as play my best on the field.”
In 2013, the Mets signed King in the 5th round of the June Amateur Draft out of Kansas State, and on the date he was drafted he shares what his reaction was to being picked up by the Mets, “I was in a hotel room getting ready for our super regional game versus Oregon State. I was super excited and couldn’t wait to get started.”
That same season, the Mets sent him to play with the Brooklyn Cyclones (A-) and he enjoyed every bit of it including the fans, “The fan base in Brooklyn is great. There are so many die-hard fans that are super nice and loyal. Definitely the best place to be in the Penn League.”
In his first season playing pro baseball, he batted .266/.365/.347, with 15 doubles, a home run, 21 RBI’s, and 35 walks, in 264 plate appearances. King has had many mentors along his journey and playing in Brooklyn brought him closer to another, “Coach Rich Donnelly really helped me mature not only on the field but as a man. He taught me how to go about my business and be a true professional,” says King.
Now that King has his first pro season under his belt, he looks to continue with his development and is thankful for how the Mets have handled his first season, “The Mets have helped me tremendously. They understand what tools I bring to the table and already have helped me develop them even more.”
The Mets have made some great draft signings over the past few years, and outfielder Jared King is just another smart move by the organization when scouting and drafting players. It’s no wonder that the farm system was ranked 6th in the majors by Keith Law and in the coming years, probably will be the top farm system in the majors.
Enjoy the rest of interview:
David – Were you satisfied with your progress in your first season in pro ball and what do you feel you need to work on?
Jared – I felt like I had a decent showing for my first season. I can always work on my throwing and defense but I want to keep developing my swing so I can be as productive as possible.
David – What have you done this off season to prepare you for your first spring training?
Jared – I have worked really hard in the weight room and in the cage to reach my full potential.
David – What are you looking forward to the most this spring?
Jared – I’m looking forward to getting started and meeting new teammates.
David – Jared this question comes from one of our loyal readers.
Tommyb – What can you do to try and add more power to your game going forward?
Jared – That is something I have been working on this off season especially in the weight room. I’ve put on some serious muscle and changed some of my hitting mechanics to really improve my power.
David – Thanks Jared for your time and just one last question, is there anything you would like to share with the Mets fans?
Jared – I cant wait to get started on the 2014 season. Go Mets!
