the lineup card: Season 2; vol 3
Growing up in the Chicago area instills a different level of toughness in young ballplayers. They bundle up in jackets during the early spring and late fall seasons, braving the biting windchill just to stay on the field a little bit longer. Those who want to practice year-round are forced to spend a sizable chunk of that time indoors. Partially due to these reasons, the prep baseball scene there is smaller than it is in more temperate climates like California, where college and pro prospects are found in higher volume. But that is not the only obstacle in the way of these players.
The Windy City tends to be painted in a negative light due to its high crime rate, which in turn, has overshadowed a lot of the good being done in local communities. In 2013, now-former Major League outfielder Curtis Granderson donated $5 million to help fund a brand new ballpark at his alma mater, the University of Illinois at Chicago. The agreement between Granderson and the trustees set up the venue to be used not only for UIC Flames baseball games but also for events put on by Chicago public schools and local youth organizations, aiming to promote diversity and revive baseball in the inner cities.
Six years earlier, the White Sox Amateur City Elite (ACE) program was founded to work toward that same goal, offering resources and mentorship to pull local kids away from dangerous distractions. The program has produced 134 college commitments and 21 draft picks, including Diamondbacks outfielder Alek Thomas, Padres first-rounder Dillon Head, and former Rangers farmhand Darius Day, who returned to White Sox ACE to mentor the next generation after an injury cut his playing career short. Two of the brightest standouts currently in the program are 17-year-old catcher Sir Jamison Jones and 16-year-old outfielder Ezra Essex, a pair of Division I commits aiming to beat the odds and make it to the pros.
“Looking at baseball, you don’t see a lot of guys coming from Chicago. It’s already kind of hard because you know, African Americans…you don’t see them the most in the major leagues,” Essex explained over the phone.
Both Essex and Jones grew up playing games at Les Miller Field at Curtis Granderson Stadium, which features an artificial turf playing surface, a press box, a padded outfield wall, and a beautiful view of the Chicago skyline from home plate. Each day, their coaches poured values into them and set a standard of excellence. Despite so many pros giving back, local players still have to overcome the stereotypical narratives that follow their hometown.
“You hear, ‘Oh, he’s a good athlete but we don’t know if his hitting ability is there because he’s coming from Illinois,’” Essex said. He recalled reading his own scouting reports after hitting around .400 in back-to-back events – none of which called him a good hitter.
Essex chooses not to be upset by it. Instead, he views it as another test for Chicago players to prove they can overcome anything. Similarly, Jones views the apparent disadvantage of spending offseasons indoors as a good thing.
“Not having the opportunity to play outside year-round, it makes you more hungry to get that experience on the field,” Jones said. “You really cherish it once you have it.”
Meet Jamo
In the comfort of his home, he answers to the name Jamison, while among friends, he’s affectionately known as “Jamo.” Yet, when you encounter the name Sir Jamison, one thing becomes abundantly clear — it embodies a profound sense of respect.
“My dad came up with it,” Jones explained. “They kind of thought, ‘Well, Sir kind of demands respect from everybody. If he’s going to be called Sir by everybody, there’s the respect factor right there.”
Jones grew up alongside a tight-knit family in Blue Island, Illinois. At the age of 3, his father signed him up for baseball, throwing him immediately into the fire against third graders rather than compete with his own age group. Overwhelmed by the talent gap at first, Jones stuck with it and felt determined to figure out how to keep up with the big boys, which ultimately sparked his love for the game.
“When you’re around older kids, it allows you to mature a lot quicker than everyone else,” Jones said. Even as a 10-year-old on a 13U team, the coaches treated him no differently. “Hitting was the hardest part for me and to this day, it still is because learning to swing is like a 1,000-piece puzzle. There’s always something that needs to be switched around or moved to make it fit.”
Being the youngest kid on the team followed him all the way to High School. He started on the Varsity team as a sophomore, which was a bumpy road in the beginning. Jones felt so much pressure to impress others that after not performing well in one of his first games, he broke a bat over his knee out of frustration as soon as he got home. As he settled in and started getting recruited, that pressure slowly faded away.
The first school to show legitimate interest was Illinois State. They called him every week for a couple of months straight and made an early offer. Since other colleges were hesitant to reach out, Jones and his family knew that the best place for him was to go where he is truly wanted.
As soon as he committed, the weight on his shoulders instantly lifted. Rather than worrying about impressing others, he could finally play freely knowing his college future is secured. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound catcher saw his production take off, emerging into one of the most feared high school sluggers in his home state. As a junior at St. Rita, Jones finished with three home runs, 10 doubles, 44 RBI and a .410 batting average in 37 games, according to MaxPreps.
Jones also shined on the national stage. He was invited to participate in the MLB Dream Series, Breakthrough Series, States Play and the Hank Aaron Invitational. Each opportunity offered him the ability to receive elite-level training from former Major League players and coaches, while also getting exposure from top scouts in the game. Many of these events, which took place a Major League stadiums and complexes, were televised.
At the MLB Dream Series, a showcase event focused on the dynamics of pitching and catching for predominantly African-American athletes, Jones worked closely with former World Series-winning manager Mike Scioscia and four-time Gold Glove Award-winning catcher Charles Johnson. To Jones’ surprise, he was asked to do a live TV segment on MLB Network with Harold Reynolds and Chris Young that same day. He remembered shaking nervously as they asked him questions, while former Dream Series participant and current Reds flamethrower Hunter Greene waited nearby to hop on the next segment before meeting him.
As Jones shined and his status as a prospect took off, other schools inevitably tried to recruit him late. Jones, who already made a firm commitment to Illinois State, was having none of it.
“If you’re just gonna try and pick me up at the last moment when you see that I panned out, too late. You lost your pick,” Jones laughed. Without naming names, he confirmed that the schools jumping in late are considered much bigger than Illinois State. “This is what could’ve been but you guys didn’t want to make it happen. Here’s a little treat for you to reminisce on what you could’ve had,” he thinks whenever he plays in front of them now.
Meet Ezra
Ezra Essex, raised on the south side of Chicago, spent the majority of his formative years bonding with his older brother, CJ. During this time, their mother stayed in the hospital by the side of their sister, Daj, who bravely battled and eventually overcame sickle cell disease.
Rather than remain in the house, the boys would frequently meet their neighborhood friend group at the high school gym to play pickup basketball. Ezra, who was nine years younger than the rest, mostly stood in the corner waiting for a rare open shot. As he got older and worked his way up, Ezra became more competitive with the others and started getting the ball more. Ultimately, those experiences taught him how to adapt and succeed in challenging situations.
“Once you get to high school or college or pros, you’re not going to be playing all guys your age,” Essex realized. “You gotta be able to hang with guys no matter how old they are and not have excuses.”
Similar to Jones, Essex first played baseball as a four-year-old kid on a team with six-year-olds, one of which being future 2023 first-rounder Dillon Head. Over the years, he followed Head’s footsteps, joining the White Sox ACE program at age 12 and training with the same people.
Essex, who is also a speedy outfielder, models parts of his game after his lifelong friend and shares many similarities. So much so, that he earned himself a nickname from Jamo – “Baby Dillon.”
“We played this game called the Double Duty Classic and I hit an absolute rod of a line drive to the left-center gap…out of nowhere, here comes Ezra from center field who makes a sliding catch and robs me of my hit,” Jones recalled with both awe and frustration. The impressive robbery reminded him of an identical highlight catch that Head made earlier that high school season. “I was like, ‘there’s no way…this kid’s Baby Dillon,’ and it stuck.”
Drawing comparisons to a first-round pick is never a bad thing, so it is no surprise that top schools began lining up to show interest in Essex during his 15U summer. However, he was forced to miss the first few tournaments after getting plunked in the face by a 92 mph heater near the end of his freshman season, fracturing his jaw and delaying his recruitment. He admittedly tried to do too much once he returned, struggling to adjust to the many college eyes scouting him every game. Eventually, he settled in, drawing multiple offers from Division I schools and camp invites to Vanderbilt and Oklahoma State.
From the moment Essex stepped on the Oklahoma State campus, he knew that was where he wanted to be, despite not knowing much about the area prior to his visit.
“When I got down there and walked into the stadium, it was just a different energy,” Essex described, watching the team scrimmage the day before the camp. “It’s kind of like a brotherhood. Watching those guys play, you could tell they were passionate about the game and the coaches let them have fun.”
That night in the hotel, Essex prayed for the opportunity to showcase his abilities and impress the coaching staff. He woke up feeling great the next morning – his mind was clear, he ran a quick 60-yard dash and hit really well. On the field, he talked to eventual 2023 Yankees draft pick Roc Riggio, who raved about the facilities and the closeness of the team.
Essex also talked with assistant coaches Blake Kangas and Justin Seely, who later retired. They showed sincere interest in learning about his life, from playing basketball with his older brother to his experience in school. Asked which basketball players he compared himself to, Essex answered with Russell Westbrook and prime Derrick Rose. Then they asked the same question for baseball. His answer? Trea Turner.
“I see Mookie Betts,” Seely told Essex, who soon realized just how similar their swings are. From the way they load, getting the bat through the zone, and even the way they leave the batter’s box – it looks eerily close. Essex, who stands 5-foot-9 like Betts, has closely studied the approaches of guys his size in the pros. He learned his two-strike approach from watching Orioles infielder Adam Frazier consistently shoot the ball over the second baseman’s head. Essex possesses a high-level baseball IQ and understanding of his own mechanics, which allows him to hang with bigger guys on the field without any issues.
Essex announced his commitment to Oklahoma State in the beginning of February. In May, a new rule went into effect prohibiting any communication between coaches and potential recruits until Aug. 1 before the player’s junior year of high school, leaving Essex in the dark for a few months.
“My high school season was stressful. I didn’t know who to talk to about it,” Essex said, noting that he fell into a slump to begin his sophomore year. After the consistent conversations with his future coaching staff stopped, he began overthinking and was worried that they would lose interest. His father assured him that the Cowboys recruited him for a reason, and even if they no longer liked him, they would figure it out together.
After a strong finish to the season, Essex received a text from head coach Josh Holliday right when Aug. 1 hit, telling him he looked really good during the summer and he was excited to see him at the Area Code games. Finally, Essex was reassured — Oklahoma State never stopped liking him.
Envisioning a big league future
Jones and Essex have grown very close playing in the ACE and MLB Develops programs over the years, despite being in separate age groups. Whenever one of them is struggling at the plate, they know they can turn to each other for help. Just recently, Essex texted “Hitting Coach Jamo” a video of himself striking out, since Jones has a great eye for mechanical fixes. Jones noticed that he was starting his swing a bit late, telling Essex to sit back and let his hands work. The very next game, everything was back on time.
Even after beginning their pro careers, Padres first-rounder Dillon Head and 2021 Giants 11th-rounder Donovan McIntyre are just as willing to give Jones and Essex advice. All four grew up together in the Chicago area and became friends through the ACE program.
“It helps to gain knowledge from people who are in the position you’re trying to get to,” Head wrote in a text, adding that he was in their position not long ago.
Two years away from graduating and receiving draft eligibility, Essex recently transferred from Marian Catholic to P27 Baseball Academy in Lexington, South Carolina. The academy attracts players from all over the country and world, giving them an on-campus living experience, similar to college, while providing top-tier training resources and a competitive schedule. Most of the classes and assignments are online, but they do meet in the classroom with teachers for extra help. Those who skip class must ride five miles on the exercise bike, and anyone whose average grade falls below 80 cannot play.
Reflecting on the past year, Essex is blown away by all of the experiences he has had. From committing to Oklahoma State to playing at Guaranteed Rate Field, where he grew up watching games from the crowd. As he stood on first base, he imagined his childhood hero Paul Konerko holding him on. In center field, he looked to his left and right, picturing Jermaine Dye and Carlos Quentin sharing the outfield with him.
“I’m just thankful and I hope it shows other kids who watch my Instagram or Twitter that a lot of stuff is possible if you work hard,” Essex said. The Chicago native has a lot of love for programs like White Sox ACE that give kids opportunities to live out these dreams, even if they do not make it all the way to the majors. “Hopefully I get back there when I play pro ball.”
Jones, who is one year ahead, is only 10 months away from officially becoming an Illinois State Red Bird. Late interest from other schools is unlikely to prevent him from signing there, but one thing could alter his future plans – the 2024 MLB Draft.
**UPDATE: Sir Jamison Jones reopened his recruitment on Oct. 23 and announced his commitment to join Ezra Essex at Oklahoma State University on Nov. 8.
Reality hit him when one of his Illinois State coaches called him up saying they needed to talk about the possibility. That reality continued to intensify within the last few weeks, as his phone blew up with texts from pro scouts asking him if he was going to be at the World Wood Bat tournament in Jupiter. “Save my number,” some told him. He has been receiving so many messages that his mother compared him to a high school jock who gets attention from all the girls.
Jones has drawn countless comparisons to Charles Johnson, whom he has gotten to know personally and learn from. He asks the former Gold Glove recipient about dealing with pressure, blocking techniques behind the plate, and what to do with runners in scoring position.
“If it wasn’t for guys like Charles Johnson and Lenny Webster, who were the only African American catchers in the league when they played, lord knows I wouldn’t probably be catching,” Jones confidently said. “I’m grateful they were able to blaze a trail for me and the guys who are coming after me. Anybody can do it. It’s just, do you really want to do it? You gotta have the want to.”
With so much pressure and expectations, it is easy for Jones to fall back into the tension that consumed his mind as a sophomore. He avoids it by relying on five simple words that his high school coach shared with him.
“Be where your feet are.”
Right now, his feet are in High School, trying to enjoy what is left of his senior year. He takes his mind off the future by falling back on his other interests in his free time, which include hunting, fishing, and playing video games with Essex. Once July rolls around, the right-handed slugger from Illinois plans on staying grounded no matter the destination.
“That’s just the first stepping stone. There’s still many more levels of pro ball to come after that,” Jones said about possibly hearing his name called in the draft. “Man, I’m gonna be an emotional wreck, but at the same time, it’s like, you’re still not there yet. You know? This is only an appetizer of what is to come.”