June 17, 2009

Former Wolverine Mitch Jones became just the second Utah Valley player to appear in a Major League Baseball game when he pinch-hit for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.

Jones made his debut with an at-bat in the bottom of the seventh inning in front of a standing ovation from the Dodger Stadium crowd. He worked the count full against Oakland A's righthander Michael Weurtz and, after fouling off one pitch, struck out on a change-up.

Jones played for Utah Valley and former head coach Steve Gardner for two seasons (1997 & 1998) and amassed 41 career home runs. That number stands as both the juco and Division I school records at UVU.

After completing his career in Orem, Jones played for Arizona State, where he still holds the school's single-season home run record with 27 in 2000.

Jones spent 10 years in the Minors and Japan. This season while playing for the Albuquerque Isotopes, he is tied for the Pacific Coast League lead with 21 home runs.

Although it's his first appearance in the Big Leagues, Jones did spend one day with the New York Yankees and then-manager Joe Torre in 2006. He didn't appear in the game though and was sent back to Triple-A a day later.

Kam Mickolio was the first Utah Valley player to appear in a MLB game, doing so in 2008 for the Baltimore Orioloes. Mickolio remains on the Orioles' 40-man roster and is currently pitching in Triple-A in Norfolk, Virginia. He is 2-3 with a 3.96 ERA this season.