Jordyn Adams: Turning Support into Success

Two young African American outfielders with world-class athletic makeups that were drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the first round of the MLB Draft from high schools in North Carolina - it’s easy to see why Jordyn Adams and Jo Adell have kindled a robust relationship in the Salt Lake Bees’ clubhouse this season. The two young stars, making up two-thirds of a Bees outfield selected in the first round, have had wildly different paths in their professional baseball careers. Adell, picked with the tenth overall selection in 2017, was touted as a top prospect in all of baseball and quickly debuted in the Big Leagues. Adams, picked with the 17th overall selection in 2018, has had a gradual climb, making his first Triple-A appearance in 2023 but has yet to appear in an MLB game. With an Angels outfield featuring the likes of future hall-of-famer Mike Trout, corner players totaling nearly $15,000,000 in annual salary, and a designated hitter spot dominated by Shohei Ohtani, you might think Salt Lake would be the site for a ruthless competition between young guys vying for limited spots. Well, don’t be surprised to hear that Adams and Adell are close friends, throwing partners and golf buddies, talking every day about how they can help each other improve.

If you ask Jordyn, he found “a brotherhood in this clubhouse that you don’t find in many other places … We make the job easier for each other.” Adell is one of the many factors that’s played into his success this year, but Jordyn’s approach to the newest stage of his career is defined by maturity, consistency and balance. Recently engaged with a wedding planned for February, he’s come a long way from the 18-year-old that walked-off the Under Armour All-America game and caught passes from Trevor Lawrence at the U.S. Army All-American game in the same year without knowing which sport he’d ultimately pursue. He comes out of the box with every tool you could ask for and a pedigree that makes professional scouts salivate. Hidden among a laundry list of athletic accolades is a nugget that demonstrates his potential in sports - Adams is one of three athletes in history to be named an Under Armour All-American in both football and baseball. The other two…NFL pro bowlers Kyler Murray and A.J. Brown. His father is the defensive line coach at the University of Arkansas, and his mother was a college basketball player at Southern Mississippi. When asked about the impact that his parents have had on his career, he talks about his understanding of the business of sports, the importance of well-roundedness and the ability to see a management perspective. Adams is embracing the intellectual side of baseball, saying, “I used to just be out there playing, now I’m fully committed to embracing the mental side of the game.” He’ll also tell you how his two-sport background contributed to his success. “I brought my football mindset over to baseball … It's a killer mentality.”

460-ft mammoth for Jordyn Adams!@Angels | @SaltLakeBees pic.twitter.com/58mNKXjFPZ

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) April 14, 2023

It can be hard to find motivation when you’ve dominated every athletic endeavor available to you, but that’s not a problem for the phenom from Green Hope High School in Cary, North Carolina. “Disrespect [motivates me]. I had the narrative that I couldn’t hit, but I just hadn’t played at this level of competition ever. If you tell me I can't do something, just give me some time and you’ll see.” He attributes much of his mentality to his fiancée, “I come back to home cooked meals, she’s there for me to vent and sees when I’m not having a good day. She’s had a huge impact. I tell her all the time that what attracted me to ask her to marry me was that she does the things my mom always did. She’s my home away from home.” In addition to having the maturity at 23 years old to depend on relationships in his personal life, Adams also looks inward to his relationship with his faith for strength. “My faith keeps me levelheaded. It keeps me here. I had a year where I lost my head and was playing the worst baseball I’ve ever played in my life. My faith centered me.”

Baseball is rarely the first sport considered when evaluating peak athleticism in America, but Adams is a perfect example of the modern player with dynamic movement at the forefront of his game. He ranks highly in sprint speed, both on the bases and in the outfield, reaching nearly 22 miles per hour on a putout in late April. He also leads the team in stolen bases with 13, good for the #2 spot in the league. Adams is deriving strength from his friends, fans, family, faith and focus with a trajectory pointing towards a career in The Show. Even with a developing maturity beyond his years, he doesn’t lose sight of the attitude that put him in this position - when asked about his mindset on the basepaths and in life, “Score.”