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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

Landon Jones carved out his own story in his family’s long history at Billingsley High School by signing a scholarship to play college baseball at Coastal Alabama Community College North in April.

Jones arrived in 2022 when his father Lanny Jones took the head coaching position of the school’s football program. Lanny, along with his wife Angela, were both graduates from Billingsley and wanted to bring their family back to their roots. Jones embraced those roots and the Bear way. He wants to continue to have the same effort and work ethic he has developed at Billingsley at Coastal North, and he believes that stems from coming from a big Class 6A school before his move to Class 1A Billingsley.

“I kind of had that pressure on me, which I was ready to accept because I want that pressure, I want it all on me,” Jones said. “I like the pressure on me because I want to be able to do what I need to do. Bases loaded, two outs, I want to be up to bat and make sure I will my team. I want to keep doing that down there.”

Leadership and knowledge of the game were some highlights of what Billingsley head baseball coach Jeffrey Alexander detailed of what Jones brought to the Bears during his career.

“Him being a quarterback on the football field, he brought that to the baseball field as a catcher and he really helped us out a lot,” Alexander said.

Jones put time in outside of regular practices and games and was dedicated to his craft that made him a standout for the Bears. Jones worked with the pitchers thoroughly so when the time came for their turn in the rotation he was able to still man the infield and call the game based on his pitcher’s style and preferences.

Jones takes pride in his defense at the catching position, and he has no interest in playing the field and not getting a ball but every fourth or fifth batter. He wants in the action at all times, and he gets that as a catcher. Jones is passionate about making sure he makes his pitchers look as good as he can, always looking to frame pitches well and possibly steal a strike or two throughout any given game.

“This is just a kid that loves baseball, and he is always putting the work in,” Alexander said. “Having a good catcher with a great arm behind the plate slows down the running game. Not a lot of guys stole on us … When you are able to hold the other team from taking extra bases it really helps you out with the good pitching staff we had.”

Jones visited a few colleges during his recruitment, but coach Matt Collins at Coastal stood out to him during the process and drew him to the Coyotes program.

“Coach Collins is a good guy and makes sure he follows up on his words, and I think it is going to be a pretty good place,” Jones said. “I know he is going to help me grow into not only a great baseball player but the man I want to be.”