Jared Mitchell (baseball)

Jared Christopher Mitchell (born October 13, 1988) is a baseball outfielder for the Chicago White Sox organization. Mitchell is currently a member of the Birmingham Barons, the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.

Biography
Mitchell attended Westgate High School, where Baseball America picked him as the No. 3 high school athlete and 43rd-best overall high school baseball prospect in the nation for 2006.

Mitchell turned down a $700,000 signing bonus from the Minnesota Twins in order to attend LSU after being selected by the club in the 10th round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft.

""They came at me hard but kept [the offer] around the same as the original," Mitchell said. "I had a number in my head, and they never got there. It's a great organization; things just didn't work out when we had a chance to do something. Who knows what will happen three years down the line?""

Mitchell played for both the LSU Tigers baseball team and the LSU Tigers football team. He was awarded the College World Series Most Outstanding Player for his play during the 2009 College World Series which was won by the LSU Tigers. He also played on the 2007 LSU BCS National Championship football team as a wide receiver. He is a rare two-sport college national champion along with LSU baseball and football teammate Chad Jones.

Professional career
Mitchell was drafted in the first round ( overall) of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft by the Chicago White Sox. White Sox scouting director Doug Laumann was familiar with Mitchell because he played the previous two summers in an amateur league near Laumann's Cincinnati-area residence. He began his professional career with the Kannapolis Intimidators, the Class A affiliate of the White Sox. He finished the season with a .296 AVG, 12 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 0 HRs, 10 RBI, 5 SBs, 23 BBs and 40 Ks in 115 at bats. On March 16, 2010 Mitchell underwent surgery to repair a tear of the tendon in his left ankle; he missed the entire season. He returned to play in 2011 in Class A-Advanced ball for the Winston-Salem Dash in North Carolina. He finished the 2011 season batting .222 AVG, 31 2Bs, 8 3Bs, 9 HRs, 58 RBI, 14 SBs, 52 BBs and 183 Ks in 477 at bats. In 2012, Mitchell moved up to Double-A Birmingham Barons. Later in the 2012 season Mitchell was promoted to Triple-A Charlotte Knights. Mitchell finished the 2012 season hitting a combined .237 AVG, 24 2Bs, 13 3Bs, 11 HRs, 67 RBI, 21 SBs, 78 BBs and 179 Ks in 455 at bats. Mitchell started the 2013 season with Triple-A Charlotte but after hitting .132 AVG in his first 53 at bats, he was demoted back to Double-A Birmingham.

Awards

 * 2008 NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team
 * 2008 Second-Team All-Louisiana
 * SEC Freshman of the Week (Feb. 26, 2007)