This season, JaCoby Jones has made a case that he deserves to be a staple in the Detroit Tigers’ outfield for seasons to come.
In Spring Training of this year, it was unclear if JaCoby Jones would have a role with the 2018 Detroit Tigers. Jones was given an extended look in center field last season, but he struggled at the plate. Over the offseason, the Tigers decided to sign Leonys Martin to play center field.
However, Jones had a huge Spring Training, hitting .354/.415/.542 and two home runs. He also showed off his versatility this spring, taking ground balls in the infield in addition to receiving work in the outfield. Jones was able to earn a spot on the roster as a utility man/extra outfielder.
Early on in 2018, Jones continued swinging a rather hot bat into the regular season. He had a nice month of April, hitting .273/.338/.455 with a pair of homers over 74 plate appearances. His bat has cooled off considerably since then, and he is now hitting just .206/.261/.357 (66 OPS+) with seven homers and 22 RBI. Strikeouts have remained an issue and his K rate currently sits at 30.5 percent.
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While his offense has been a bit up and down, Jones has consistently been able to make a difference with his glove this season. He has been credited with a very impressive 19 defensive runs saved and a 14.0 UZR/150 in the outfield. Even though his offense has taken a bit of a nosedive as of late, he has still been worth 1.3 bWAR.
Jones has spent the majority of his time in left field this season, but has also received quite a bit of work in center. It appears quite possible that center field is still in his future as well.
With the non-waiver trade deadline right around the corner, there has been some speculation that the Tigers could try to trade Martin. Even if Martin, who is eligible for arbitration over the winter, is not traded, there is not a guarantee that he will be back next season either. Obviously, Martin’s departure could open up center field for Jones.
The Tigers do a have a terrific prospect in Daz Cameron, who could be the center fielder of the future. However, Jones would be a great option to hold down the fort in the meantime. Of course, the Tigers would probably like to see Jones’ bat perk up again, but with the type of defense he plays, he doesn’t need to be a .300 hitter.
Jones has also proven that power is a part of his game. He should be able to reach double digits in the home run department this year, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him evolve into a player who can hit 20 home runs per season at some point down the road. With a combination of speed, power and impeccable defense, he could be an impact player for Detroit.
While the Tigers are clearly in the middle of a rebuilding process, there have certainly been a few bright spots for the team this year. This way that Jones has played, particularly from a defensive standpoint, has been one of them.