The Tigers have signed infielder/outfielder Jahmai Jones to a minor league deal, per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. The ACES client will receive an invite to major league spring training and will make a salary of $810K if he cracks the big league roster.
The 27-year-old Jones was once a notable prospect but he hasn’t yet had an extended big league opportunity, despite generally performing well in the minors. He spent most of 2024 with the Yankees, though in a fairly limited role. They claimed him off waivers from the Brewers in February, but he had exhausted his option years and needed to remain on the roster. The Yanks kept him around for over four months but only gave him 47 plate appearances in that time. He was outrighted off the roster in early August.
Jones now has a poor .198/.257/.278 batting line in his big league career, though in 137 plate appearances scattered across four different seasons. After being outrighted by the Yanks, he produced a robust line of .304/.390/.490 in 34 Triple-A games, leading to a 131 wRC+. This gives him a line of .276/.408/.471 over 564 Triple-A plate appearances in the past two years.
He hasn’t been able to bring that kind of production to the majors yet, but there’s no harm in a minor league deal and he’s a sensible guy to take a shot on. He was a second-round pick of the Angels in 2015 and got some top 100 prospect love in the years after that. Despite the many years that have transpired since then, he is still fairly young and has continued to put up good numbers on the farm.
He would be a fine fit for just about any club on a minor league deal but he could be an especially good fit for the Tigers, since he’s a right-handed hitter who has mostly played second base and the outfield in his career. The Tigers have a lefty swinger at the keystone in Colt Keith while their outfield mix includes lefties Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, Parker Meadows and Akil Baddoo. They also have Jace Jung likely to be at third, Trey Sweeney at shortstop and Zach McKinstry in a utility role, each of those three also being left-handed.
Perhaps there’s a path for Jones to serve as a right-handed complement to that group in a multi-positional role. If he eventually cracks the roster, he is out of options but has less than a year of service time, meaning he can be cheaply retained for future seasons as well.
In the minor leagues Jahmai would stand by third base after Sunday games and high five kids who ran the bases.
You have to root for a guy like that.
Great attitude in the Yankees dugout last season. Bat no so much.
That’s great. Attending a minor league game is a whole other baseball experience in all the best ways.
Detroit teams are all getting smarter at the same. This move has a ton of upside. I think Jones will be Andy Dirks 2.0 and play solid, winning baseball.
Lol
never saw what soamy teams saw in JJ. he was AAA org depth for Baltimore but really couldn’t establish himself in the Bigs. maybe Detroit will unlock and we’ll see the talent blossom.
Get ready for this to be the extent of the type of moves the Tigers make. Chris Illitch is not his dad and will not spend. Criminal.
Teams are finalizing their 40 man rosters. This move has nothing to do with Illitch spending?
Based on what? All indications from what I’ve read indicate they will spend.
Chris Illitch hasn’t said it. Harris hasn’t said it. What are these “indications” you speak of?
I’d love to see it happen.
Every Tigers related article out there links them to free agents. Harris did say that Ilitch will spend when they are competitive and they just made the playoffs and won a playoff round. Harris said that they need a right handed bat and starting pitching. I agree it would be great and I’d go further and say it needs to happen this offseason.
I like this signing. I’ve been hoping they would take a flier on him for a few years now. Hope he puts it together.
Worst case, Toledo still needs to field a team too.
I doubt Trey Sweeney will see much time with the Tigers in 2025. He’s the equivalent of Zach Short. Hits too little to be on a team expected to contend for the playoffs.
I’m still in on Ryan Kreidler. I know he’s a capable hitter. I believe injuries stunted his growth. Now that he’s had some extended time in the bigs and now an offseason where he’s healthy, I expect him to be the top contender to play on the left side of the diamond.
Sweeney has earned the right to battle for SS, this spring. His play, contributed to the Tigers run, at the end of the season.
Light hitting infielders are a dime a dozen. He only hit .218 in the latter half of the season. In the playoffs, he hit a cool .091. That’s why my expectations are super low.
But, you’re right in that he deserves a chance. That’s what Spring Training is for.
I am not sure Sweeney is an every day answer at SS, but I know Baez is not the answer.
Shame Kim hurt his shoulder he would have been a perfect hedge at SS and 3b
Kreidler hasn’t hit since 2021 in the majors or minors. Sweeney hit well in the minors and his scouting reports were that he would be a good bat with a questionable glove. His glove was great, his bat should come around as he gets familiar with pitchers in the majors.
Kriedler was hurt and lost huge parts of two seasons. That’s why he didn’t hit. Coming back from those injuries and trying to hit MLB pitching when you never really learned how to hit MLB pitching is pretty much impossible.
While I agree with you on Kreidler needing more of an opportunity, Sweeney has at least a platoon role at SS.
Congratulations, Mr. Jones!
Isn’t this the guy Giraffe Neck Marc is obsessed with?
Gotta love it! Tigers saving $money$ – in an effort to hire…..
The…..
I would gladly take Sweeny back on the Yankees. Another bad Cashman trade.