Detroit Tigers: JaCoby Jones should be in Triple-A, not the infield

The Detroit Tigers are having center fielder JaCoby Jones take ground balls in an effort to be more versatile. His role, however, should be in Triple-A.

The Detroit Tigers are still filling out their bench in advance of Opening Day. Backup catcher John Hicks and Rule 5 selection Victor Reyes seem to have spots locked down. Likewise, veteran infielder Alexi Amarista seems very likely to earn the utility infielder role for the Tigers.

Assuming the Tigers carry four bench players, that leaves one more spot. Niko Goodrum, who is having a terrific spring, has earned a leg up on the rest of the competition. Part of Goodrum’s appeal is his versatility, as he has played every position on the diamond except pitcher and catcher.

The Tigers are challenging former shortstop turned center fielder JaCoby Jones to convert back to the infield as a way to make the team. Jones has MiLB experience at shortstop and third base, so theoretically the move could pay off and Jones could become a super-sub.

However, Detroit would be better off leaving Jones in Triple-A and giving the final roster spot to Goodrum or Ronny Rodriguez. Here’s why:

Hitting

JaCoby Jones is not ready to be a major league hitter. Plain and simple, that is why he needs to marinate more in the minor leagues. The man has shown flashes of brilliance both offensively and defensively. Look no further than opening day 2017, when Jones hit a home run and stole a base to kick off the campaign.

However, his hitting fell flat on it’s face soon after. He finished the season slashing an ugly .170/.240/.270 with three home runs and six stolen bases in 141 at-bats. Most notably, Jones struck out an astonishing 42.2% of the time. If opposing pitchers can strike him out nearly half the time he steps up to the plate, he is not ready to be a big league hitter.

Regardless of how elite his glove is, and how tantalizing his power/speed combo is, Jones will not be a big leaguer if he cannot control the strikeouts. The best way for him to work on that skill is through regular at-bats at Triple-A. Having him be a part-time player will only stunt his growth and could do irreparable damage to his swing.

Fielding

His defense has been lauded as exceptional in center field. Many feel that he could one day challenge for a Gold Glove at that position. So why stunt his development defensively to turn him into a utility player, especially when we already have utility options (like Goodrum) on hand?

Jones needs more time in the minor leagues mostly because of his hitting. But, if the Tigers view Jones as their potential CF of the future, why not let him play there everyday in Triple-A?

It’s possible the Tigers see upcoming Daz Cameron, Cam Gibson and/or Derek Hill as a threat to his position, and want him to develop into a permanent utility player. If that is the case, Jones should still develop his offensive profile at Triple-A, where he has only totaled 717 at-bats.

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Overall, JaCoby Jones absolutely has the potential to be an impact player for the Detroit Tigers. However, he has holes in his swing and is inexperienced in the outfield. As such, it makes more sense to let him iron that out at Triple-A instead of forcing him into a part-time role at the big league level.