Tigers sign former Yankees utility player who has close ties to Detroit

Emma Lingan

Houston Astros v New York Yankees / New York Yankees/GettyImages

After promoting several of their top prospects as part of the 2024 youth movement, the Detroit Tigers have begun taking measures to replenish the upper levels of their farm system.

According to a report from Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, the Tigers have signed utility player Jahmai Jones to a minor-league contract for 2025. His contract is worth $810,000 at the MLB level and includes a non-roster invitation to Spring Training. As of now, he will be assigned to Triple-A Toledo.

Jones, a right-handed hitter, has appeared in 69 games in his MLB career, playing for four teams in four seasons. He most recently appeared in 33 games for the New York Yankees in 2024, slashing .238/.304/.381 while striking out in 34% of his plate appearances before being designated for assignment in July (he returned to the organization after clearing waivers).

Jones' career MLB numbers are far less impressive, including a .198 batting average and a 35.8% strikeout percentage, but his minor-league performance has been solid. In 34 games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as part of the Yankees system last season, he hit .304 with four home runs, 11 walks and 25 strikeouts in 119 plate appearances, stealing 10 bases in 11 attempts.

Jones has yet to stick at the big league level, but he has prospect pedigree as a former second-round pick by the Los Angeles Angels in 2015. He is universally adored by his teammates and fans, becoming a cult favorite in New York for his chest bump celebration with Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.

While he is expected to begin the season in Toledo, Jones will likely get some Major League innings in 2025 as well. His primary position is second base, but he can play nearly every position on the field. He will be a good catch-all option for the Tigers in the event that they need to make a midseason promotion due to injury or other unforeseen circumstances.

Tigers' newly-signed Jahmai Jones has family connections to Detroit

Jones comes from an athletic family, as his father and brothers played professional football. His father, Andre, and brother, T.J. both played in the NFL, while his other brother, Malachi, played in the Arena Football League.

In fact, Detroit sports fans should already be familiar with the Jones family. Andre played six games for the Detroit Lions as a linebacker in 1992, while T.J. played 42 games for the Lions as a wide receiver from 2015-18. Now, another member of the family will get the chance to make his mark in the Motor City in 2025.

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Emma Lingan

Emma Lingan is an MLB Staff Writer for FanSided primarily covering the Pittsburgh Pirates. She has been covering baseball for more than a decade dating back to her time as a student at Wake Forest University, and she has won two gold medals as a member of the U.S. National Team delegation (2016 Pan-American Championships & 2017 World Baseball Classic). A native of Washington, D.C. and current resident of Nashville, Tenn., she is also entering her seventh season as a credentialed NHL media member and currently covers the NHL’s Nashville Predators for The Hockey News. When she's not watching hockey, baseball or football, she enjoys podcasting, reading, going to the gym, consuming large amounts of coffee and taking long walks with her dog, Minkah. You can follow her @Emma_lingan on Twitter and Instagram.