Greg Jones (baseball, born 1998)

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Greg Jones

|image =

|team = Chicago White Sox

|number = 30

|position = Shortstop / Outfielder

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|3|7}}

|birth_place = Cary, North Carolina, U.S.

|bats = Switch

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = June 6

|debutyear = 2024

|debutteam = Colorado Rockies

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = April 15, 2025

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .167

|stat2label = Home Runs

|stat2value = 1

|stat3label = Runs batted in

|stat3value = 1

|teams =

Colorado Rockies ({{mlby|2024}})
Chicago White Sox ({{mlby|2025}}–present)

}}

Gregory Jones Jr. (born March 7, 1998) is an American professional baseball outfielder and shortstop for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Colorado Rockies.

Early life

Jones was born in Cary, North Carolina.{{Cite web |title=Greg Jones - Baseball |url=https://uncwsports.com/sports/baseball/roster/greg-jones/6100 |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=UNC Wilmington Athletics |language=en}} He is the son of Tammy and Greg Jones.

Jones attended Cary High School in Cary, North Carolina.{{Cite web |last=Leighton |first=Aram |date=August 30, 2021 |title=Greg Jones Is Turning Projection Into Production |url=https://www.justbaseball.com/prospects/greg-jones-is-turning-projection-into-production/ |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=Just Baseball |language=en-US}}

Amateur career

As a senior at Cary High School, he batted .429 with 18 stolen bases.{{cite web |last=Blake |first=J. Mike |date=June 25, 2017 |title=N&O All-Metro baseball team and final top 25 rankings – 2017 |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/high-school/article158120049.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170629193314/http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/high-school/article158120049.html |archive-date=June 29, 2017 |access-date=June 28, 2017 |website=News and Observer}} He was ranked sixth in North Carolina and 133rd nationally by Perfect Game. He was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 17th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign.{{cite web |last=Tucker |first=Hank |date=June 14, 2017 |title=MLB Draft 2017 Day 3: Where North Carolina baseball players end up in Rounds 11-40 |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/mlb/article156109099.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170617153843/http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/mlb/article156109099.html |archive-date=June 17, 2017 |access-date=June 15, 2017 |website=The News and Observer}} He instead chose to attend the University of North Carolina Wilmington where he played college baseball.

In 2018, as a freshman with the UNC Wilmington Seahawks, Jones played and started sixty games, batting .278 with four home runs, 21 runs batted in (RBIs), and 16 stolen bases.{{Cite web |last=Riley |first=Alex |date=February 16, 2019 |title=UNCW's Jones remains a reluctant superstar |url=https://www.starnewsonline.com/sports/20190216/uncws-jones-remains-reluctant-superstar |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=Wilmington Star News}} He played collegiate summer baseball for the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod Baseball League after the season, hitting .242 in 132 at-bats.{{Cite web |last=Zielinski III |first=Dan |date=February 21, 2019 |title=Greg Jones is an intriguing draft-eligible sophomore |url=https://www.the3rdmanin.com/greg-jones-mlb-draft/ |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=The 3rd Man In}}{{cite web |author= |date= |title=#2 Greg Jones - Profile |url=https://pointstreak.com/baseball/player.html?playerid=1214390&seasonid=31242 |access-date=January 9, 2020 |website=Point Streak |publisher=}} In 2019, his sophomore year, he hit .341 with five home runs, 36 RBIs, and 42 stolen bases in 63 games, and was named the Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year.{{Cite web |last=Chandler |first=Joey |date=May 21, 2019 |title=UNCW shortstop Greg Jones named CAA Player of the Year |url=https://www.starnewsonline.com/sports/20190521/uncw-shortstop-greg-jones-named-caa-player-of-year |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=Wilmington Star News}}{{Cite web |date=June 12, 2019 |title=Fiers goes 6, Olson and Davis homer as A's beat Rays 4-3 |url=https://abc7news.com/5342826/ |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=ABC7 San Francisco}}

Professional career

=Tampa Bay Rays=

The Tampa Bay Rays selected Jones in the first round, with the 22nd overall selection, of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.{{Cite web |last=Chandler |first=Austin |date=February 11, 2019 |title=Seahawk Spectacular: Greg Jones enters draft-eligible sophomore year |url=https://theseahawk.org/21399/sports/baseball-bonanza-greg-jones-enters-draft-eligible-sophomore-year/ |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=The Seahawk}}{{Cite web |last=Smist |first=John |date=June 4, 2019 |title=UNCW's Greg Jones selected by Tampa Bay in the first round of MLB draft |url=https://www.wect.com/2019/06/04/uncws-greg-jones-selected-by-st-round-mlb-draft/ |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=WECT News 6}} He signed with the Rays for $3 million.{{Cite web |last=Topkin |first=Marc |date=June 11, 2019 |title=Rays sign top pick Greg Jones for slot-value $3,027,000 |url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rays/2019/06/11/rays-sign-top-pick-greg-jones-for-slot-value-3027000/ |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=Tampa Bay Times}} Jones made his professional debut with the Hudson Valley Renegades of the Low–A New York–Penn League.{{Cite web |date=June 14, 2019 |title=Top draftees, prospects begin short-season play |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/top-prospects-get-underway-in-short-season-leagues |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=MLB.com}} Over 48 games, he slashed .335/.413/.461 with one home run, 24 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases.{{Cite web |last=Brian Stultz |first=Brian |date=September 4, 2019 |title=Jones' two-run shot powers Renegades |url=https://www.milb.com/news/greg-jones-powers-renegades-in-nypl-opener-310542484 |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=MiLB.com |language=en}} Jones did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web |last=Adler |first=David |date=June 30, 2020 |title=2020 Minor League Baseball season canceled |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=MLB.com}}

Jones began the 2021 season with the Bowling Green Hot Rods of the High-A East and was promoted to the Montgomery Biscuits of the Double-A South in August.{{cite web |date=August 10, 2021 |title=Rays' Greg Jones: Receives promotion to Double-A |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/rays-greg-jones-receives-promotion-to-double-a/ |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=CBS Sports}} He missed time during the season due to a quadriceps injury.{{cite web |date=March 28, 2021 |title=Rays' Greg Jones: Could be out two-plus months |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/rays-greg-jones-could-be-out-two-plus-months/ |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=CBS Sports}} Over 72 games between the two clubs, he slashed .270/.366/.482 with 14 home runs, forty RBIs, and 34 stolen bases.{{cite web |last=Grauer |first=Scott |date=October 12, 2021 |title=Rays prospects and minor leagues: Wrapping up the season |url=https://www.draysbay.com/2021/10/12/22719490/rays-prospects-minor-leagues-october-12-2021 |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=DRaysBay}} He opened the 2022 season back with Montgomery.{{Cite web |last=Kennedy |first=Jahmal |date=May 1, 2022 |title=Greg's journey: 'Only sport I ever played in my whole life' |url=https://www.wsfa.com/2022/05/01/gregs-journey-only-sport-i-ever-played-my-whole-life/ |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=WFSA |language=en}} In 79 games for Montgomery, Jones hit .238/.318/.392 with 8 home runs, 40 RBI, and 37 stolen bases.{{Cite web|title=Rays' Greg Jones: Shielded from Rule 5 draft|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/rays-greg-jones-shielded-from-rule-5-draft/|access-date=September 17, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} On November 15, 2022, the Rays added Jones to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.{{Cite web|title=Rays Show Belief In Greg Jones With 40-Man Spot|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/rays-show-belief-in-greg-jones-with-40-man-spot/|access-date=September 17, 2023|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}}

The Rays optioned Jones to the Triple-A Durham Bulls to begin the 2023 season.{{cite web | title=Rays' Greg Jones: Optioned to minors camp | website=CBSSports.com | date=March 13, 2023 | url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/rays-greg-jones-optioned-to-minors-camp/amp/ | access-date=February 9, 2025}} On 71 games split between Triple–A Durham and Double–A Montgomery, he hit a cumulative .244/.318/.432 with 10 home runs, 35 RBI, and 24 stolen bases. On September 16, 2023, Jones was placed on the 60–day injured list with a hamstring injury, ending his season.{{cite web | title=Rays' Greg Jones: Lands on 60-day injured list | website=CBSSports.com | date=September 16, 2023 | url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/rays-greg-jones-lands-on-60-day-injured-list/amp/ | access-date=February 9, 2025}} Jones was optioned to Triple–A Durham to begin the 2024 season.{{cite web | title=Rays' Greg Jones: Banished to minors camp | website=CBSSports.com | date=March 11, 2024 | url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/rays-greg-jones-banished-to-minors-camp/amp/ | access-date=February 9, 2025}}

=Colorado Rockies=

On March 21, 2024, Jones was traded to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for Joe Rock.{{cite web | last=Harding | first=Thomas | title=Rockies acquire prospect Greg Jones in trade with Rays | website=MLB.com | date=March 21, 2024 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/rockies-acquire-prospect-greg-jones-in-trade-with-rays | access-date=February 9, 2025}} He was optioned to the Triple–A Albuquerque Isotopes upon being acquired.{{Cite web |title=Transactions |url=https://www.mlb.com/transactions/2024/03/22 |access-date=May 17, 2024 |website=MLB.com |language=en}} On June 6, Jones was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Steve |date=June 6, 2024 |title=Rockies Recall Greg Jones For MLB Debut |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/06/rockies-call-up-greg-jones-mlb-debut.html |access-date=November 2, 2024 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}} Although primarily a shortstop in the minor leagues, Jones only played right field.{{Cite web |title=Greg Jones Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jonesgr02.shtml#appearances |access-date=March 10, 2025 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} In 6 games for Colorado during his rookie campaign, he went 1-for-5 (.200) with 1 home run, 1 RBI, and 1 walk.

Jones was optioned to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes to begin the 2025 season.{{Cite web|title=Rockies' Greg Jones: Heading to Triple-A|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/rockies-greg-jones-heading-to-triple-a/|access-date=March 8, 2025|website=cbssports.com|language=en}}

=Chicago White Sox=

On March 26, 2025, Jones was claimed off waivers by the Chicago White Sox and was subsequently optioned to the Triple-A Charlotte Knights.{{Cite web|title=White Sox Designate Oscar Colas For Assignment, Claim Greg Jones From Rockies|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/03/white-sox-dfa-oscar-colas-claim-greg-jones-waivers-rockies.html|access-date=March 26, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}