James Jones (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids James Jones |
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Jones with the Seattle Mariners in 2014
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| Outfielder / Pitcher | |||
| Born: September 24, 1988 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 18, 2014, for the Seattle Mariners | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 4, 2015, for the Seattle Mariners | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .238 | ||
| Home runs | 0 | ||
| Runs batted in | 9 | ||
| Stolen bases | 28 | ||
| Teams | |||
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James Steven Jones (born September 24, 1988) is an American who used to play professional baseball. He played as an outfielder and later as a pitcher. James was chosen by the Seattle Mariners in the 2009 Major League Baseball draft. He made his first appearance in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Mariners in 2014.
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Early Life and College Baseball
James Jones grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He went to the High School of Telecommunications. There, he helped his team win a championship. He was a very versatile player, meaning he could play in different positions. He played as both a pitcher (who throws the ball) and a position player (who plays in the field).
In 2007, James started college at Long Island University. During his first year, he played in 50 games. He also pitched in 12 of those games. He was a good hitter, getting a batting average of .299. He also hit 10 doubles, three triples, four home runs, and had 32 RBIs (runs batted in). He also stole eight bases. As a pitcher, he won 2 games and lost 6.
James continued to play well in 2008. He started all 67 games and pitched in 14. He hit .309 with five home runs and 28 RBIs. He led his team with 41 runs scored and 19 stolen bases. Many people noticed his talent. Baseball America even listed him as one of the top college prospects.
Before his junior year, many thought James would be drafted as a pitcher. His fastball (a type of pitch) was very fast, reaching up to 95 miles per hour. But when the Mariners drafted him, they chose him as an outfielder instead of a pitcher.
Professional Baseball Career
Playing for the Seattle Mariners
James Jones started his professional baseball journey in 2009. He played for the Low-A Everett AquaSox. He played in different outfield positions, at first base, and as a designated hitter. He had a great first season, hitting .311. In 2010, Baseball America said he had the "Best Outfield Arm" in the Mariners' team. He then played for the Single-A Clinton LumberKings. That season, he hit .269 and stole 24 bases.
The Seattle Mariners added James to their main roster in November 2013. He was called up to the Mariners' big league team on April 16, 2014. His first MLB game was on April 18, 2014, against the Miami Marlins. In his very first time at bat, he got his first MLB hit! After that game, he went back to the Triple-A Tacoma team. But he was called back up to the Mariners on May 5, 2014.
James made history on May 18, 2014. He became one of only two Mariners players to get a hit in each of their first ten MLB games. He actually got a hit in his first 13 MLB games!
Time with the Texas Rangers
On November 16, 2015, the Mariners traded James Jones to the Texas Rangers. He became a free agent in December but re-signed with the Rangers for their minor league teams.
In 2016, James started playing for the Triple-A Round Rock Express. During this time, he began to change his role from an outfielder back to a pitcher. In August, he made his first appearance as a pitcher for the Arizona League Rangers. James missed all of the 2017 season. This was because he had an injury and needed a surgery called Tommy John surgery. This surgery helps fix a ligament in the elbow, often needed by pitchers.
After his recovery, James played for several Rangers minor league teams in 2018. He continued to pitch. He played for the rookie-level Arizona League Rangers, High-A Down East Wood Ducks, Double-A Frisco RoughRiders, and Round Rock. He became a free agent again in November 2018.
James re-signed with the Rangers in February 2019. He split the 2019 season between Frisco and the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. He had a good year as a pitcher, striking out 71 batters. He was even given the Texas Rangers 2019 Minor League True Ranger Award. He became a free agent again in November 2019 but re-signed with the Rangers in January 2020. He did not play in 2020 because the minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2022, James played for Round Rock, Frisco, and the rookie-level Arizona Complex League Rangers. He had a good record of 4 wins and 0 losses as a pitcher. He became a free agent in November 2022.
Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers
On December 15, 2022, James Jones signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He pitched in five games for the Arizona Complex League Dodgers. He also pitched in 15 games for the Oklahoma City Dodgers. He finished with a record of 2 wins and 2 losses. James became a free agent again in November 2023.
