Detroit Tigers In No Hurry to Call up JaCoby Jones

With the absence of J.D. Martinez, the Detroit Tigers should consider calling up JaCoby Jones, who’s been red-hot this year in their minor league system.

The Detroit Tigers are in no hurry to call up prized prospect JaCoby Jones, according to general manager Al Avila.

Jones, acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates at the trade deadline in 2015 in exchange for Joakim Soria, is speeding through the Tigers’ minor league system. He made quick work of Double-A ball with the Erie Sea Wolves, and was promoted to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens after just 20 games.

With the Sea Wolves, Jones hit an impressive .312 with 4 HR and 20 RBI. He has lived up to his promotion to the Triple-A squad so far, enjoying a .333/.370/.571 line through 11 contests.

While the numbers are certainly there, the maturity is what the Tigers seem cautious about. Jones is only 24 years old, and is in the middle of changing positions. Jones has been an infielder nearly his entire life and is now transferring to the outfield.

For those who want #Tigers to call up @MudHens JaCoby Jones, he has played just 11 AAA games. Still VERY raw in OF as well.
— John Wagner (@JohnWagnerMedia) June 17, 2016

J.D. Martinez broke his elbow in Thursday’s 10-4 blowout of the Kansas City Royals, causing the Detroit Tigers to scramble for a new right fielder for the next 4-6 weeks.

Was this Jones’ calling to The Show?

The Tigers stuck to their word and immediately after the game, it was reported that Steven Moya would be joining the team in Kansas City for the next three games of the series.

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Tigers fans will have to wait for the anticipated call-up of Jones, and it is understandable. He’s a young ballplayer with only limited playing time above Double-A. Plus, he’s learning an entirely different position than what he’s been used to all his life.

Instead, the Tigers are reuniting with Moya, who has played in 10 games this season with the club. This leaves a ‘what if?’ scenario with the absence of J.D. Martinez.

Moya is hitting .281 as a Tiger this year, but was called up after dominating Triple-A pitching. Moya has already hit 13 long balls to complement his 38 RBI with the Hens. Not to mention, he was sporting a .298 BA.

He’s been a Mud Hen the majority of his career, but with the Tigers, he’s been nothing but a disappointment. In 2015, he hit .182 (4-22) with only one run scored and none driven in.

So far this season, Moya’s batting average sits at .281, but the power display he puts on in Toledo has been nonexistent. He is yet to hit a big league home run and he only owns two career RBI with the Tigers since his call-up in 2014.

What will the Detroit Tigers do if this pattern continues? They can’t afford to shuffle guys around in right field for the next two months with Martinez out. A guy that swatted 38 HR with 102 RBI can’t be replaced, but the Tigers will need to do their best to find a guy that mimics Martinez’s production.

If Moya does not produce, will they consider bringing up Jones?

What do they have to lose? If the move pays off, they’ll have a young kid in the lineup with major pop in his bat. It’s a low-risk move with high-reward.

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Personally, I think it’s time to move on from Steven Moya. That ship has sailed. Moya’s been given the opportunity but just can’t find a way to stick around. It’s time to let JaCoby Jones have his chance.

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