The Reds have agreed to a minor league contract with right-handed reliever Nate Jones, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic tweets. The deal includes an invitation to big league camp. Jones would earn at a $1.5MM rate in the majors with up to a million more in incentives, per Mark Sheldon of MLB.com (via Twitter).
In Jones, the Reds are getting a native of nearby Kentucky who, when healthy, has been one of the game’s most effective relievers during his career. Jones, who debuted in 2012, owns a sterling 3.12 ERA/3.38 FIP with 9.82 K/9, 3.4 BB/9 and a 46.7 percent groundball rate over 291 1/3 innings – all of which have come in a White Sox uniform.
The problem is that staying healthy has been extremely difficult for the 34-year-old Jones, which is why the Rangers declined his $3.75MM option in favor of a $1.25MM buyout in October after acquiring him in a midsummer trade. It’s also why he’s now settling for a non-guaranteed pact a few months later. A series of injuries, including right forearm surgery last season, have held Jones to 30 or fewer innings in four of the past five years. He threw a meager 10 1/3 frames in his final season as a member of the White Sox.
Despite Jones’ lack of contributions in recent years, it’s easy to see why the Reds are taking a low-risk chance on him. As mentioned, the results have been impressive when Jones has pitched. Moreover, although he lost 2 mph on his fastball during last year’s limited run, he was still throwing 95. And during his latest semi-extensive action, a 30-inning showing in 2018, Jones recorded a 13.6 percent swinging-strike rate that sat well above the league mean of 10.7.
Health permitting, Jones will vie for a role in a Cincinnati bullpen that hovered around average in 2019. Although the front office has been active in upgrading the team’s roster this winter, the bullpen hasn’t undergone any especially significant changes. Raisel Iglesias, Amir Garrett, Michael Lorenzen and Robert Stephenson figure to lead the unit again in 2020, but perhaps Jones will surprise and join them as one of the Reds’ key late-game options.
And here I was thinking it would be a slow news day
This dude is flat out unhitable when healthy
Good to know…
I’ll take any number of these kind of guys if we can get them to help the pen. Dude has mad movement on his heater.
Great addition for the Reds. He pitched well for the Sox, but injuries too often got in his way. I enjoyed watching him with the Sox, and I wish him well.
A little duct tape and popsicle sticks around the forearm should do wonders for him! Nice low risk signing. Worst case, he teaches the kids at AAA how to pitch effectively in the majors.
You forgot the little puffy pom poms and pipe cleaners!
How is that the worst case scenario? Is Nate Jones known as a great teacher of minor leaguers?
Oh I get it! An anchorman Reference!
Reds have a few potential quality bullpen pieces in the mix w Jones de Leon mahle sims and others. Reds can trade from that strength and maybe roll Iglesias into a Cory seager trade??
They got guns to my head, I think I’m goin’ down
I can’t believe it’s happenin’ in my own town
If I had wings I would fly, let me contemplate
I glanced in the cut and I see my homie Nate
16 in the clip, and 1 in the hole, Nate dog is about to make some body’s turn cold
Nate got the freaks and that’s a known fact.
Now they droppin and yellin’ it’s a tad bit late
can’t believe *this (is)*happening in my own town
Lol every one of these replies deserves 100 upvotes. Thanks guys
I love Jones, and I was hoping the rangers would keep him. I like his funky delivery, and when he is healthy, he is nasty, he is an all-star. I thought Montero, Jones, Leclerc would be an electric back end of the pen.
Potentially good low risk signing
great sign by the Reds if Nate can stay healthy
Cubs countered with Adam! Take that Reds!!
Wouldn’t it make more sense to compare his strikeout rate to the mean of relievers rather than to the mean of all pitchers?
Get him on a plane to Seattle and Kyle Boddy will make him indestructible.
The Reds made a good move getting this guy. Reds are better than people think.
Nate Jones is effective when healthy (rarely), but it is absolutely miserable watching him pitch. He has absolutely no clue where the ball is going. Even when he’s throwing strikes, they are nowhere near where the catcher actually wants it.
Best of luck though. Hopefully he can get/stay healthy.
You just described a guy with unhittable stuff. Has no idea where it’s going and has a career era around 3? I’ll take a flyer on that.
When healthy, yeah. His stuff has always been great, which is why I find him so hard to watch. If he had any clue where the ball was going, he could be one of the best in the game – assuming healthy, which is a gigantic assumption with him.
I like it, I like it
Best case scenario, Nate stays healthy and has a bit of regression from his career numbers. Darn good 7th inning guy followed by Garrett and Iglesias. Could be a dominant trio. My guess… dude has a cup of tea in the bigs before he is injured again and retires after this year. But negativity aside, I’ll take a flyer on every Nate Jones type that is available. Could be a cheap diamond.
Someone should take a chance on Mchugh and Kintzler
Watched Jones throughout his tenure with the Sox; it was utter frustration. Such good stuff, but as brittle as bone china.
Good Luck Nate. Reds got a really good pitcher when healthy but they also got an even better person.
It appears that the Reds are going to add as many RP arms as possible, invite them to Spring Training and see how it goes. They will pick the best four, add them to the four they have and try to keep the rest through minor-league signings or options. The only challenge is, outside the main four, all are very speculative. Also, a lot of them will pass on a minor-league contract and the others are out of options.
You have just described what every major league team does in spring training.