On Thursday evening, the Cleveland Guardians decided to cut their losses and trade outfielder Nolan Jones to the Chicago White Sox in addition to some cash. In return, they got $250,000 in international bonus pool money.
Initially drafted by the Guardians in 2016, Jones made his MLB debut in Cleveland in 2022 before being shipped to Colorado ahead of the 2023 campaign. He broke out that year with a 20-20 season and a 137 wRC+.
Unfortunately for him, injuries were a factor in 2024 and limited him to a 69 wRC+ with the Rockies. After that season, the Guardians decided to re-acquire him.
Jones got plenty of chances in 2025 in Cleveland, but couldn’t consistently produce and ended the season with a mediocre 72 wRC+ in 403 plate appearances.
Guardians insider Tim Stebbins explained that the 2026 campaign was supposed to represent a new beginning for Jones. Instead, he failed to make the team out of camp and now found himself in a division rival after Thursday’s trade.
“The 2026 season represented a fresh slate for Jones, with whom the Guardians avoided arbitration in November by agreeing to a contract worth $2 million. He had a tough Spring Training, and Cleveland outrighted him to help alleviate a crowded outfield picture featuring up-and-comers such as Chase DeLauter and Angel Martínez. It grew increasingly tough to chart a path for him back to Cleveland this season, given the Guardians’ organizational outfield logjam,” Stebbins wrote.
Maybe keeping Jones around for depth wasn’t such a bad idea, but the team determined that the international bonus slot money and the salary relief of trading him would benefit the organization.
The up-and-coming White Sox could still use a starting outfielder, and they may give Jones more of a chance to make an impact in the majors. The Guardians are now extremely deep in the outfield, not so much in true impact talent, but instead, in useful players with upside.
Even if the Guardians decided to trade Steven Kwan, they couldn’t guarantee Jones a spot on the MLB roster. In addition to DeLauter and Martinez, they also have Daniel Schneemann and Stuart Fairchild in the majors and talented young players such as George Valera, CJ Kayfus, Ralphy Velazquez, Cooper Ingle, Khalil Watson, and others in the minors.
Trading for Jones before the 2025 campaign was a nice gamble by Cleveland. Tendering him a contract before 2026 might have been a mistake, though.
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