Logic indicates that the three starters in the Cleveland Guardians outfield should be Steven Kwan, Chase DeLauter, and George Valera.
With Rhys Hoskins and Kyle Manzardo sharing first base and the DH spot, there isn’t really much room for Nolan Jones to be a starter.
He should, however, take up a roster spot over CJ Kayfus because of his ability to cover the three outfield spots.
At this point, Kayfus is the better hitter and boasts the most potential, but the Guardians like Jones’ bounce-back appeal and defensive versatility.
He is having a rough time in the Cactus League, though, with a .435 OPS, no walks, and a 43.5 percent strikeout rate in 23 plate appearances.
His manager, Stephen Vogt, said that he is still trying to find his timing and rhythm.
“We’re still early in camp. Right now, everyone has between 15 and 20 plate appearances. With Nolan [Jones], it just seems at times he’s caught in between again — a little late on the fastball,” Vogt said, per Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com. “What we saw with Nolan at times last year was the lack of conviction. Nolan is aware of it; he’s working on it. We’re working with him closely to find that conviction and be ready to go.”
Jones’ struggles are more concerning than your average major leaguer because he hasn’t been a consistent, above-average hitter since 2023, when he put up a 137 wRC+ as a member of the Colorado Rockies.
He followed that up with a 69 wRC+ in the Rocky Mountains in 2024 during an injury-riddled season, and a 72 wRC+ in 403 plate appearances in his return to the Guardians last year.
Being late on the fastball could stem from difficulty reading pitches as they come out of the pitcher’s hand, and probably fear of falling for the breaking stuff too early.
Hitting is arguably the hardest thing to do in professional sports, but if the batter has no confidence in his abilities, half the battle is already lost.
With Jones, perhaps the best advice is to go back to the basics: see the ball, hit the ball, with conviction.
He will miss some breaking balls, yes, but he has no business on a major league roster if he can’t hit fastballs.
Evidently, what he’s been doing in the last couple of years and in 2026 spring training is not working.
His roster spot is definitely in jeopardy if he can’t reverse the situation and start producing with the bat.
He doesn’t have to be a 137-wRC+ hitter, but he does need to be competent, at the very least.
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