The White Sox have signed outfielder L.J. Jones to a minor league deal and assigned him to High-A Winston Salem. The move was made official by the team on Monday, December 2.
Jones, 25, started the 2024 season by getting released from the Cardinals organization in late March. After spending a few months as a free agent, the Padres picked him up and assigned him to their Arizona Complex League affiliate. In the span of 27 games, Jones impressed by hitting .418/.470/.714 with 6 home runs and 27 RBI. Though a promotion to a higher level appeared to be the logical next step, Jones reportedly dealt with an injury that kept him out for two weeks and was eventually released at the end of the ACL season on July 27.
L.J. Jones shows some great plate discipline on his first home run of the season! #BeachBirds
3⃣8⃣3⃣ Feet. pic.twitter.com/Vt9y4iAIqI
— Palm Beach Cardinals (@GoPBCardinals) May 12, 2021
Drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2020 MLB Draft, Jones jumped a level at the start of his first three minor league seasons. By 2023, he played in 73 games with the Double-A Springfield Cardinals where he slashed .223/.277/.359 with a 66 wRC+ and .636 OPS over 278 plate appearances. It was a step back from a 2022 season that showed more promise and the worst numbers of his minor league career to date.
The White Sox will now look for Jones to get back on track after barely seeing the field this past year. If all goes well in High-A Winston-Salem early, Jones figures to make his return to Double-A at some point in 2025.
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Chris getz is a joke! What exactly is there plan?? It sure the hell isn’t winning, or even competing. There are minor league teams with better roster
Sad… but so true.
Total, total garbage picking move. This is what not trying at all looks like. If and when Ebenezer Reinsdorf kicks the bucket… it will be a celebrated moment.