Jahmai Fitzgerald Jones (born August 4, 1997) is an American professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to catch ...

and

second baseman In baseball and softball, second baseman, abbreviated 2B, is a fielding position in the Infielder, infield, between Baseball field#Second base, second and Baseball field#First base, first base. The second baseman often possesses quick hands and f ...

for the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2020 with the

Los Angeles Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, ...

and has also played in MLB for the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...

, and

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

Amateur career

Jones attended the

Wesleyan School Wesleyan School is a private school, private College-preparatory school, college-preparatory Nondenominational Christianity, nondenominational Christian school located 20 miles north of Atlanta in the suburban city of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, ...

Peachtree Corners, Georgia Peachtree Corners is a city in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Atlanta Metro Atlanta, metropolitan area, and is the largest city in Gwinnett County with a population of 42,243 as of the 2020 US Census, 2020 U.S. census ...

. He played football during his freshman and sophomore seasons, totaling 1,137 yards on 76 pass receptions and 12 touchdowns in those years. He then focused on baseball. As a senior, he hit .464 with eight

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the Baseball (ball), ball is hit in such a way that the batting (baseball), batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safe (baseball), safely in one play without any error ( ...

s, 21

runs batted in A run batted in or runs batted in (RBI) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if th ...

(RBIs), and 40

stolen bases In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base unaided by other actions and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or out a ...

and was named the ''

Gwinnett Daily Post The ''Gwinnett Daily Post'' is a daily newspaper published in Gwinnett County, Georgia, and serves as the county's legal organ. The newspaper is owned by Times-Journal Inc. and prints Wednesday and Sunday each week. History In 1970 advertisin ...

'' Baseball Player of the Year. He was selected by the

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West Division. Since 1966, the team has pl ...

in the second round of the

2015 Major League Baseball draft The 2015 Major League Baseball draft was held from June 8 through June 10, 2015, to assign amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The draft order is the reverse order of the 2014 MLB season standings. As the Diamondbacks finished the 2014 season ...

Professional career

Los Angeles Angels

Jones made his professional debut with the

Arizona League Angels The Arizona Complex League Angels are a professional baseball team competing as a Rookie-level affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels in the Arizona Complex League of Minor League Baseball. The team plays its home games at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Te ...

and spent all of 2015 there, posting a .244 batting average with two home runs, 20 RBI, and 16 stolen bases. In 2016, Jones started the season with the

Orem Owlz The Orem Owlz were a Minor League Baseball team located in Orem, Utah, United States, from 2001 to 2020. The team competed in the Pioneer League as a Rookie League affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. The Owlz played their home games at Home o ...

and was promoted to the

Burlington Bees The Burlington Bees are a collegiate summer baseball team of the Prospect League. They are located in Burlington, Iowa, and have played their home games at Community Field since 1947. Founded in 1889, the Bees played in Minor League Baseball' ...

during the season. He finished 2016 batting .302 with four home runs, 30 RBI, and twenty stolen bases in 64 games between both clubs. In 2017, Jones played for both Burlington and the

Inland Empire 66ers The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. The 66ers are based in San Bernardino, California, and play at San Manuel Stadium. Franchi ...

, posting a combined .282 batting average with 14 home runs, 47 RBI, 27 stolen bases and a .794 OPS in 127 games. In 2018, Jones played with Inland and the

Mobile BayBears The Mobile BayBears were a Minor League Baseball team based in Mobile, Alabama, United States. The team, which played in the Southern League, served as the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres (1997–2006), Arizona Diamondbacks (2007–2 ...

, slashing .239/.337/.380 with 10 home runs, 55 RBI, and 24 stolen bases in 123 games. In 2019, Jones spent the season with the

, batting .234/.308/.324 with five home runs, fifty RBI, and nine stolen bases over 130 games. Following the season, he was selected to play in the

Arizona Fall League The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season baseball league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are filled ...

for the

Mesa Solar Sox The Mesa Solar Sox are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League. They play their home games in Mesa, Arizona, at Sloan Park, which is also the spring training facility of the Chicago Cubs. The team was establi ...

, and also, he was added to the Angels

40-man roster A Major League Baseball roster is a list of players who are allowed, by league agreement, to play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Each MLB team maintains two rosters: an active roster of players eligible to participate in an MLB game, an ...

. On August 31, 2020, Jones made his MLB debut as a

pinch runner In baseball or softball, a pinch runner is a player substituted into a game for the purpose of base running. Description A pinch runner may be faster or otherwise more skilled at base running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been s ...

. On September 26, 2020, Jones got his first career hit off of Tony Gonsolin of the

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

Baltimore Orioles

On February 2, 2021, Jones was traded to the

in exchange for pitcher

Alex Cobb Alexander Miller Cobb (born October 7, 1987) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Angels, San Fr ...

. He was assigned to the Triple-A

Norfolk Tides The Norfolk Tides are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. They are located in Norfolk, Virginia, and are named in nautical reference to the city's loc ...

to begin the season. He underwent

Tommy John surgery Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, sometimes referred to as Tommy John surgery is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's body, ...

on May 27, 2022, and was designated for assignment on May 28. He was released on June 3. In 67 official at-bats with Baltimore in 2021, he batted .149 with three RBI, four walks, and five runs.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Jones signed a two-year minor league contract with the

on July 23, 2022. In 62 games for the Triple–A

Oklahoma City Dodgers The Oklahoma City Comets are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and play their ho ...

in 2023, he had a .293 batting average with nine home runs and 34 RBI. On July 1, 2023, he opted out of his minor league contract and became a free agent.

Milwaukee Brewers

On July 3, 2023, Jones signed a major league contract with the

and was added to their active roster. The very same day, Jones recorded his first hit as a Brewer - a game tying, three RBI double. In seven total games for Milwaukee, he went 2–for–10 (.200) with three RBI and one stolen base. Jones was designated for assignment on February 21, 2024, following the re–signing of

Brandon Woodruff Brandon Kyle Woodruff (born February 10, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2017 and is a two-time All-Star selection. Career Woodruff attended Wh ...

New York Yankees

On February 28, 2024, Jones was claimed off waivers by the

. He made the Yankees'

Opening Day Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent year ...

roster. Jones hit his first major league home run on May 12. In 33 games for the Yankees, he batted .238/.304/.381 with one home run, four RBI, and one stolen base. Jones was designated for assignment by New York on July 29. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Triple–A

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, often abbreviated to SWB RailRiders, are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. They are located in Moosic, Pen ...

on August 2. Jones elected free agency following the season on November 4.

Detroit Tigers

On November 20, 2024, Jones signed a minor league contract with the

. He played in 52 games for the Triple-A

Toledo Mud Hens The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Toledo, Ohio, and play their home games at Fifth Third Field. A baseball team nicknamed the ...

, slashing .276/.392/.482 with six home runs, 29 RBI, and eight stolen bases. On June 6, 2025, the Tigers selected Jones' contract, adding him to their active roster.

Personal life

Jones' father, Andre Jones, played in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL) for the

Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...

. He died in 2011 due to a

brain aneurysm An intracranial aneurysm, also known as a cerebral aneurysm, is a cerebrovascular disorder characterized by a localized dilation or ballooning of a blood vessel in the brain due to a weakness in the vessel wall. These aneurysms can occur in an ...

. Jones' brother, T. J. Jones, was an NFL

wide receiver A wide receiver (WR), also referred to as a wideout, and historically known as a split end (SE) or flanker (FL), is an eligible receiver in gridiron football. A key skill position of the offense (American football), offense, WR gets its name ...

. His other brother, Malachi Jones, was also a wide receiver.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Jahmai 1997 births Living people Aberdeen IronBirds players African-American baseball players Arizona League Angels players Baltimore Orioles players Baseball players from Roswell, Georgia Burlington Bees players Detroit Tigers players Inland Empire 66ers players Los Angeles Angels players Major League Baseball outfielders Major League Baseball second basemen Mesa Solar Sox players Milwaukee Brewers players Mobile BayBears players Nashville Sounds players New York Yankees players Norfolk Tides players Oklahoma City Dodgers players Orem Owlz players Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders players Toledo Mud Hens players 21st-century African-American sportsmen