The Cubs have signed infielder/outfielder Greg Jones to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. He has been assigned to Triple-A Iowa and should make an appearance for that club in the near future.
Jones, 28, has a limited major league track record. He has appeared in 21 contests, suiting up for the Rockies, White Sox and Brewers. He has a dismal .100/.129/.200 line in a tiny sample of 32 plate appearances.
That’s obviously unimpressive but the Cubs are presumably more interested in his prospect pedigree and tools. Jones was a 22nd overall pick of the Rays in 2019. He has big wheels and stole 46 bases in just 89 minor league games in 2024. This year, he has swiped 21 bags in only 40 Triple-A contests.
Offensively, he has some abilities but the strikeouts are a big problem. In 815 Triple-A plate appearances, he has a respectable .264/.351/.431 line but a massive 35.5% strikeout rate. On defense, he has spent time at all three outfield spots and the two middle infield positions, though shortstop might not be on the table anymore. He only logged 19 minor league innings there last year and hasn’t yet played the position this season.
For the Cubs, there’s no harm in adding him via a non-roster pact. They don’t have strong needs at second base or in the outfield but perhaps Jones can earn a bench spot and make use of his speed as a pinch runner or defensive substitute. Rostering a player like that becomes easier in September when teams can go from 26 to 28 players. They can’t have more than half of those spots going to pitchers, so they need at least 13 position players now and 14 after rosters expand.
Photo courtesy of Michael McLoone, Imagn Images
