Jahmai Jones

Jones was the return Baltimore received for trading away Alex Cobb. At the time, it was a well-received deal because Cobb and Camden were an awful match while Jones was just the type of player a terrible club should acquire. Jones has since picked up where he left off in the Angels' system: struggling to hit advanced pitching. He has yet to hit above .245 since leaving A-ball, but his walks have allowed him to get on base and flash some of his speed on the bases. He has another option remaining while Ramon Urias and Kelvin Gutierrez do not, so expect Jones to return to Norfolk and spend time on the ORF to BWI shuttle a few times in 2022.

While Jones did not light the world on fire as some were expecting, his numbers between High-A and Double-A were respectable considering he was only 20 years old for most of the season. He hit just .235 during his time with High-A Inland Empire, but even with the low average, he was still close to league average offensively thanks to a 12.4 BB%, eight homers and 13 steals (in 16 attempts). The Angels decided to test Jones with a move up to Double-A Mobile in July. His average improved after the promotion, but Jones' strikeout rate, walk rate and ISO all went in the wrong direction. His line-drive rate fell to just 15.9% at the Double-A level (18.5% with Inland Empire). Jones ended the year on a high note with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League, finishing 25-for-78 (.321 AVG) with Mesa, but he still needs more seasoning and may not be ready until 2020.

The Angels’ farm system is no longer a laughing stock. Several five-tool outfield prospects and projectable lower-level arms have contributed to the changing of the tide, but Jones is the ringleader. He is athletic and toolsy, yet well built at 6-foot, 215 pounds. His current size, at just 20 years old, suggests his plus speed may tick down in several years, while his average power should ascend to the point that he is hitting 25-to-30 home runs annually. Jones hits the ball hard to all fields, projecting to be a plus hitter in the majors. The 22.6 percent strikeout rate he posted after a promotion to High-A was easily his worst mark as a pro, but he also produced a career-high .186 ISO and 131 wRC+ against the most difficult competition he has faced, so perhaps he unlocked something by swinging more freely. Given that success, he could be aggressively assigned to Double-A, which would be a message to Mike Trout that help is on the way.

Jones is to the Angels farm system what Mike Trout is to the big league roster. He is a beacon in dark, desolate waters; a counter to the argument that they still have the worst system in baseball. First base prospect Matt Thaiss is plenty interesting in fantasy, but Jones is the real-life prize. A sturdy yet athletic 6-foot, 215-pound specimen in center field, Jones boasts plus speed, an above average hit tool and enough bat speed to project as a 20-plus homer hitter in his peak years. He was excellent over 226 plate appearances against Pioneer League pitching (121 wRC+, 29:21 K:BB) and earned a brief 16-game run in the Midwest League just after his 19th birthday in August. Even after last season, he is still an unknown quantity in certain circles, and the common "worst system in baseball" refrain could lead to his being undervalued heading into 2017. This might be the last chance to buy at a palatable price, as he has the tools to finish the season as a top-50 prospect in the game.