The White Sox are betting on a change of scenery and a strong Triple-A season to help Nolan Jones rediscover the form that made him one of baseball's breakout stars in 2023.
On the heels of trading Derek Hill to the Philadelphia Phillies, the Chicago White Sox made another move on Thursday evening, doing business with a division rival.
The White Sox agreed to a trade with the Cleveland Guardians, bringing in outfielder Nolan Jones and cash considerations in exchange for $250,000 in international pool money. Jones is on a minor league deal and has been assigned to Triple-A Charlotte.
If the name Nolan Jones sounds familiar, it's probably because of his previous success in Major League Baseball. Back in 2023, Jones hit 20 home runs and stole 20 bases over 106 games with the Colorado Rockies. He posted a .931 OPS that season as a 25-year-old and appeared to be a rising star in the league. But it's been a really rough go for Jones ever since, and he has failed to recapture any of the magic he had during the 2023 season.
Between 2024 and 2025, Jones played in 215 games for the Rockies and Guardians and posted a .618 OPS with just eight home runs in 700 plate appearances. Jones was outrighted to the minor leagues by Cleveland before the 2026 season and has spent the entire year in Triple-A up to this point.
To his credit, Jones has looked pretty good in his 52 games with the Columbus Clippers thus far. He's batting .275 with an .845 OPS and eight home runs on the season. And now, at just 28 years old, he has an opportunity for a fresh start in a new organization.
The tools are pretty clear. It's evident why the White Sox want to take a chance on Jones. According to Baseball Savant, he has the strongest arm in all of baseball and has had it from the moment he made his MLB debut back in 2022. When he was at his best during the 2023 season, Jones ranked in the 88th percentile in walk rate and the 94th percentile in barrel rate. But as the pitch selection has gotten worse, so has the production.
One thing we've learned about the White Sox and the profile they covet in a position player is that it usually starts with plate discipline. That's a bit of a prerequisite to become a White Sox target. That, or raw power. Jones has both, although the bat speed can be just average at times.
The White Sox have taken a hit to some of their outfield depth recently. As previously mentioned, Derek Hill was traded to the Phillies, Jarred Kelenic was scooped up off waivers by the Texas Rangers, and LaMonte Wade Jr. signed with the Houston Astros after being released due to the opt-out clause in his contract.
I'm not sure there's an imminent role for Nolan Jones on the White Sox this year or in the future, but there's an opportunity here for Chicago's player development staff to make a few adjustments, tap into some loud tools, and see if they can provide the big league club with some extra depth in a corner outfield spot.
