Adam Jones signs one-year deal with Diamondbacks
As this offseason from hell is almost over, there are still a few big free agents on the open market. Well, some of our definitions differ as to who constitutes a “big” free agents. Adam Jones has gotten the spotlight of late as a guy for whom it was crazy for him to not have a job. I will say that he clearly is not on the level of guys like Craig Kimbrel or Dallas Keuchel, nor is he particularly close. That said, he’s still a major-league caliber player, even if he was just a little above replacement level in 2018. The Diamondbacks took him off the market on Sunday, signing the veteran outfielder to a one-year deal worth $3 million. Jones is coming off a rough year in which he posted a 98 wRC+ with bad defense in center field. As a 33-year-old, there’s probably not a ton of defensive improvement coming in. That being said, I think the bat is still better than what he showed last year, and not playing on a historically bad team should help matters. Add in the fact that he is one of the most respected veterans in the entire sport, and it’s hard to dislike this move for the price, even if they’re not getting the former All-Star version of Adam Jones.
Two top prospects suffer injuries
Two of the most exciting prospects in the game, including the (nearly) unanimous number one prospect in baseball, suffered injuries on Sunday. Vlad Guerrero Jr., who is being called the best hitting prospect since Miguel Cabrera, was diagnosed with a Grade 1 oblique strain on Sunday. That injury is expected to keep him out for about three weeks, which is extremely convenient timing for the Blue Jays. I’m certainly not saying they are making this up, but this takes a lot of heat off of the organization. Guerrero was going to be sent down to Triple-A for a couple of weeks to start the year in order for Toronto to get an extra year of control out of the stud prospect, and now with this injury that will be his natural progression. Now, all service time manipulation eyes will be on Eloy Jiménez in Chicago.
Meanwhile, out west, Jo Adell is one of the most exciting prospects in the game. The Angels former first round pick is a tremendous athlete and has turned a really raw skillset into a top ten prospect status in the game. There was some chance he could make his major-league debut in 2019, but that seems less likely now. The outfield prospect suffered sprains in both his ankle and his hamstring, injuries that will keep him out 8-12 weeks. That should still give him about a half-season in the minors, but it’s a bummer to see one of the most exciting young players in the game have to miss significant time.