Jones with 'a ton to prove' after stellar rookie year

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Rockies outfielder Nolan Jones’ sizzling final two months of 2023 led to a winter of adulation, rankings among the game’s best young players and speculation of stardom. Jones, though, was past the highlights and numbers and planning to shore up the weaknesses the moment he packed his gear.

“Last year is over,” Jones said. “I have a ton to prove.”

There is something to be said for leaning on strengths, and not losing them by emphasizing deficits. Sticking with what one does well is usually sound advice. Jones reached historic thresholds in a combination of categories unseen by a rookie in MLB history -- home runs (20), RBIs (62), stolen bases (20) and outfield assists (19).

But the most notable part of Jones’ season might have been the way he improved his weaknesses.

“You are always trying to eliminate holes in your game,” Jones said. “As a hitter, we’re always going to have them. But when they start getting exploited, we have to answer back and show that we can do it.”

Don’t forget, Jones was not an immediate monster with the Rockies. Acquired from the Guardians in November 2022 for infielder Juan Brito, Jones pressed in Spring Training and found himself optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque. The Rockies called him up for roster protection during an early road trip but didn’t play him. He was recalled again on May 26 for the rest of the year.

Jones played third base, first base and the corner outfield spots before settling in left. In 52 games through Aug. 2, Jones had some solid numbers, including nine home runs and a .829 OPS. But he also struck out 62 times in 171 at-bats and had a .269 batting average, and there was no National League Rookie of the Year buzz.

His performance the rest of the year, though, earned him fourth in Rookie of the Year voting and left Rockies fans wondering if -- had the surge started earlier -- he could have been a stronger challenger for the winner, D-backs outfielder Corbin Carroll. In his final 54 games, Jones posted a 1.019 OPS while batting .321 and slugging 11 homers, 14 doubles and four triples. He also improved his strikeout rate, fanning 64 times in 230 plate appearances.

According to Statcast, Jones improved his contact rate in the strike zone. Here are the numbers:

• Batting average: .281 before Aug. 3, .367 after
• Slugging percentage: .553 before, .711 after
• BABIP: .333 before, .451 after
• Exit velocity: 92.0 mph before, 92.6 mph after
• Hard-hit rate: 46.2% before, 47.8% after
• Barrel percentage: 12.8% before, 21.7% after
• Ground ball rate: 43.6% before, 35.9% after

Not necessarily showing up in the numbers is an adjustment meaningful to Jones and his coaches. He was ready to swing on the first pitch, after opponents noted he had an inclination toward predetermined takes.

There are still improvement areas. During the hot streak at season’s end, compared to before, his swing-and-miss rate increased (26.6% to 29.8%) as well as his chase rate (24.3% to 27.8%).

“Players always want to increase their numbers, but he can’t try too hard,” manager Bud Black said. “He was a monster last year. But, continue to do the little things and simplify the approach. He does a good job controlling the strike zone, but he might tell you he needs to be a little bit more aggressive in certain situations.”

The next step is improving defense. While his arm was impactful, fielding and judging mistakes in key instances stuck with him. Sunday, like many of the mornings before practices, he and prospect Benny Montgomery took various types of fly balls and line drives fired from a machine. Gold Glove center fielder Brenton Doyle also devotes mornings to extra work.

“There are a couple of things I struggled with last year -- going back on the ball in that big left-center gap at Coors [Field] and the line drives, trying to secure the ball a little more,” Jones said.

So a strong rookie year is behind Jones, but there is nothing wrong with using it to push him to better work this season.

“I don’t think there’s definitely a comfortability -- I want to prove myself and help this team win a lot of games this year,” Jones said.