San Diego Padres' Pitching Prospect Falls Off the Radar
In a move that came as no surprise, 28-year-old pitcher Stephen Jones has signed a minor-league deal with the Miami Marlins, marking the end of his brief tenure with the San Diego Padres. The right-handed hurler, who was acquired by the Padres last January after being released by the Colorado Rockies organization, never got to experience life in the big leagues.
Jones had shown promise during his time with the Padres' farm system, particularly at Double-A Hartford, where he posted impressive numbers despite facing stiff competition from the powerful Pacific Coast League. However, things didn't go as smoothly when he was promoted to Triple-A Albuquerque. His ERA skyrocketed over 13 in just 52 2/3 innings, casting doubt on his ability to succeed at the highest level.
The Padres' decision to let Jones walk is not entirely surprising given that he became eligible for free agency last season. It's no secret that Jones' time with the team was always a one-year gig, but it still stings for the Padres, who had invested time and effort into developing him.
Now, with the Marlins, Jones has a fresh start in front of him, albeit at a lower level of competition. He'll likely have to prove himself again in spring training before potentially making an appearance on the Marlins' roster come regular season. While his age is against him, Jones still has a chance to redeem himself and carve out a spot for himself in Major League Baseball.
The Marlins, who are still rebuilding after years of struggles, could be a good fit for Jones. With their relatively young core, they may need some fresh faces to help round out the roster. If he can put together a strong performance during spring training, Jones might just find himself on the 26-man roster come Opening Day.
Despite his promising start with the Padres, it's clear that the odds are still stacked against Jones. He'll have to use this second chance to silence doubters and prove himself as a legitimate starting pitcher in the majors. Will he be able to rise above expectations? Only time will tell.
In a move that came as no surprise, 28-year-old pitcher Stephen Jones has signed a minor-league deal with the Miami Marlins, marking the end of his brief tenure with the San Diego Padres. The right-handed hurler, who was acquired by the Padres last January after being released by the Colorado Rockies organization, never got to experience life in the big leagues.
Jones had shown promise during his time with the Padres' farm system, particularly at Double-A Hartford, where he posted impressive numbers despite facing stiff competition from the powerful Pacific Coast League. However, things didn't go as smoothly when he was promoted to Triple-A Albuquerque. His ERA skyrocketed over 13 in just 52 2/3 innings, casting doubt on his ability to succeed at the highest level.
The Padres' decision to let Jones walk is not entirely surprising given that he became eligible for free agency last season. It's no secret that Jones' time with the team was always a one-year gig, but it still stings for the Padres, who had invested time and effort into developing him.
Now, with the Marlins, Jones has a fresh start in front of him, albeit at a lower level of competition. He'll likely have to prove himself again in spring training before potentially making an appearance on the Marlins' roster come regular season. While his age is against him, Jones still has a chance to redeem himself and carve out a spot for himself in Major League Baseball.
The Marlins, who are still rebuilding after years of struggles, could be a good fit for Jones. With their relatively young core, they may need some fresh faces to help round out the roster. If he can put together a strong performance during spring training, Jones might just find himself on the 26-man roster come Opening Day.
Despite his promising start with the Padres, it's clear that the odds are still stacked against Jones. He'll have to use this second chance to silence doubters and prove himself as a legitimate starting pitcher in the majors. Will he be able to rise above expectations? Only time will tell.
, I mean, it's like he was just on one year contract and they already let him go 
. You can imagine how tough this must be for him, especially when you think about all the hard work he put in to develop his skills. But on the other hand, he does have a fresh start with the Marlins 
, and who knows, maybe this is the break he needs to turn things around 
.
. Maybe Stephen Jones will surprise us all with his performance in spring training 
!
️]
I mean, 28 years old is kinda young for giving up on someone, right? 
Like, think about all the guys who made it big after like, 30 or 40... 
Anyway, stats-wise, Jones had some solid numbers in Hartford (5.22 ERA, 7.3 K/9) but then bombed it at Triple-A (16.1 ERA, 6.4 K/9). 
Not sure what the Padres saw that I didn't, lol... 
Did you see his minors stats? 
He's like, a .220 hitter in MLB-level pitching 
.
. It's like, life's full of ups and downs, right? One day you're on a dream team, next day you're on a minor league deal 
u were always full of promise! still got alot of life in u 28 is def younger than alot of ppl but ur skills cant be measured by age lol 
Marlins might b the way to go 4 u, they need fresh faces & u could b exactly what they need. u gotta show them what u're made of & prove urself again 
don't give up on ur dreams, u got this! 
Was it just a bad stretch or did he struggle to adapt to the level of competition? And, yeah, the Marlins might be a good fit for him, but they're gonna have to give him some serious chances to prove himself. 
. He had some great numbers at Double-A, but then things took a hit at Triple-A 
. I think he's got this second chance with the Marlins though 
. It's not gonna be easy, but if anyone can do it, it's Jones 
. Maybe we'll see him on that 26-man roster come Opening Day 
!
. But, at least he got a fresh start w/ Marlins now 
. Jones def needs 2 prove himself again in spring trainin' but I think he's got this 
He was doing okay in the farm system, putting up solid numbers, but then he got thrown into the fire in Triple-A and it didn't go so well. You can't blame the Padres for trying to make a move, though - they were aware that his time with them was limited.
. I think it's great that he's getting another shot, though - sometimes you just need a little bit of time to figure things out.
gotta feel for stephen jones, dude's had some tough breaks 
pitchers are like, done by the time they're in their mid-30s 
it's not like he didn't get a chance to prove himself, he did in hartford 
and now he's gotta start all over again 
. But we gotta ask ourselves, why did the Padres pass? Is it because he didn't live up to expectations or was it just about saving a roster spot? 
.
Just another pitching prospect who can't quite make it to the big leagues 
.
Don't blame him for not making the jump though, I mean who wants to play in the minors again? 
Now he gets a fresh start with Marlins tho, wish him luck! 
. He's gonna get a fresh start with the Marlins, and who knows, maybe this is the push he needed to prove himself 
. And let's be real, the Marlins are not exactly a powerhouse team right now 
. But hey, Marlins might be the way to go for him, they're rebuilding and could use some fresh talent. Jones still got this in him, I'm rooting for him 
. The Marlins do have some depth at pitching, so maybe this could be a good opportunity for him to get back on track. Still, it's hard to shake the feeling that Jones is always going to be one step behind the rest of the pack 
.