Greg Jones’ First MLB Hit Was A Bro Bomb For Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-5 on Monday. Despite the loss, the Rockies had a player accomplish something special.
Greg Jones collected his first MLB hit and it just so happened to be a home run. Coming in as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the ninth, Jones launched a 1-1 pitch over the right field fence as the Colorado fans cheered on the 26-year-old.
“Honestly, I was just making sure I touched all the bases,” Jones said. “Definitely a whirlwind of emotions right there.”
“I went back and watched the video,” he said. “And from the side angle, I just saw the whole dugout as soon as I hit it just go up. Seeing the guys behind me like that was second to none.”
Not too many players can say that their first big league hit was a home run.
Jonesing For A Hit
Jones appeared in five games prior to Monday’s game and was still in search of that first hit. Well that is something he does not have to worry about anymore.
He made his MLB debut back on June 6 and hasn’t seen much action on the field, but he certainly has taken advantage of the opportunities he’s had so far.
“Wasn’t that great for Greg?” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “We haven’t played him a lot. He’s coming off the thumb [injury] and we’re looking at some other guys.”
Black alluded to the fact that Jones will probably head back to the minors to get more playing time, but the fact that he got to perform on the biggest stage and hit a bomb in his fifth at-bat, speaks volumes to the potential Jones has.
“He’s more than likely going back to the Minors to get some regular playing time,” Black said. “There are some things to tighten up on the offensive side. We’ve got to cut the strikeout rate, put the ball in play and work around the diamond. We have him playing short and center. We might try to expand that.”
Greg Jones’ Path To The League
Jones was very sought out after his sophomore year at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. In 2019, he hit .341 with five home runs, 36 RBI, and 42 stolen bases through 63 games.
He was also named the conference player of the year.
His performance led to a first-round selection in the 2019 MLB draft by the Tampa Bay Rays. Jones made his professional debut with the Hudson Valley Renegades of the Low-A New York-Penn League.
From 2021-204, he worked his way from High-A all the way to Triple-A. In March, he was traded to the Rockies and was optioned to the Rockies Triple-A affiliate, Albuquerque Isotopes.
Before being called up earlier this month, he appeared in 20 games with the Isotopes and hit .240 with two homers and four RBI.
Let’s hope Jones will continue to get opportunities to play on the big stage and make a name for himself with the Rockies
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