Nolan Jones displays flourishing power and speed: 'He's showing very well'

Since his second promotion to the Colorado Rockies from Triple-A on May 26, only Ryan McMahon has been able to replicate the outstanding offensive numbers of Nolan Jones. The biggest difference this time around: he’s been given a chance to play.

On Saturday, he launched his third home run in 14 games with Colorado, an opposite field blast against LHP Ryan Weathers of the San Diego Padres.

Tie it up, 22 👏 pic.twitter.com/3cP4yxpb5j

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) June 10, 2023

“I got ahead in the count. I was 2-0 and I was looking out there and just put a good swing on it. I was actually a little late on it,” Jones said post-game. “Obviously not trying to hit it down the left field line, but put a good swing on it and hit a homer.”

Jones, 25, was called up earlier in the season based on strong play in the Pacific Coast League that ranked him among the top five in almost any hitting category you can imagine. Following a Spring Training that resulted in 24 strikeouts in 52 at-bats, he slashed .359/.479/.872 in 10 games with two doubles, six home runs and 14 RBI with Albuquerque to begin his 2023 season. 

That earned him his first promotion to Colorado and though he spent three games with the Rockies, even traveling to Seattle for a series against the Mariners, he never saw in-game action. Jones went back to Albuquerque and picked up where he left off. 

A little more than two weeks after getting a second chance, the corner man known as NoJo is batting .364 (16-for-44) with four doubles, three home runs, 11 RBI and four stolen bases while playing right field and first base. 

“Yeah, I would say I’m comfortable,” Jones responded of his comfort levels. “I would give a lot of credit to my teammates here. They’ve made me feel comfortable since day one. Even the first time I was up here, I felt extremely comfortable.”

Acquired from the Cleveland Guardians last November for infield prospect Juan Brito, Jones was not known for being much of a base stealer. He swiped 10 in Triple-A back in 2021, but that’s the most he’s ever posted in his six previous seasons as a professional. Combine his work up and down Interstate-25 and he’s already had nine steals.

“I give a lot of credit to (Ron Gideon). He’s given me my pitches,” Jones shared of his recent surge on the base paths. “I’ve gotten some bad pitches to throw down on. Gotten a little lucky. I’m not the fastest guy in the world, but if I can pick my times and get some bags and get in scoring position, it definitely helps.”

Jones even stole a bases in four straight games during this homestand, becoming one of eight Rockies players to steal a base in as many or more consecutive games. The last to do it was over a decade ago: Charlie Blackmon in 2011. 

If the speed hasn’t been enough of a pleasant surprise, perhaps the prodigious power display will do the trick. His 483-foot home run on Wednesday night against the San Francisco Giants is the second-longest home run in the Majors this season behind only Giancarlo Stanton’s 485’ blast home run on April 2 vs. San Francisco.

Nolan Jones sends one 483 feet 😳 pic.twitter.com/hBv4ePf79H

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 8, 2023

Measured at 114.2 mph off the bat, it was the third-hardest hit homer by a Rockies player in the Statcast Era (since 2015), trailing two Carlos González home runs hit in 2016 (117.4 mph, June 4 at Arizona) and 2018 (114.4 mph, July 31 at Cincinnati).

“I think that Nolan’s challenge is to continue this daily process of getting good at bats (and) play solid defense wherever we put him,” Black shared. “But he’s doing his part, he’s getting on base. He’s hitting, what, .350? Decent on-base (percentage), a little bit of slugging percentage and he raised it today with the homer. He’s doing fine. He’s showing very well.”

Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Padres stretched the Rockies’ losing streak to six games, including nine-straight against the NL West. Bud Black’s lineup featured all four of the players with less than 100 days of big league service time for the second time this season: Jones, Brenton Doyle, Ezequiel Tovar and Elehuris Montero.

There’s still a lot that needs to happen to build the next contender for Colorado, but there’s hope around the offices of 2001 Blake Street that Jones represents another piece that’s in place for the future.