Guardians Season in Review: Nolan Jones
Nolan Jones was arguably the most doubted player on the Guardians' 2025 roster. If asked, many fans would likely name him as their least favorite Guardian, excluding gamblers.
2025 Season Performance
Jones finished with a .211/.296/.304 slash line, corresponding to a 72 weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+). Among major league outfielders with 400 or more plate appearances, Jones posted the second-worst wRC+, trailing only Brenton Doyle, known for his excellent defense in center field.
- Angel Martinez had a slightly better wRC+ of 74, highlighting the offensive struggles of the Guardians' outfield.
- Daniel Schneemann ranked fifth-worst with a 79 wRC+.
Expectations vs. Reality
Interestingly, Jones's expected weighted on-base average (wOBA), which measures the quality of batted balls, was the fifth-best on the team at .308. This wOBA roughly translates to a 98 wRC+, closer to league average.
If Jones had performed to that level, he would have been an average center fielder and a below-average right fielder, likely earning about 1 win above replacement for the season.
He wrote, "We would be potentially talking about if a Jones-Martinez combo in centerfield can be a winning platoon for the team in 2026."
This suggests some optimism for Jones’s potential contribution moving forward despite his disappointing 2025.
Author's Summary
Nolan Jones’s 2025 season was disappointing offensively, yet his underlying metrics hint he might develop into a valuable outfielder for the Guardians in the near future.