In the waning days of Spring Training, the Colorado Rockies traded outfielder Nolan Jones to the Cleveland Guardians for infielder-outfielder Tyler Freeman. The deal was first reported by MLB.com’s Thomas Harding and subsequently announced by the Rockies.

The move comes as a bit of a shock as Jones, 26, heads back to the team that drafted him and with whom he made his big league debut in 2022. Once heralded as a top prospect with the Guardians after being drafted in the second round back in 2016, Jones always hit well in the minors but the shine seemed to dimmer over the years. In 28 games he slashed .244/.309/.372 with two home runs in 94 plate appearances. The hit tool had always been there but a high strikeout rate and the blockage at third in Cleveland led the Rockies to acquire Jones via trade in the 2022 offseason for infielder Juan Brito.

Jones became a star in Colorado during the 2023 campaign. As a rookie, he slashed .297/.389/.542 while hitting 20 homers and flashing elite defensive ability in left field, setting a club record on 19 outfield assists. He became the first National League rookie in history to hit 20 homers, steal 20 bases, and record 19 outfield assists. He did all of this in just 106 games, posting a 4.3 rWAR and was posted a strong 137 wRC+. He finished fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.

Poised as a key piece in the Rockies’ developing foundation, 2024 was a dud of a season for the outfielder. Injuries and self-imposed pressure limited him to just 79 games while batting a meager .227/.321/.320 with just three home runs. Lapses in his defensive ability also popped up, leading to a disappointing year overall. Still, there was hope he could bounce back with a new mentality in 2025. Unfortunately for Jones, he stumbled out of the gate in Spring Training. In 17 games he has slashed .234/.280/.298 with three doubles and seven RBI. Over his last five games he has picked things up a bit, tallying six hits, including a four-hit game, with all three of his doubles coming in this stretch.

Brito has yet to make his big league debut for the Guardians but posted a strong .256/.365/.443 line in 144 games at Triple-A for the club last year.

The problem that Jones has faced in his career has been the high strikeout total. He owns a career strikeout rate of 30% but has coupled that with a high walk rate of 11.9% in his brief big-league career. After the dismal 2024 campaign and the abundance of strikeouts in Spring Training, combined with the fact that the Rockies have plenty of outfielders looking for playing time, the team must feel a change is needed. Prospect Zac Veen could find himself in a regular role alongside Jordan Beck in the corner outfield spots, or the Rockies may be falling into old habits and turning to older players like Sean Bouchard and Nick Martini.

For Jones, he is now primed to perhaps take over the everyday role in right field for the Guardians. Will Brennan had been penciled in as the starter but with Jones’ more tangible track record, the move may be the boost the Guardians lineup needs, especially if Jones can return to form this season.

In return, the Rockies will fill a roster need in the wake of second baseman Thairo Estrada’s broken wrist.

Freeman, 25, was drafted by the Guardians in the second round of the 2017 draft. Making his debut in 2022, Freeman spent parts of three seasons with the Guardians, slashing .223/.304/.329 with 11 home runs in 206 career games. 2024 was his first full season in the big leagues and he ended up playing in 118 games, batting .209/.305/.321 with a career-high seven home runs and 32 RBI with 11 stolen bases.

In Spring Training, Freeman is taking full advantage of his quality hit tools. In 15 games he has hit .308/.413/.667 with four doubles, two triples, and two home runs.

The Rockies will now look to use Freeman’s defensive versatility to their advantage. Freeman spent the majority of his time in center field with the Guardians last season but also got brief looks at shortstop, third base, and second base throughout the season. Following Estrada’s injury, the Rockies had to pivot their plans for the infield. Veteran Kyle Farmer had been brought in with the idea that he would be the roaming utility infielder to spell players like Ezequiel Tovar and Ryan McMahon and keep them fresh through the season. He was slated to get more time at second base but now could enter more of a rotation with Freeman at second until the Rockies are able to get Estrada back in four to eight weeks.

His versatility in the outfield could give the Rockies more flexibility in their outfield decisions, specifically concerning the need to spot Brenton Doyle in center field. Doyle has talked at length about the toll of playing center field for the Rockies and the team hoped to mitigate that with the presence of Sam Hilliard. However, Hilliard has struggled for most of Spring Training, despite the slight uptick in offense over his last couple of games.

Freeman was destined for a bench role with the Guardians in 2025 but now could find himself into more regular at-bats with the Rockies in the hope of continuing to develop his hit tools. His patience at the plate is certain to excite the Rockies as he owns a 14.8% strikeout rate alongside a 6.6% walk rate. For a team that has struggled with on-base skills and too many strikeouts, it could be a welcome change off the bench for Bud Black on any given day.

Sometimes a change of scenery is needed and only time will tell if this move is beneficial for either team.