Reds should take a flier on former Terry Francona disciple who just elected free agency

Blog Red Machine's Drew Koch argues that the Cincinnati Reds should pursue free-agent outfielder Nolan Jones this offseason. Jones, who previously played under Reds manager Terry Francona in Cleveland, elected free agency after spending the entire 2026 campaign in Triple-A across stints with the Cleveland Guardians and Seattle Mariners organizations.

Koch suggests Jones represents a low-risk, high-reward target who could be signed to a minor-league contract with a spring training invitation. After finishing fourth in Rookie of the Year voting with the Colorado Rockies in 2023, Jones struggled with injuries and form in recent seasons, but remains an affordable candidate for Nick Krall's front office.