HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610)- Late Friday night, about an hour after the Astros beat the Seattle Mariners on opening day, Taylor Jones got a knock on his hotel room door in Corpus Christi.
"It was our (minor league fundamentals coordinator) Jason Bell and he just told me you're going to Houston."
The Astros recalled Jones after placing Aledmys Diaz on the IL with a right groin strain. After working out at the University of Houston on Friday, the 26-year old accompanied the rest of non-big leaguers to Corpus Christi where the team's alternative training site will be located this season, meaning Jones had to drive back to Houston on Saturday and do so before Hurricane Hanna made landfall.
"I think I left at around 6:15 am because the storm was coming in, so i was trying to beat it. I got a little bit of rain, but I didn't get the big brunt of the cell."
Jones wasn't a highly touted prospect. After four seasons at Gonzaga the Astros drafted him in the 19th round of the 2016 draft, but he shot through the team's system, finishing his second season full season in the organization at AAA Round Rock. Last season with the Express, Jones hit .291 with 22 home runs and 84 RBI, which earned him a spot a spot on the Astros 40-man roster. He narrowly missed the opening day roster following a solid summer camp, but Astros manager Dusty Baker said Saturday he assumed Jones would be back at some point.
"I just told him when he left the other day, I said 'hey man, you never know when you'll be called back'. Go down with a good attitude, work your butt off, and didn't have any idea it would be this soon."
Jones' role with the Astros profiles as a designated hitter at the moment. He's primarily played first base in his career, but he did play 30 games in the outfield in 2019 and 15 games at third base.
"They tell me he can play third (base)," Baker said. "He hasn't played third much for us because we didn't have the time during spring training or now, and he hasn't played any outfield (this season). We've got some great instructors here, Chris Speier and Joe Espada to help him out on the infield and then we got Gary Pettis and myself to help him in the outfield. We're gonna see what he can do and try to make him as comfortable as possible."
Jones had a chance to soak in life as a big leaguer before the Astros 7-2 win over the Mariners on Saturday, but on the trip back to Houston from Corpus Christi he had the chance reflect on the journey that brought him to Minute Maid Park, which brought up some emotions.
"During that drive I was able to reflect on all my stops in the minor league system and all the work that I had to put in, but just a feeling of excitement and feeling grateful."
