JaCoby Jones Makes Opening Day Roster, Will Split CF With Romine
DETROIT (CBS Detroit) -- The Detroit Tigers were left with one big question mark going into the 2017 season -- who's going to play center field?
The team was left with a glaring hole in center field after trading away spark plug veteran Cameron Maybin over the offseason. Manager Brad Ausmus said before the team's final Spring Training series on Friday that youngster JaCoby Jones will man the position to start the season and split time with utility man Andrew Romine.
Jones will split time with Andrew Romine in centerfield, Ausmus said.
— anthony fenech (@anthonyfenech) March 31, 2017
Tigers won't have true everyday CF (or a pure platoon). JaCoby Jones will start in CF against lefties and "certain righties," per Ausmus.
— Evan Woodbery (@evanwoodbery) March 31, 2017
Jones played in 13 games last season for the Tigers, starting three games in center field. Since being traded to the Tigers organization in the summer of 2015, Jones has batted .255 with 13 home runs and 63 RBIs in 136 games with Triple-A Toledo and Double-A Erie.
Romine is entering his fourth season with the Tigers. He started 13 games in center field for the Tigers last season.
Meanwhile, Ausmus told reporters that Tyler Collins and Mikie Mahtook will fill in for J.D. Martinez in right field until he returns from a foot injury.