Breaking MLB Trade: Guardians, Rockies Swing 1-for-1 Deal For Promising Youngsters

The Cleveland Guardians and Colorado Rockies have pulled off a surprising swap of promising young hitters. Nolan Jones was a breakout rookie performer in 2023, and finished fourth in Rookie of the Year balloting. But an injury-plagued 2024 slowed down the progress of the Rockies outfielder/first baseman. Now, Jones will get a chance to rejuvenate his career with the team that originally drafted him in the 2nd round in 2016, as he heads back to Cleveland.

Trade news: The Cleveland Guardians are sending infielder Tyler Freeman to the Colorado Rockies for outfielder Nolan Jones, sources tell ESPN. Freeman should play a lot with the Rockies, and Jones came up in the Cleveland organization and is headed back for a second stint.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 22, 2025

Promising infielder/outfielder Tyler Freeman is heading to the Rockies in return after a strong spring. Freeman was a top 5 prospect in the Cleveland system in 2022.

Jones, who was the Guardians' No. 1 prospect in 2021, blasted 20 home runs and swiped 20 bases in 2023 after heading to the Rockies, joining the vaunted 20-20 club in his rookie season, in just 367 at-bats. He was thought to be a building block for the future in Colorado.

But last season, after two trips to the injured list with back injuries plus a knee injury while on a rehab assignment, Jones was only able to play in 79 games, and batted just .227 with three home runs.

Freeman was also a second-round pick by Cleveland, in 2017, but hasn't been able to make his mark in bits and pieces with the Guardians over the last three years. He has a .223 average and .632 OPS in 206 big league games.

A great pure hitter with intelligent baserunning skills, he was having a very nice season on the Grapefruit League circuit this spring, batting .308 with a 1.080 OPS along with eight extra-base hits including two homers and two triples.

As noted by Jeff Passan, Freeman should get a real chance at some decent playing time with the Rockies, and he's versatile enough to play either his natural shortstop position, or third base as well as centerfield.

Jones should be able to earn an immediate spot in the Cleveland lineup in the outfield.