If you can play, you can stay.
After losing 10 of their last 11 games and falling 22 games under .500 on Friday night, the Giants have seen enough, and the youth movement is officially on.
On Saturday morning, the Giants elected to call up prospect Ryder Jones from AAA Sacramento to bring a power bat to a lineup in desperate search of pop. News of the transaction was first reported by Ken Rosenthal of FOX.
Source: #SFGiants calling up infielder Ryder Jones. Batting .299 with .944 OPS at Sacramento.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 24, 2017
The Giants’ second round draft pick in 2013, the 23-year-old Jones tore the cover off the ball for the Sacramento River Cats this season, posting a .299 batting average, 10 home runs and 33 RBIs.
Prior to the start of the 2017 season, Jones was considered the No. 27 prospect in the Giants’ farm system, but MLB.com graded him with the best arm of any Giants position player who had yet to make it to the big leagues.
A versatile defender who can play third base, first base and in the outfield, the Giants will have an opportunity to give Jones at-bats on an every day basis if they commit to moving him around the field and keeping him in the lineup.
Jones is the third Giants’ prospect to receive a call to the big leagues this week, as he joins pitchers Kyle Crick and Steven Okert. Crick made his Major League debut in Atlanta on Thursday evening, throwing 2 and 1/3 innings of scoreless ball.
Rosenthal did not indicate which player the Giants will designate for assignment to clear a 40-man roster spot for Jones, but infielder Aaron Hill and outfielder Gorkys Hernandez are the most likely candidates.