LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The Braves have hired their 10-time former Gold Glove winnner Andruw Jones as a special assistant in baseball operations, where his primary focus will be working with the team’s minor league outfielders.
Jones, 38, will also assist in the Braves’ international initiatives. He was named last week as a 2016 inductee to the Braves Hall of Fame along with team president John Schuerholz.
“It’s good to be back in the organization that you started with,” said Jones, who has been in Braves camp as a guest instructor for the past week. “Trying to help the organization get better by working with the young guys. Hopefully they can learn something from you, the experience that you have and the time that you’ve been here in the organization, and (also) explain how great this organization is. Trying to make it better as it goes into the future.”
On the day of the Braves Hall of Fame announcement, Jones made official his retirement as a player. He last played in the majors in 2012 with the Yankees and spent two seasons (2013-2014) playing in Japan.
Signed at 16 out of Curacao by the Braves, Jones spent his first 12 major league seasons with the Braves, hitting 368 home runs for them and winning 10 consecutive Gold Gloves before leaving as a free agent after the 2007 season.
The hiring comes two months after the Braves hired Jones’ longtime former teammate, retired Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, as a special assistant to baseball operations. Chipper will work with Braves hitters in the last couple of weeks of spring training and before some home games during the season, and help with special scouting assignments.
“It’s going to be fun,” said Andruw Jones, who said it hadn’t been determined how many days he’ll work during the season. “Trying to be part of the organization that we’ve been with for a long time, that we started with. Trying to help it rebuild and get back where it used to be, a competitive organization for a long time….
“This is where I began my career and I’m looking forward to working with the young players and watching them develop.”
Braves general manager John Coppolella joked that Andruw looked so good in uniform this past week that “he might pull a Michael Jordan” and come back to play.
“We are very excited to add Andruw to our staff as a special assistant,” Coppolella said. “He is perhaps the most accomplished defensive outfielder in our organization’s history and one of the best in baseball history. He signed at the age of 16 and was developed in this organization. He can offer a lot of experience and knowledge to our young players and we look forward to his contributions.”
Jones was a five-time All-Star who hit .254 with 434 home runs, 1,289 RBIs, 152 stolen bases and an .823 OPS in 17 major league seasons. He entertained thoughts of a comeback with a major league team this season, but said last month at Braves FanFest that he planned to announce his retirement soon. He did that last week.
He made his major league debut in August 1996 with the Braves, and two months later hit two home runs in Game 1 of the World Series against the Yankees in New York. He became the youngest to hit a home run in a World Series game.
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