Mesa, Arizona, USA; Cleveland Guardians outfielder Tyler Freeman (2) draws a walk against the Chicago Cubs in the third inning at Sloan Park. Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Colorado Rockies' Tyler Freeman Recounts Wild Story Behind Nolan Jones Trade

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Sam Connon | Last updated Mar 24, 2025 12:07 PM ET

When Nolan Jones got pulled from the Colorado Rockies' spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, the outfielder had a feeling he was on the move.

Jones decided to FaceTime one of his old friends from his days in the Cleveland Guardians' farm system, utility man Tyler Freeman, to chat about it. As is turned out, Freeman was facing a similar situation himself.

Then, Saturday rolled around and they both got traded – for each other, no less.

"We're pretty close so we're talking and he goes 'Hey, I was pulled, I think I'm traded,' and I was like 'Brother, I think I'm traded too,'" Freeman said, per Just Baseball's Patrick Lyons. "So we kinda put two and two together. Obviously, nothing was official, nothing – we're like 'Hey, if you hear anything, let me know.' And once we both found out, we called each other again, we're like 'Dude, we just got traded for each other,' which is insane."

Nolan Jones and Tyler Freeman, friends from their time together with Cleveland, Face Timed each other to say they had been traded.

Eventually, they realized the Rockies and Guardians had them for each other. pic.twitter.com/N2m551JynJ
— Patrick Lyons (@PatrickDLyons) March 24, 2025

Jones was Cleveland's second round pick in th 2016 MLB Draft, while Freeman was the club's second round selection in 2017. By the start of 2022, Freeman was ranked as the Guardians' No. 5 prospect – one spot ahead of Jones.

Cleveland traded Jones to Colorado in November 2022, and the outfielder proceeded to break out in 2023. He hit .297 with 20 home runs, 22 doubles, 62 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, a .931 OPS, nine defensive runs saved and 4.3 WAR in 106 games, finishing fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting.

Jones' production came back down to Earth in 2024, though, as he hit .227 with three home runs, 13 doubles, 28 RBIs, five stolen bases, -4 defensive runs saved, a .641 OPS and a -0.7 WAR. He was limited to just 79 games due to various back and knee injuries.

The Rockies found themselves in need of an extra infielder when second baseman Thairo Estradabroke his wrist last week, and Jones was evidently seen as expendable with so many other outfielders competing to make the Opening Day roster. The solution was dealing him to his former team in exchange for a 25-year-old utility man who hit .209 with seven home runs, 14 doubles, 32 RBIs, 11 stolen bases, a .626 OPS, three defensive runs saved and a 0.9 WAR last season.

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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