MLB analyst Mike Ferrin on Detroit Tigers’ season, Alex Bregman
On “Days of Roar,” Mike Ferrin – co-host of “Power Alley” on MLB Network Radio – evaluates the Detroit Tigers in 2025.
The Detroit Tigers continue to make changes to their coaching staff.
Gary Jones won’t return to the Tigers in the 2026 season. He worked for the Tigers for four seasons, from 2022-25.
The 64-year-old had a dugout-based coaching role in 2024-25. He also served as the first-base coach in 2022 and the third-base coach in 2023.
Jones – known for always keeping a toothpick in his mouth – has logged nine seasons of MLB coaching experience, including four with the Tigers.
Before the Tigers, he worked as the first-base coach for the Oakland Athletics in 1998 and the third-base coach for the Chicago Cubs in 2014-17.
Jones spent more than a decade as a manager in the minor leagues with the Athletics (1990-97), Boston Red Sox (1999-2001), San Diego Padres (2003-06) and Philadelphia Phillies (2018-19, 2021). He has managed 2,421 games in the minors, with 1,243 wins for a .514 winning percentage.
He also served as the coordinator of minor league instruction for the Red Sox for one year and the roving minor league infield instructor for the Padres for six years.
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From 1995-97, Jones managed the Edmonton Trappers – the Triple-A affiliate of the Athletics.
That’s when Jones crossed paths with Tigers manager A.J. Hinch for the first time. In 1997, Hinch – a catcher selected in the third round of the 1996 draft – played for the Trappers, hitting .376 with a 1.001 OPS in 39 games.
The Tigers hired Jones in December 2021 as the Triple-A Toledo manager.
But Jones never managed the Mud Hens.
In January 2022, the Tigers named Jones as their first-base coach after the death of first-base coach Kimera Bartee. He worked as the first-base coach in 2022 and the third-base coach in 2023, then transitioned to a dugout-based coaching role from 2024-25.
Prior to coaching, Jones played eight seasons in the minor leagues for the Cubs (1982-85) and the Athletics (1986-89) as an infielder and outfielder. He hit .283 with 23 home runs, 783 walks, 542 strikeouts and 225 stolen bases across 889 games, including a .258 batting average in 260 games at the Triple-A level.
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