Detroit Tigers outfielder Jahmai Jones had the best season of his career in 2025, and now he will play on the global stage for the first time, representing South Korea in the World Baseball Classic.
Jones, 28, embraces his Korean culture, which comes from his mother’s side of the family. His mother, Michele Jones, was essential in getting Jahmai into the right position to play baseball.
Her husband, Andre Jones, died of a brain aneurysm in 2011. He played in the NFL with the Detroit Lions in 1992. Jahmai has five siblings, including T.J Jones, a wide receiver who played for the Lions from 2014 to 2018. It feels appropriate that Jahmai also ended up in Detroit.
“So my mom was born in Seoul and was adopted out of Seoul. She and her little brother came over here, and, you know, we had a lot of Korean influence growing up, especially with food. It’s still one of my favorite things,” Jones told World Baseball Network during spring training in Lakeland, Florida.
“Being able to go through that and just doing something for my mom, being able to do this and have her and me experience this together, it’s a really cool family moment.”
Jones has played parts of five seasons in Major League Baseball, with his debut coming in 2020 with the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels drafted him in the second round of the 2015 MLB Draft. He bounced around to the Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers and New York Yankees before the Tigers signed him to an MiLB deal last year.
Jones took advantage of his Tigers opportunity and made his way onto the big league roster. Manager A.J. Hinch deployed him as a platoon hitter, hitting primarily against lefties. He thrived in this role with seven home runs in 104 at-bats and an OPS of .970 against southpaws. This was good enough to earn an invite from South Korea to participate in the WBC.
“It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do, being able to represent a country, you know, have that across your chest,” Jones told World Baseball Network. “I think it is a very cool thing to be able to do in the game of baseball. It’s very unique, and I think it’s not something everybody gets to do.”
“So the fact that Korea, you know, chose me to do it after I expressed some interest to do it means everything to me.”
Jones also got his first taste of postseason baseball last season, going 1-for-2 with an RBI and two walks for the Tigers. The Tigers were eliminated in a 15-inning loss to the Seattle Mariners in Game 5 of the American League Division Series.
Jones will play with South Korea in Pool C at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. Pool C will consist of South Korea, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Australia and Czechia. The top two teams will advance out of Pool C and into the second round of the World Baseball Classic.
Photo: Detroit Tigers’ Jahmai Jones works during workouts at spring training baseball, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Lakeland. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
