Jacque Jones Named TinCaps Hitting Coach

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - In conjunction with their major league affiliate San Diego Padres, the TinCaps announced today that former major leaguer Jacque Jones was named the hitting coach for Fort Wayne in 2012.

Jones will join first-year manager Jose Valentin and returning pitching Willie Blair in the dugout, along with trainer Dan Turner.

The 36-year-old Jones was born in San Diego and attended college at Kennesaw State and the USC. He was drafted in the second round of the 1996 amateur draft by the Minnesota Twins.

He made his major league debut in 1999 and spent seven years with the Twins, before spending two years with the Chicago Cubs and his splitting his final campaign, the 2008 season, between the Detroit Tigers and Florida Marlins.

"It will be exciting to have another former major league player in the dugout this season," TinCaps team president Mike Nutter said. "We are looking forward to working with Jacque in his first year as a hitting coach and the rest of staff in 2012."

In his 10-year career, Jones finished with a .277 batting average, 165 home runs, 630 runs batted in, and 82 stolen bases. With the Twins in 2002, he hit .300 with 27 home runs and 85 RBI. In his first year with the Cubs, Jones hit .285 with 27 home runs and drove in 81 runs.

Jones, who will replace Kory DeHaan as the hitting coach, appeared in four post seasons, three with the Twins and once with the Cubs.