Jones, Candelario share AFL weekly honor

A pair of prospects who ply their trades at the hot corner have lived up to that adjective in the first week of Arizona Fall League play.

Tigers' No. 10 prospect JaCoby Jones and Cubs' No. 19 prospect Jeimer Candelario were named AFL co-players of the week for the first week of the 2015 season, the circuit announced Tuesday.

Jones went 7-for-13 (.538) with two homers, five runs scored, four RBIs and a walk in his first three games with the Scottsdale Scorpions. The 23-year-old slugger hit both long balls in a 13-3 win over Salt River last Wednesday and followed that up with a 4-for-4 showing the next day in a 9-2 win over Glendale. Jones, who has moved from shortstop to third in Arizona, was acquired by the Tigers from the Pirates in a deadline deal for reliever Joakim Soria and finished the season with a .257/.322/.415 line, 16 homers and 80 RBIs between Class A Advanced and Double-A over the two systems.

Candelario swooped into award consideration with a 5-for-5 game Friday in which he homered twice, doubled three times and plated four runs. He finished the week 8-for-10 (.800) with six extra-base hits, a walk and no strikeouts in three contests. The 21-year-old switch-hitter is coming off a breakout season in the Cubs system. He slashed .277/.339/.431 with 10 homers, four triples, 35 doubles and 64 RBIs in 128 games at Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach and Double-A Tennessee. He was particularly better at the higher level, where he had an .841 OPS in 46 games.

D.J. Peterson (Mariners), Gary Sanchez (Yankees) and Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays) were also Player of the Week candidates, according to the AFL.