Mats Jones

Mats Jones

• Bats Right, Throws Right

• Born September 16, 1980

Biographical Information

Mats Jones has played for the Leksand Lumberjacks for over a decade.

Jones had a 4.91 ERA and hit .208/.296/.250 in 2003, the first Elitserien season for which stats are available online. He played for the Swedish national team, allowing one run in 1 1/3 IP and going 0 for 1 with a hit-by-pitch at the plate in the 2003 European Championship. With Leksand in 2004, he hit .310/.414/.370 with 28 RBI in 100 AB and was 5-0 with a 1.60 ERA. He led the Elitserien in ERA by .20 and allowed the lowest average (.158, .019 ahead of Magnus Pilegård). In the 2005 European Championship, he was 1 for 2 with two RBI, backing up Dean Lindberg and Pilegård at 1B. He did not pitch in that tournament. He allowed 3 runs in 2/3 of an inning in the 2005 Baseball World Cup but got a hit in his lone at-bat, off Jô Matumoto.

For the 2005 Lumberjacks, Jones hit .273/.328/.361 and posted a 4-1, 2.54 record. He was 5th in ERA and 4th in opponent average (.211). Leksand won the title, as they had done in 2004; they would not win again for a decade. In 2006, he produced at a .346/.470/.448 clip with 10 doubles and 26 RBI in 98 at-bats. On the hill, he fell to 3-2, 5.47. In 2007, he struggled on the mound (0-4, 11.00, .390 opponent average) but hit .337/.438/.513 with 10 doubles. For Leksand in 2008, he put up a .312/.415/.343 batting line and he allowed two runs in four innings. In 2009, he slumped to .245/.386/.262 but rebounded as a pitcher (5-3, 5.81). He tied for 4th in wins.

Jones hit .380/.442/.587 in 2010 and was 1-0 with a 3.65 ERA. Had he qualified, he would have been 4th in average and slugging. In '11, he batted .250/.279/.400 and was 1-1 with a 5.89 ERA. For 2012, his batting line was .241/.290/.321 and was 3-3 with a 5.31 ERA. He was 1 for 2 in 2013 and allowed 7 runs (3 earned) in 6 1/3 IP. He did not play in 2014. In 2015, he hit .410/.500/.461 and allowed four unearned runs in four innings. Had he qualified, he would have been second to Matt Merrifield in both average and OBP and 5th in slugging.

From 2003-2015, he hit .306/.383/.395 and was 22-14 with a 4.71 ERA.