This story was excerpted from Jason Beck's Tigers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Watch Jahmai Jones interact with players around the Tigers’ Spring Training clubhouse, and it feels like he has been part of the organization for years, not a non-roster invitee who just joined on a Minor League contract last fall. That’s a reflection of his outgoing personality and his career as a 10-year pro across six organizations, including last year with the Yankees.

“There’s a lot of guys in here that I’ve either played with or played against,” the versatile utility man said, “so thankfully not too unfamiliar of a place.”

Dig deeper into Jones’ career, however, and there’s more of a familiarity with Detroit than some prospects who have spent their entire career here. He was born and raised in the Atlanta area, but in some ways, Detroit is like family.

While Jones was the top prospect in the Angels’ system, having been drafted out of high school in the second round in 2015, he was a regular at Ford Field in the fall. His older brother, T.J. Jones, was a wide receiver for the Lions from 2015-18. T.J. played a lot of special teams, but he also made six starts in ‘17, catching 30 passes that year for 399 yards and a touchdown.

“The city of Detroit really gets into their sports,” Jahmai said. “Every time I went and saw a game, that’s what I felt. I felt like the city of Detroit was behind guys. He had nothing but good things to say about Detroit.”

The ties go beyond there. Before Jahmai was born, his father, Andre Jones, was a linebacker for the Lions in 1992. Though Jahmai played both sports up until his junior year in high school, Andre provided a lot of encouragement for Jahmai’s interest in baseball at a young age.

“I love baseball,” he said. “I loved it since I was a kid, and I kind of wanted to build my own path. I felt like it would be very easy to just continue to do football and follow the path my brothers laid before me.

“They knew it from a young age. They saw it. And when I told my family about it, nobody was surprised by that decision. It was just a matter of when, not if.”

Jahmai, the youngest of five children, was starring in baseball and getting ready for high school in the summer of 2011. Andre drove him to a practice on June 21 and left him with words of encouragement.

“We had a day at practice,” Jahmai told Emily Waldon for The Athletic in 2019, “and my dad was like, ‘I’m really excited to see you play this summer. I can’t wait to watch you play.’ And then the next morning, it happened.”

Andre Jones suffered a brain aneurysm on June 22. He died at age 42. Jahmai’s mom, Michele Jones, raised him on her own through his high school years.

The family connections aren’t what drew Jahmai to the Tigers. At this point in his career, it’s a matter of opportunity. Manager A.J. Hinch loves versatility, and Jones’ ability to play around the infield and outfield provides a natural appeal; his 33 games for the Yankees last season included appearances at second base, third base, left field and right field. His .304 average (7-for-23) against left-handed pitching with three extra-base hits, including his first big league home run, also caught the Tigers’ attention.

“I’m anxious to see him play,” Hinch said. “In Triple-A, he’s always performed well, and using him in different spots is going to be a focus this spring. We’ve talked a lot about how left-handed we are, and how do we balance that. He’ll be right in the mix to get some early at-bats to see if he’s factoring into the decisions.”

Said Jones: “I just wanted to go to the best opportunity for me to play and compete on a team that is a winning team. Detroit obviously proved it last year that they’re more than playoff-capable. All I wanted to do was just help a team get there or get back there, and do everything I can to help a team win. I thought this was a great opportunity for me.”

Still, Jones admits, there would be something special in getting back to the Majors in Detroit, across the street from where his brother played, and down the road from where his father played at the Pontiac Silverdome.

“I think it would be a very kind of full-circle moment,” he said. “That would be very cool for my dad, my brother and me to all play in Detroit at some point. I think it would be a really cool experience.”