 Jones attended the University of Iowa and was selected by Cincinnati in the 20th round of the 1979 Major League Baseball Draft.In 1982, his fourth pro season, he led the Class A Midwest League in home runs (42), drove in 101 runs, and was selected to the All-Star team.He began the 1983 season on the Reds' Major League roster and started 13 games as a right fielder, left fielder and first baseman during a three-week April stretch.