Long before Adam Jones established himself as a major leaguer, he was an 18-year-old playing his first full professional season in Appleton, Wisc. And that summer, while playing with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, his host family was the Jansens.
The youngest member of that family was 9-year-old Danny Jansen, who is now the Toronto Blue Jays’ top catching prospect. Before the Orioles’ series opener Monday against the Blue Jays in Toronto, Jones and Jansen saw each other for the first time in 14 years — both as major leaguers.
“I was the annoying 9-year-old asking for balls and bats of course,” Jansen said.