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What to Expect from Yankees Outfielder Spencer Jones

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What to Expect from Yankees Outfielder Spencer Jones

Originally posted on New Baseball Media
By Chris Studley | Last updated May 8, 2026 10:40 AM ET

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It’s time for Spencer Jones to make his way to the Yankees. Jones, the Yankees’ first-round pick in 2022, will join the team’s big-league roster to replace Jasson Dominguez on the active roster. Very few hitters in all of Minor League Baseball have the kind of power that Jones possesses. However, the big question for him will be how much contact he can make at the next level.

A Look at Jones

Four years ago, the Yankees made Vanderbilt outfielder Spencer Jones the team’s first-round pick, as New York selected him 24th overall. Jones was a well-known two-way high school prospect out of California but stuck to his commitment to Vanderbilt, despite being a late-round pick by the Angels in 2019.

Thanks to the pandemic and Tommy John surgery, Jones didn’t play too much in his first two collegiate years. However, he hit .370 with 12 home runs in his junior season, showcasing exactly what he can do when healthy.

Since then, Jones has been one of the most intriguing prospects in all of Minor League Baseball. He played well in 2023, as Jones picked up 49 extra-base hits and made his way to Double-A that year. Along the way, he’s put on shows in Spring Training — and in the Minors. Last season, he belted 35 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A.

He was added to the Yankees’ 40-man roster in November 2025.

This year, Jones slashed .258/.356/.592 with 11 home runs in 33 games with the RailRiders. His .592 slugging percentage presently ranks fifth in the International League.

From a pure power standpoint, there are very few prospects in the Minors, if any, who come close to what Jones brings to the table. A physically strong outfielder, Jones can go from 0 to 100 fast with bat speed and plus-plus raw strength. That raw strength, by the way, can both pull and push the ball, meaning the power plays to all sides.

His 14 barreled-up balls in April were the most among Triple-A hitters.

However, there are major downsides to his game. Particularly, the swing-and-miss.

That was very true last season in Double-A, as he posted the third-highest swing-and-miss rate in the Eastern League. And again, aside from pitches in on him, Jones has been vulnerable.

Via New Baseball Media

So, what does Jones struggle with? Well, a little bit of everything. As of May 8, Jones swung and missed at a clip of 35.6% on four-seam fastballs, with higher figures on sliders (43.2%), cutters (48%), sinkers (48.1%), and changeups (53.7%).

Aside from the power, Jones also has other tools in his bag, including good footspeed for a man of his size. The 24-year-old is a primary center fielder, where he spent the vast majority of his pro career.

Jones stole a career-high 43 bases three seasons ago in the Minors. Last year, he picked up 29.

The Yankees are expected to promote Spencer Jones officially on May 8.

Analysis

Even though Jones had a great spring (again) and was on the Yankees’ 40-man roster, it was going to take some breaks for him to get the call to The Bronx.

Those breaks came as Jones continued to hit the ball well when he made contact. Additionally, a path was cleared, as Randal Grichuk was brought in to be a platoon bat against lefties but was DFA’d. Jasson Dominguez slotted in to replace Grichuk. However, a shoulder injury will keep Dominguez out for weeks.

Now, he slides into an outfield situation that currently includes Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, as well as utilityman and platoon hitter Amed Rosario.

Jones is still one of the most mercurial prospects in all of baseball. The 24-year-old has the tools, as he won’t expand too much, possesses speed, and has some of the best pop outside of the MLB level. What doesn’t do him any favors is a naturally long swing and a habit of having trouble with beating up on fastballs.

It’s not to say that he can’t hit a fastball. He did, and quite hard at times in Triple-A. But to do so at the next level against premier pitchers who have mastered sequencing won’t make things easy for Jones. Still, the talent is very much there, and Jones will likely get every chance to prove he can stick at the big league level.

This article first appeared on New Baseball Media and was syndicated with permission.

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