Mar 10, 2026; Clearwater, Florida, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Spencer Jones (78) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the second inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Yankees Make Baffling Decision on Spring Breakout Game

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Delilah Bourque | Last updated Mar 18, 2026 5:34 PM ET

As Spring Training winds down and teams begin to look ahead to the regular season, top prospects have the Spring Breakout weekend to look forward to. When the New York Yankees released their roster for the event, which sees them taking on the Atlanta Braves, one big name was conspicuous absent: outfielder Spencer Jones.

Jones has been lighting up Spring Training for the Yankees, hitting four home runs in 24 at-bats, though he also struck out eight times. Despite his offensive power, he was sent back to the triple-A and minor league camp. Now, he's been excluded from one of the biggest prospect showcases in baseball.

Why Would Yankees Exclude Spencer Jones from Spring Breakout?

The decision to omit Jones from the Spring Breakout roster is undoubtedly a confusing one. While he's developed a reputation for offensive inconsistency, he's also been one of the buzziest prospects in the Yankees' system.

Prospect events like the Spring Breakout are some of the last opportunities for players to show off their power before the beginning of the regular season. The opportunity is particularly important for players like Jones, who sit at positions with lots of depth. Come Opening Day, the Yankees will roster Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger, as well as Jasson Dominguez. With that much star power, it makes it more difficult to include Jones, so Spring Breakout could have been important for his development.

Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Other prospects excluded from the roster include top right-handed pitchers Carlos Lagrange and Ben Hess, as well as shortstop Dax Kilby and fellow pitcher Bryce Cunningham. The exclusion of prospects like Lagrange, who is expected to make his major league debut along with Jones in 2026, could point to a strategic decision to keep key options healthy for an inevitable call up.

What is the Spring Breakout Game?

According to MLB.com, Spring Breakout "is a four-day event to showcase future MLB players who are currently the stars of the minor leagues. Each MLB team has a showcase team with all of their highly ranked prospects who are looking to turn heads at the next level."

2026 marks the third year of the Spring Breakout, which will transition to a tournament-style event next season. Position players with under 130 MLB at-bats are eligible to participate, and the Yankees included top prospect George Lombard Jr., who is expected to debut in 2027, in the 2026 lineup.