Yankees cannot afford to trade their 'left-handed Aaron Judge'

It’s been a busy summer for New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, having watched several pitchers and the team’s primary third baseman fall victim to lengthy IL stints. 

Cashman has at least three holes to repair, but who can the Yankees deal to land some worthwhile replacements? Among New York's trade chips that have been frequently mentioned as of recent is outfielder Spencer Jones.

Whether for the Arizona Diamondbacks' Eugenio Suarez or Pittsburgh Pirates' Mitch Keller, several rumors have suggested a package involving Jones, the Yankees’ No. 4 prospect and purported “left-handed Aaron Judge.” 

Up until this season, Jones had struggled to live up to his monstrous expectations, which made him rather undesirable in prior trade discussions. But whereas many teams and writers saw him as a hard pass in trade talks over the offseason, Jones has now become a hot commodity.

Off to a scorching start in Triple-A (.408/.470/.901 with 10 home runs in just 17 games entering Wednesday), Jones has compiled a head-turning .313/.412/.683 stat line with a career-high 26 home runs and 16 stolen bases in 246 at-bats across Double and Triple-A this season. 

With his awe-striking power finally producing some results, Jones has become a top-of-the-line trade chip. However, this doesn’t mean the Yankees should consider trading him. Why not?

Center field-related uncertainty 

Yankees’ center fielder, Cody Bellinger, has played well in pinstripes this year which raises the topic of his player option for next season. In addition, since he is getting paid more than his option is worth next year, chances are he decides to try the free-agent market.

If Bellinger does leave, center field will be wide open as Trent Grisham will also likely test free agency after this season. Unlike Jones, neither Judge nor Jasson Dominguez have displayed the aptitude necessary to capably play the position. The Yankees’ shallow depth will also prove to be a challenge for finding a replacement.

If Bellinger does stay, he can slide into first base while Jones takes over at center. But whether he decides to stay or go, Bellinger will be a free agent after the 2026 season.

Trade value

Jones’ numbers are on fire, but his trade value has yet to catch up, due to his unstable track record. Nonetheless, using a prospect of Jones’ caliber (along with others) to land someone like Keller (career 4.43 ERA), for example, or any similar player would equate to mismanagement.

Given his torrid stretch this year, there is a good chance Jones lives up to his stunning potential. Selling him for a fraction of his future worth would be regrettable.

Yankees’ current situation 

The Yankees are without Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt for the year and many others sit on the IL alongside them. This deficiency could be offset by acquiring some rentals, namely Suarez. However, as the risk with all rentals, Suárez will likely test free agency at the end of the season. Unless the Yankees extend or sign him, he won’t share the same side of the field with Cole or Schmidt (while active).

If they can land Suarez without trading Jones, all would be well for the Yankees. If not, this could be a case of mortgaging the future to improve a very gloomy present. 

In the end, it may be better to have Jones’ bat backing Cole over the next three years rather than Suárez’s bat backing Will Warren this year. If the Yankees are dealing for rentals at the deadline, it’s best to leave Jones out of it.