The New York Yankees made the tough decision to option outfield prospect Spencer Jones ahead of Opening Day.
Jones has been one of the Yankees’ top prospects for years, and he was looking to crack the MLB roster. However, New York brought back Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham, as well as having Randal Grichuk and Jasson Dominguez competing for the fourth outfield spot.
So, the Yankees decided to send Jones down, and manager Aaron Boone sent a message to the top prospect.
“Don’t focus on things that right now might be out of your control a little bit,” Boone said as his message to Jones.
Boone, meanwhile, said he was impressed with Jones during spring training, which is something to build off of in the minors.
“Reality is, he’s coming off a really strong season,” Boone added. “He continues to make really solid adjustments. He came in here this spring and has represented really well and has performed. You’ve seen the signs of him continuing to get better.”
Jones hit .333 with three home runs, a double, seven RBIs and a 1.344 OPS in nine games this spring. He played mostly in center field, as well as one game in left, so he does give the Yankees flexibility in the outfield if they need it.
However, for the time being, the Yankees outfield is set, so Jones will have to begin the year in Triple-A.
Aaron Judge Likes Spencer Jones’ Swing
Jones not only impressed Boone in spring training, but he also impressed Aaron Judge.
The top prospect made a tinker to his swing, which Judge noticed and expects to help him have success in the MLB.
“The minute (Jones) puts that foot down with that little toe-tap, he’s ready to hit,” Judge said. “They might have gotten him with a lot of high heaters in the past, or even last season. That’s just going to help him.
“He doesn’t have a big leg kick and doesn’t have to worry about trying to get that down. … That quickness, that readiness — it’s really going to be a game changer for him.”
The Yankees selected Jones 25th overall in the 2022 MLB Draft, and he’s yet to make his MLB debut. But that could very well come this season.
Boone Addresses Yankees Outfield Situation
New York has a surplus of outfielders, and Boone knew the team would have to make some tough decisions.
During spring training, Boone appeared on MLB Network and gave his thoughts on the Yankees’ outfield. He also made it clear that he believes Jones and Dominguez are both MLB-caliber players.
“Well, we think very highly of both of those guys and they’re young players that are continuing to develop and get better,” Boone said. “And in Dominguez’s case, it was a 22-year-old last year that really had a solid year and grew a lot and he’s also a guy that’s missed a lot of time with different injuries in the Minor League. So it’s both guys we think are going to be really, really outstanding Major League players.”
Ultimately, the Yankees could also send Dominguez down to allow him to start every day. But, New York likes the two prospects and their futures in the Bronx.
Yankees’ Aaron Boone Sends Message to Spencer Jones After Being Optioned