Spencer Jones is the No. 2 prospect in the New York Yankees’ organization, but ranks just 74th overall, per MLB.com.
He has played 73 games in Double-A Somerset this year and is hitting .237. His .721 OPS is respectable, and the combination of 10 home runs and 18 stolen bases is intriguing for the lefty outfielder, but nothing about his numbers scream “elite.”
Yet he might be one of the most important prospects of the 2024 MLB Trade Deadline.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported in a piece published on Sunday, July 14 that “the White Sox still fully intend to move” their young starter Garrett Crochet at the deadline, despite rival GMs being less convinced. Nightengale also reported Chicago recently turned down a proposal from the San Diego Padres.
The Yankees, like every contending team, could use another front-end starter. And, like every contending team, they’ve inquired about Crochet. There’s only one hang-up, per Nightengale.
“The White Sox are insisting on Yankees prized prospect Spencer Jones in a deal for Crochet,” he wrote.
The Yankees have developed a reputation for wanting to be aggressive at trade deadlines without dealing their top prospects, and Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that they are unlikely to deal their No. 1 minor leaguer, Jasson Dominguez.
It’s reasonable to suspect the Yankees will want to hang onto Jones as well, who just participated in his second All-Star Futures Game.
Why the Yankees Value Spencer Jones
It’s important to note that No. 75 ranking from MLB.com is not indicative of where every scouting service ranks him. As Nick Deeds of MLB Trade Rumors points out, he started the season in the 30 range in some services and after a slow start that dropped his stock, he’s started to rebound.
He has endured a rough recent six-game stretch, but before that, he hit .310 in his previous 20.
His scouting report is filled with promise, and per MLB, he has a better shot of becoming a long-term centerfielder than even Dominguez.
“Jones offers an intriguing combination of power and uncommon athleticism for a 6-foot-6, 235-pounder,” his MLB scouting report reads. “His bat speed, strength and leverage produce well-above-average raw power and exit velocities, though there are some concerns about how much of his pop will play in games.”
It’s a reasonable concern, but he has shown decent pop so far. In addition to the 10 home runs, his slugging percentage has stayed basically the same as last year despite a sharp drop in batting average. That puts his ISO at .166.
Spencer Jones Made an Impression on the Yankees
It’s easy for people to draw comparisons between the 6’6 Jones and another towering Yankee, Aaron Judge.
That’s certainly not fair to the young prospect, but he did learn from Judge and new Yankee superstar Juan Soto during Spring Training this year.
“The biggest thing I learned in Spring Training was their personalities are 24/7,” Jones said, per Garrett Stepien of SNY. “Those are those guys for a reason. They go out there and they do their job every single day and love what they do, and it’s infectious to be around. Having that personality, knowing yourself and doing what you love is what I learned the most.”
Judge returned the favor in Spring Training, according to ESPN’s Jorge Castillo.
“I think it’s unfair for him to be compared to anybody because he’s so unique,” Judge said. “He’s such a different hitter than me. I think he’s a different athlete than me. Like he’s exceptional, man. I wish I had that speed.”
And while Jones was able to gain experience playing with the best sluggers in the game, Yankees manager Aaron Boone saw a lot in him.
“He’s such a presence and such a dynamic athlete,” Boone added, per Castillo. “And in a lot of ways he’s just kind of scratching the surface on his baseball career.”
MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch adds that Boone called Jones “maybe the fastest guy in the whole organization.”
It all points to someone the Yankees might want to hold onto.
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The Yankees Prospect Who Might Be the Key to New York’s Trade Deadline Plans