The New York Yankees have officially begun spring training and the 2026 MLB season is right around the corner.
Entering the upcoming campaign, no one knows exactly what to expect from the Yankees. Brian Cashman and the front office put together a relatively quiet MLB offseason that featured re-signing star outfielder Cody Bellinger.
While New York opted not to pursue any huge splash moves from outside of the organization, the hope is that other players returning from injury will be able to power the team to the next level. Gerrit Cole is arguably the most important player coming back who could raise the Yankees’ ceiling.
However, there are also young players that New York is hoping will step up. One of those young players is top prospect outfielder Spencer Jones.
With that being said, Jones recently received a take comparing one area of his game to MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani who has led the Los Angeles Dodgers to back-to-back World Series wins.
Yankees Prospect Spencer Jones Gets Shohei Ohtani Style Recognition
Major League Baseball shared a post on X that compared Jones’ swing to that of Ohtani.
Jones also spoke out about the similarities between his swing and Ohtani’s and admitted that he does look at the superstar for ways to improve his game. MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch shared Jones’ comments about Ohtani’s swing.
“He’s a great reference of a really good mover with a great swing,” Jones said. “He’s one of those guys that I look at with some of the stuff he does, and I try to apply it in whichever way I can.”
This comparison isn’t claiming that Jones will become the same kind of player that Ohtani has become. That would be an extremely lofty goal, as Ohtani has started receiving some hype as one of the best baseball players in the history of the game.
However, there is no question that Jones has developed and improved. Perhaps he could end up playing a key role throughout the 2026 season.
What to Expect from Spencer Jones in 2026
Last season in the minor leagues, Jones put up good production. He played in 116 total games, hitting 35 home runs to go along with 80 RBI and 29 stolen bases. He was also able to produce a slash line of .274/.362/.571.
RotoWire shared their projections for Jones this season. They aren’t expecting a big role for the young outfielder.
At this point in time, they are projecting jones to hit two home runs and drive in eight RBI.
Jones may not be ready to break out in 2026. He might need another year before taking on a big role at the Major League level. That being said, the New York Yankees have a young player who has star potential for the future and he’s starting to make some noise.
Yankees Prospect Gets Compared to MLB Superstar Shohei Ohtani