The New York Yankees are calling up prospect Spencer Jones for his debut against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday, May 8, and teammates shared their thoughts on the young outfielder, relayed by Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
The 24-year-old Jones was a first-round pick in 2022. He’s among the organization’s top 10 prospects. Jones has flashed an impressive mix of speed and power during his time in the minors.
“It’s a large man who hits the ball very far,” outfielder Cody Bellinger said. “Honestly, he’s a freak athlete, too. I didn’t know [about] the speed. He’s very athletic and moves well. He’s just a good baseball player.” Big shoutout to Hoch for compiling comments from several players. There’s plenty of good insight in his article.
Jones put together a monster 2025 campaign across two minor-league levels. He racked up 16 home runs and 10 steals at Double-A. The Yankees bumped him to Triple-A, and he kept producing. Jones fell just short of a 20/20 season in 67 games with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, posting 19 home runs and an equal amount of steals.
New York Yankees Speak On Prospect Spencer Jones Ahead of MLB Debut
Jones continued to produce in his second stint at Triple-A this year. The hulking 6’7″ outfielder was slashing .258/.366/.592 before getting the call to the big leagues. In typical fashion, Jones launched 11 home runs and stole seven bases in just 33 games with the RailRiders. He had a strong 143 wRC+ across 142 plate appearances.
“He shows up every day with the same attitude,” infielder Max Schuemann said. “Whether it’s a good day or a bad day, it doesn’t matter for that guy.” Schuemann opened the year with Jones at Triple-A. He joined the organization this offseason via a trade from the Athletics.
The main drawback with Jones is the strikeouts. He punched out at a 28.9% clip in his first full pro season in 2023. That number spiked to 36.8% at Double-A in 2024. As Jones climbed the minor-league ladder, he continued to strike out at a concerning rate. The outfielder posted a 36.6% strikeout rate in his first taste of Triple-A. That mark was slightly better this year at 32.4%, but it’s still a red flag for his major league outlook.
The bright side of Jones from a strikeout perspective is his brief look at MLB arms in Spring Training this year. He trimmed the strikeout rate to 24.2% in 13 spring games this year.
Can Jones Keep an MLB Roster Spot?
Outfielder Jasson Dominguez went down with a scary injury on Thursday, May 7, against the Texas Rangers. The former prospect crashed into the outfield wall while chasing down a fly ball. He had to be carted off the field. Dominguez was unsurprisingly placed on the injured list after the incident, clearing a roster spot for Jones. The extent of the injury was limited to a low-grade shoulder sprain, which suggests Dominguez won’t miss an extended period of time.
Jones will also have to navigate the eventual return of Giancarlo Stanton. The slugger is on the injured list with a calf injury. Stanton’s lack of defensive capabilities would make it tough for the Yankees to carry Jones, Ben Rice, and Paul Goldschmidt.
Yankees Share Strong Takes on Spencer Jones: ‘He’s a freak athlete’