Added to 40-man roster, Jones ready to compete for spot with Yankees

Over the past few weeks, Yankee Stadium has hosted a golf experience and a 5K fun run, among other offseason activities. But Spencer Jones is among the Yankees players continuing to use the facility for its intended purpose.

Jones, the Yankees’ No. 4 prospect, has been working out in the Bronx, according to general manager Brian Cashman, as he gears up for a potential starting role in the Bombers' outfield.

“After he takes a break, he’ll be heading to Tampa, working out down there and hit the ground running heading into Spring Training,” Cashman said.

Jones, 24, was one of three prospects added to the Yanks’ 40-man roster on Tuesday, along with right-handers Chase Hampton and Elmer Rodríguez.

Even with Trent Grisham accepting a $22.025 million qualifying offer on Tuesday, the Yankees’ outfield picture remains unsettled.

Three-time American League Most Valuable Player Aaron Judge will be in right field, of course, and Grisham is likely to see most of his innings in center field.

That leaves left field as a competition between Jones and Jasson Domínguez (who is currently playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic after seeing his playing time dwindle in the second half).

That’s even before considering the possibility of a reunion with Cody Bellinger, who played all three outfield positions and first base for the Yanks last year. Cashman has said Grisham’s acceptance of the qualifying offer will not hinder the pursuit of Bellinger.

“If both [Grisham and Bellinger] come back, maybe it creates trade flexibility,” Cashman said. “I don’t know how this stuff is going to play out.”

Jones slashed .274/.362/.571 with 35 home runs, 80 RBIs and 29 stolen bases in 116 combined games with Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last season.

He appeared defensively at all three outfield positions and, among qualified Minor Leaguers, ranked second in homers, fifth in slugging, sixth in total bases (250), tied for seventh in extra-base hits (59) and eighth in runs scored (102).

“With some other organizations, he would’ve been in the big leagues probably already last year,” Cashman said.

The 22-year-old Rodríguez vaulted to a ranking as the Yankees’ No. 3 prospect behind a stellar season in which he was 11-8 with a 2.58 ERA in 27 games (26 starts) for High-A Hudson Valley, Somerset and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Among qualified Minor Leaguers, he ranked second in strikeouts (176), tied for fifth in innings pitched (150) and eighth in opponents’ batting average (.192) and ERA.

Rodríguez was acquired from the Red Sox along with international signing bonus pool money in December 2024, as part of a swap that sent catcher Carlos Narváez to Boston.

Hampton, 24, missed all of the ’25 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery performed in February.

A sixth-round selection in the 2022 MLB Draft from Texas Tech and the Yankees’ No. 8 prospect, Hampton logged a 3.45 ERA across 27 Minor League starts from 2023-24, striking out 161 batters with 46 walks and 96 hits allowed in 125 1/3 innings.