To Triple-A pitchers' dismay, Yanks' Jones still in Minors ... and now leading in RBIs
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Spencer Jones is close. He knows it. The Yankees know it. The fans know it.
The question is: will there be room for him?
New York's No. 6 prospect kept up his hot-hitting ways with a homer and three hits during Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's doubleheader split against Buffalo on Friday at PNC Field.
Jones went deep for the eighth time in the nightcap -- an 8-3 RailRiders loss -- after filling up the box score during a 2-0 win in Game 1 with two hits and two stolen bases. The 24-year-old has hit safely in five of his past six games, hiking his average 30 points.
One of the premier power-hitting prospects in the game, Jones is on a similar pace to last year when he slugged a career-high 35 home runs across three Minor League levels. The 6-foot-7, 240-pounder averaged a long ball every 12.5 at-bats in 2025; so far, he's averaging one every 12.9 ABs through his first 29 games of '26.
Jones went to the opposite field in the opening frame of Game 2, launching a 106.2 mph jack to left field off Buffalo right-hander Grant Rogers (TOR No. 30). The solo clout moved him into a four-way tie for second in the International League in roundtrippers and gave him a Minor League-high 32 RBIs.
Jones didn't launch any tape-measure knocks in the opener, but he did rip a pair of 102+ mph singles, one of which drove in a run. The California native also swiped two bases, giving him seven in nine attempts after he fell one stolen base shy of joining the 30-30 club last year.
His .252 average notwithstanding, the Vanderbilt product has a .905 OPS, a 128 wRC+ and has increased his walk rate (from 11.5 percent to 12.3 percent) compared to last year. Conversely, Jones' K rate has dropped slightly (from 35.4 percent to 34.4 percent).
But when his services will be needed in the Bronx is still anyone's guess. The Yankees called up Jasson Domínguez on Monday, and despite being hit in the left elbow by a pitch, he's expected to return to the lineup shortly. With Aaron Judge and Trent Grisham manning the other two outfield spots, and the team humming along offensively, there isn't a clear path at the moment for Jones.
All that could change in the blink of an eye, whether it be an injury or Jones forcing the club's hand.
What is apparent is that the hulking slugger is beginning to turn raw power into consistent, game-changing production. The Yankees can afford to wait, much to the dismay of Triple-A hurlers.