CLEARWATER, Fla. – Spencer Jones acknowledged the news was something “you never want to hear,” but it hadn’t been unexpected. The Yankees’ outfield appears settled, with the big-swinging prospect set to begin another season in the Minors.
More at-bats with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre are on deck. But Jones is aiming to make his stay as short as possible, continuing to hone his skills as he bangs on the door for a Major League debut.
“It is what it is,” Jones said on Tuesday before the Yankees’ 4-2 Grapefruit League win over the Phillies at BayCare Ballpark. “I’ve got a lot of good work to do, and then obviously I’ve got a whole long season ahead of us. So opportunities are available, and it’s just about taking advantage of them.”
Jones – the Yankees’ No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline – wasted no time issuing a reminder about his power, belting his fourth homer of the spring in his first at-bat on Tuesday, a Statcast-projected 416-foot shot to left-center field off the Phillies’ Jonathan Bowlan.
“Obviously, I want to do whatever I can in camp to make a good impression,” said Jones, who was the Yankees’ first-round pick (25th overall) in the 2022 MLB Draft. “I feel like I’ve made great impressions. It’s just part of it, and part of the story.”
COMPLETE YANKEES PROSPECT COVERAGE
With Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham and Aaron Judge all promised starting roles in the outfield, Jones is on the outside looking in.
So is Jasson Domínguez, who continued a strong spring by homering in his first at-bat on Tuesday. Yet he also might begin the season in Triple-A.
“The biggest thing I’ve gotten out of this year is the feeling that I belong, and that I can compete,” Jones said.
Despite being optioned on Monday, Jones was in Tuesday’s lineup against the Phillies. Manager Aaron Boone said the 24-year-old will continue to pick up some at-bats in big league camp before the team heads west.
Boone’s advice to Jones: “Don’t focus on things that are out of your control.”
“There’s still improvements that he needs to make in his game,” Boone said. “And the good thing is, he’s done that. He’s shown that. He had a really good platform year at the upper levels last year. I feel like he’s continued to make adjustments this winter. I feel like he’s had a really good spring.
“The reality is, he’s pushing through right now. He’s knocking on that door. But there’s sometimes things as a young player that are a little out of your control. All you can do is handle your business, take care of your end of the bargain and force us into a situation.”
Jones opened last season with Double-A Somerset, where he batted .274 with 16 homers, 32 RBIs and a .983 OPS in 49 games before wrapping his season in Triple-A, where he also hit .274 with 19 homers, 48 RBIs and an .897 OPS.
“There was a lot of personal success, as far as competing and being one of the better players in the league,” Jones said. “Now it’s just about repeating and being who I am, and being more consistent.”
Swing and miss continued to be a concern, as Jones struck out 179 times in 438 at-bats, one year after whiffing 200 times in 482 at-bats. But Boone has seen improvements in that area this spring.
“Day in and day out, he’s been putting up solid at-bats, and that’s encouraging,” Boone said. “Especially when you consider the talent he has and the ceiling that he has.”
Jones believes the adjustments he made this past offseason, including replicating some aspects of Shohei Ohtani’s swing, will continue to pay dividends into the regular season.
Jones said those changes have him feeling “very still, very stable,” which allows him to focus on timing and pitch selection.
“There are a couple of things that I’m pretty fired up about offensively,” Jones said. “I think it’s all been positive. I think there’s still more to come with it, and it’s only going to get better and better as we move forward.”