NEW YORK -- The Yankees have dreamed upon this for years: An outfield stocked with towering sluggers Aaron Judge and Spencer Jones, a pair of 6-foot-7 mashers obliterating balls from opposite sides of the plate.
That vision is set to become reality this weekend. A source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand that the Yankees are preparing to call up Jones, the organization’s No. 6 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. The team has not confirmed the move
Jones will join the Yankees for their series against the Brewers in Milwaukee, which begins on Friday.
The development came hours after outfielder Jasson Domínguez sustained a low-grade left AC joint sprain after slamming into the wall making a stellar leaping catch in New York's 9-2 win over the Rangers.
Domínguez will be placed on the injured list, where he’ll remain for “a few weeks,” according to manager Aaron Boone.
As Jones prepares to make his Major League debut, he will be welcomed into the clubhouse by familiar faces after making positive impressions throughout the last several Spring Training camps, Cody Bellinger said.
“It’s a large man who hits the ball very far,” 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.”
Jones has slashed .258/.366/.592 with 11 home runs and 41 RBIs in 33 games at Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre this season, a stat line which Boone called “encouraging.”
“The last three or four weeks have been a lot of consistent at-bats,” Boone said. “The power has been there; less swing and miss, which is some of the things we were seeing a little bit in Spring Training.
“After that second week in Triple-A where he struggled a little bit with swing and miss, he’s cleaned that up. I think I saw he’s leading all of Minor League Baseball in RBIs. He’s put himself in the mix.”
One caveat, as Boone alluded, is Jones’ tendency to strike out. He has fanned 46 times in 120 at-bats this year. But as utilityman Max Schuemann said, Jones’ power is “special.”
“He shows up every day with the same attitude,” said Schuemann, who began the year with Jones in the Minors. “Whether it’s a good day or a bad day, it doesn’t matter for that guy.”
Jones owns a career .848 OPS with 83 home runs in 413 Minor League games since he was selected 25th overall out of Vanderbilt in the 2022 MLB Draft.
It is telling that the Yankees bypassed an opening to promote shortstop Anthony Volpe or infielder-outfielder Oswaldo Cabrera, both of whom have extended Major League experience. That suggests Jones should receive runway for regular playing time.
Until the first inning on Thursday, Domínguez seemed primed to gather those extended at-bats, with Giancarlo Stanton still yet to resume running following a calf strain sustained during a recent series in Houston.
Now that opportunity will belong to Jones -- and the Yankees are eager to see what he does with it.
“I’m a big fan of Spencer’s,” said third baseman Ryan McMahon. “I think he’s got a great attitude. He goes about his work the right way, and I think he can do a lot of good things on a baseball field, too.”