Spencer Jones actually opened eyes throughout Yankees spring coaching final 12 months.
In his very first at-bat of the spring, the 6-6 slugger pulverized a pitch from Detroit Tigers reliever Mason Englert, pulling it 470 toes in a formidable show of his left-handed energy.
The lengthy dwelling run kicked off an encouraging spring for Jones, who went on to hit .444 with 4 RBI, 5 walks, a .722 slugging share and a 1.305 OPS over 23 plate appearances.
That robust Grapefruit League displaying additional fueled the hype round Jones, a five-tool outfielder whom the Yankees drafted No. 25 total out of Vanderbilt in 2022.
However Jones failed to hold that momentum into the minor-league common season.
Jones batted simply .205 with two dwelling runs and a .594 OPS over his first 37 video games of 2024 with Double-A Somerset, a stretch that included 30 consecutive video games and not using a homer.
He would finally rebound, batting .280 with 16 dwelling runs and an .863 OPS over his ultimate 88 video games, however the gradual begin supplied a reminder that growth takes time, even for a prospect with as excessive of a ceiling as Jones.
“I think I grew up a lot towards the end of the season, as far as mentally, with my performance and the way things went,” Jones, 23, mentioned on YES Community’s “Yankees Hot Stove” this week.
“Just handling the roller-coaster season that it was and growing through it, I think that I’m in a great spot now, especially with the training that I’m doing, to show up in spring training and give my best effort.”
MLB Pipeline ranks Jones because the Yankees’ No. 2 prospect, however he may quickly slide into the highest spot ought to the present No. 1, fellow outfielder Jasson Domínguez, graduate from prospect standing and earn a full-time job with the MLB membership.
Jones says he’s working onerous this winter after ending his second season within the Yankee system with 17 homers, a .788 OPS and 25 stolen bases.
“I’ve been working a bunch this offseason on some new patterns, some new drills, trying some [things] that I was doing in college when I was hitting the ball real hard, hitting the ball in the air,” Jones mentioned.
“I feel like we’ve gotten to a point with my swing this offseason that I’m ready to share it a little bit and I’m excited for people to see it in the games.”
Regardless of a mixed 5 years of collegiate and minor-league expertise, Jones will not be but a candidate for the Yankees’ MLB roster.
“He’s got some development still to go, but it’s amazing, people with a talent like that, once it all clicks, it takes off rather quickly,” normal supervisor Brian Cashman mentioned final month.
“This past year wasn’t, I don’t think, what he was hoping for, but we’re patient.”
Greater-bodied prospects can develop extra slowly, added Cashman, who pointed to Dellin Betances and Aaron Decide as examples.
Jones has drawn comparisons to Decide, particularly, given his towering physique, collegiate expertise and mixture of energy and athleticism. The Yankees drafted Decide out of Fresno State with a first-round choose in 2013.
“There’s definitely a lot to learn from him,” Jones mentioned of Decide. “He’s an incredible hitter. He has been for over the last half-decade. It’s one of those things that, when I get into spring training, I have more questions now than I ever have before, as far as what he does and his drill work and those kinds of things.”
