Why Spencer Jones has New York Yankees so excited

TAMPA, Fla. — The potential the New York Yankees see in Spencer Jones, the towering high prospect who reminds lots of a sure big outfielder, was apparent within the first and final swings he took throughout his time in main league camp this spring.

The primary, within the Yankees’ exhibition opener on Feb. 24, produced a mammoth 470-foot residence run. The final, two weeks later, was an inside-out minimize on a pitch darting underneath his arms that the left-handed slugger deposited the opposite method, down the left-field line. He glided into second base for a double.

Large uncooked energy? Test. Elite velocity? Test. Bat-to-ball abilities? Enhancing.

“He is such a presence and such a dynamic athlete,” Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone stated after Jones slashed that double. “And in quite a lot of methods he is simply form of scratching the floor on his baseball profession.”

That feeling permeates the group, from the clubhouse to the proprietor’s suite. The 6-foot-6 Jones is an uncommon mix of energy, measurement and velocity the staff envisions clubbing residence runs over the quick porch at Yankee Stadium and stealing bases deep into October. The Yankees firmly imagine the 22-year-old is a future star. It is why he’s nonetheless within the group.

The Yankees might have made Jones the centerpiece in a significant commerce in current months — even simply this week — to enhance a roster in win-now mode for the 2024 season. However staff brass is so satisfied of Jones’ abilities that he has been deemed nearly untouchable.

In December, the Yankees acquired Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres with out together with Jones within the bundle. Final month, the Milwaukee Brewers despatched former Cy Younger Award winner Corbin Burnes to division rival Baltimore Orioles after the Yankees reportedly refused to incorporate Jones in a deal.

This week, regardless of information that reigning American League Cy Younger winner Gerrit Cole would miss no less than the beginning of the season with an elbow harm, the Yankees refused to half with Jones in a commerce for Dylan Stop. The Chicago White Sox as an alternative shipped Stop to the Padres on Wednesday.

Beginning pitching stays the Yankees’ largest concern heading into Opening Day. Shifting Jones, who is not anticipated to contribute to the large league staff this season, might have helped tackle it. The Yankees would not budge.

“It is cool to be held in that sense, or that regard,” Jones stated. “Like my buddies from again residence which might be large baseball followers, they’re going to ship me all of the stuff as a result of I am not seeing it.”

The Yankees re-assigned Jones to minor league camp earlier this month, and he’s anticipated to start the season in Double-A. He is on the Yankees’ Spring Breakout roster for an all-prospects showcase on Saturday in opposition to the Toronto Blue Jays.

However the Yankees undertaking him within the Bronx by 2025, stationed in heart discipline for years to return. That will require him residing as much as the hype.

Jones batted .267 with 16 residence runs and 43 steals in 117 video games — together with 101 begins in heart discipline — between Excessive-A and Double-A in his first full skilled season. He struck out 155 instances, and the 16 residence runs had been a bit underwhelming for somebody along with his energy. However the efficiency nonetheless raised expectations.

ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel not too long ago listed Jones as baseball’s 56th-best prospect. Final month, Yankees proprietor Hal Steinbrenner named Jones as considered one of three prospects, together with pitchers Will Warren and Chase Hampton, he’s “hesitant to surrender.”

“Plus run and energy on an incredible body,” one rival scout stated. “However, with that large body and power, comes some total stiffness. The swing is of course on the longer facet, however he does have sufficient bat velocity to provide him an opportunity.”

The similarities between Jones and Aaron Choose are onerous to disregard. There’s the irregular top for baseball gamers — Choose is 6-7, simply an inch taller than Jones. Each, regardless of their measurement, can comfortably patrol heart discipline. Each have big energy. Each had been Yankees first-round picks out of faculty.

There are variations. For one, Jones each throws and hits left-handed. Secondly, he boasts elite velocity. Choose famous that Jones was up there with shortstop Anthony Volpe because the quickest Yankees in camp.

After all, Choose has grown into considered one of baseball’s best energy hitters in current historical past, whereas Jones continues to be making an attempt to show his instruments into constant manufacturing.

“I do know this sounds hyperbolic, however Jones has louder instruments than Choose,” one other rival scout stated. “Jones is only a freak of nature.”

Then there’s the truth that Jones, not like Choose, is seen by the Yankees as an on a regular basis heart fielder from Day 1 as a significant leaguer. That alone could be a feat, contemplating the skinny historical past of exceptionally tall guys at that place.

Solely 11 gamers 6-6 or taller have ever performed the place within the main leagues. Choose, the Yankees’ heart fielder this season, simply so occurs to be considered one of them.

“I feel it is unfair for him to be in comparison with anyone as a result of he is so distinctive,” Choose stated. “He is such a unique hitter than me. I feel he is a unique athlete than me. Like he is distinctive, man. I want I had that velocity.”

Jones targeted on hitting as a star at La Costa Canyon Excessive Faculty outdoors San Diego. Then, close to the tip of his highschool profession, he turned a two-way participant. In six months, he stated, his fastball jumped from 86 to 94 mph. A 6-6 highschool southpaw throwing 94 mph? Scouts salivated.

“We would have scout conferences my senior 12 months of highschool and they might all speak to me as if I used to be a pitcher,” Jones stated. “And I truthfully did not like that that a lot. As a result of I used to be like pitching was one factor I did, however I actually favored to hit.”

Spencer’s ascent hit a snag when he fractured his elbow throwing a curveball throughout a sport in his senior 12 months. Main league golf equipment, consequently, weren’t keen to fulfill his bonus value. He sank all the best way to the thirty first spherical within the 2019 MLB draft, the place he was chosen by the Los Angeles Angels. As a substitute, he went to Vanderbilt.

He was given three gloves when he arrived in Nashville — one for pitching and one for the outfield, plus a primary baseman’s mitt. He started as a primary baseman in 2020, however he could not make primary throws. He had the yips.

“I simply by no means rehabbed [my arm] proper,” Jones stated. “It was a easy rehab, there was just a few miscommunication.”

COVID shortened the 2020 season, which allowed Jones to correctly rehab the arm. He resumed pitching that summer time however tore his ulnar collateral ligament and underwent Tommy John surgical procedure. That was it for him on the mound.

“I used to be all the time extra of a thrower than I used to be a pitcher,” Jones stated. “Nevertheless it was form of an id disaster. I did not know what I used to be going to be higher at. After the UCL, it was like, ‘All proper, let’s put all our eggs within the hitting basket. We’re not going to pitch anymore.'”

After DHing his sophomore season, he requested to maneuver to the outfield as a junior to, as he put it, “lengthen out my arm once more.” As soon as they noticed him there, he stayed — and took off.

Jones hit .370 with 12 residence runs, 14 steals and a 1.103 OPS in 61 video games as Vanderbilt’s on a regular basis proper fielder. It was his first full wholesome season targeted solely on hitting since his junior 12 months of highschool. The breakout prompted the Yankees to pick out him with the twenty fifth decide within the 2022 MLB draft and pay him a $2,880,800 bonus.

Lower than two years later, Jones was mashing baseballs and turning heads in large league camp.

“Spectacular was the primary phrase that involves thoughts,” Yankees hitting coach James Rowson stated.

It took one swing for Jones to point out why the hoopla surrounding him exists. Baseballs smashed 470 ft are uncommon. Heart fielders that tall — and quick — are rarer. The Yankees are betting that is just the start.

“I really feel I am nonetheless creating as a hitter,” Jones stated. “There’s nonetheless one million issues I can be taught. I am not set in my methods. I am solely 22 years previous.”