The Yankees promoted Jones from Double-A Somerset to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday, Andy Martino of SNY.tv reports.
Jones earned the promotion after slashing .274/.389/.594 with 16 home runs and 10 stolen bases over 49 contests. He also struck out at a 33.7 percent rate, and whether Jones is ultimately able to make enough contact against higher-level pitching will determine his future, as he has the physical tools to be a star.
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Yankees' Spencer Jones: Goes yard in Triple-A debut
Rotowire
Jones went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's 4-2 win over Worcester on Friday.
Jones was promoted to Triple-A before Friday's contest, and it didn't take long for him to make an impact, as he smacked a solo homer to center field in his first plate appearance. He did strike out in two of his other plate appearances, and that is an area the 24-year-old prospect will need to work on as he shifts his focus toward a promotion to the majors.
Jones has a 1.513 OPS with five home runs, 11 RBI, 12 runs and two stolen bases in his past 10 games with Double-A Somerset.
Jones was named the Eastern League Player of the Week on Monday for his recent production at the plate. The 2022 first-round draft choice's 10-game tear includes an 18.2 percent walk rate and 20.5 percent strikeout rate, with the latter mark representing a substantial improvement over his 33.3 percent rate on the season. Jones has 15 home runs, 10 steals and a .994 OPS over 46 contests in Double-A this season, and a promotion to Triple-A could be coming in the near future.
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Yankees' Spencer Jones: Returns to minor-league action
Rotowire
Jones (intercostal) was activated from Double-A Somerset's 7-day injured list Thursday.
Jones had been out of action since May 3 due to an intercostal injury. In his first game off the IL, the young slugger went 2-for-3 with a double, a run, an RBI and a stolen base for Somerset. Jones has flashed both power and speed in the minors so far this season, tallying nine homers and seven stolen bases over just 27 games. However, he's batting a modest .242, and strikeouts remain a problem given his 35.3 percent K rate.
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Yankees' Spencer Jones: Out with intercostal injury
Rotowire
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that Jones was placed on Double-A Somerset's 7-day injured list May 6 due to an intercostal injury, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
Jones produced a .228/.372/.554 slash line with nine home runs and six stolen bases across 113 plate appearances before landing on the IL earlier this month. The outfield prospect has already spent the minimum seven days on the shelf, but Boone acknowledged he was uncertain when Jones might be ready to be activated.
The Yankees reassigned Jones to minor-league camp Tuesday.
Jones has clubbed a pair of home runs while putting up a .996 OPS this spring but has also struck out 11 times in 25 plate appearances, showcasing both the good and the bad parts of his game. The 23-year-old will look to make strides in the plate discipline department in 2025 and could move up to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after spending the 2024 campaign at Double-A Somerset.
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Yankees' Spencer Jones: Clubs another spring homer
Rotowire
Jones went 3-for-3 with a three-run home run, a double and four total RBI in Tuesday's Grapefruit League win over the Phillies.
Jones' long ball -- a 393-foot blast in the third inning -- came off reliever Cody Stashak, but he also belted an RBI double off Phillies ace Zack Wheeler. It's been a big spring for Jones, who is slashing .429/.500/1.500 with two home runs, two doubles, six RBI, three runs and a stolen base over six games in Grapefruit League play. Jones isn't likely to break camp with the Yankees, but his performance in exhibition play has further justified his status as one of the organization's top prospects.
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Yankees' Spencer Jones: Homers in spring debut
Rotowire
Jones went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run and a walk in Saturday's Grapefruit League loss to Toronto.
Jones impressed during spring training last season, and he got off to a fast start to this year's exhibition slate with a two-run blast to left field in the sixth inning Saturday. The 23-year-old is among the Yankees' top prospects, with contact being the primary area in which he needs to improve after he posted a 36.8 percent strikeout rate at the Double-A level last season. Nonetheless, Jones has an intriguing blend of power and speed and could get his first taste of the big leagues sometime in 2025.
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Yankees' Spencer Jones: Garners spring invite
Rotowire
The Yankees have extended Jones an invitation to big-league camp during spring training.
He'll be joined by fellow top prospects George Lombard, Roderick Arias, Rafael Flores and Chase Hampton in camp. Jones, 23, slashed .259/.336/.452 with 17 homers, 25 steals and a 36.8 percent strikeout rate at Double-A Somerset in 2024. He has loads of potential but will have to make more contact if he wants to reach it.
Yankees' Spencer Jones: Highest strikeout rate at Double-A
Rotowire
Jones is slashing .312/.382/.565 with six home runs, six steals and a 35.8 percent strikeout rate over his last 40 games for Double-A Somerset.
Jones' 36.8 percent strikeout rate on the season is the highest mark among all qualified Double-A hitters, and he has been only seven months younger than the average pitcher he has faced. While Jones' raw power and speed are impressive, the 6-foot-6 lefty slugger's strikeout issues limit his realistic upside, especially in batting average leagues.
