For better or for worse, the New York Yankees’ newly recalled prospect, Spencer Jones, has looked exactly like what scouts predicted he would. Jones clearly has lights-out power; that much was clear with his red-hot start at Triple-A this season. On the downside, he also strikes out at an astronomically high rate. Before taking the field against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday night, Jones had 12 strikeouts through his first 24 at-bats, slashing .167/.259/.167 with just four singles. After a 1-for 3 performance on Thursday, the Yankees announced they optioned Jones back to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre.
Jones, who is arguably the most hyped Yankee prospect in recent memory (likely because of the constant comparisons to Aaron Judge), did not stay up in the Bronx for long. What we saw was just an opportunity for Jones to get his feet wet before there is a role ready for him to take over. Still, his performance thus far is definitely raising concerns over whether or not he is a true franchise talent.
Following tonight’s game, the Yankees optioned RHP Yovanny Cruz and OF Spencer Jones to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 22, 2026
Strongman
As mentioned, Jones has already showcased both the best and worst parts of his game in just the first 10 games of his career. According to Baseball Savant, Jones has an average exit velocity of 96.4 MPH, which is higher than the current qualified league leader, James Wood (96.3 MPH). He also has a bat speed of 77.3 MPH, which would also be on top of the league leaderboard. It’s safe to say that when he makes contact, good things happen.
Like so many power hitters before him, Jones’ Achilles heel is hitting for contact. It’s not about struggling to get hits, but rather about how rarely he puts the ball in play. Those who defend Jones will certainly be quick to point out the fact that Judge struck out in half of his at-bats in his rookie year (across a much bigger sample size), and it’s true that a bigger sample size is needed before a verdict is reached.
Spencer Jones’ Struggles Limit His First Stint in Pinstripes
However, Jones didn’t get too much time to start showing signs of growth. The Yankees have already dealt with a good amount of injuries, which is really the reason why Jones was in the Bronx rather than in the minors. With José Caballero expected to return from the IL on Friday (taking back over from the recently recalled Anthony Volpe), as well as Jasson Domínguez and Giancarlo Stanton also on the mend, the clock was ticking on the young outfielder’s first stint wearing the pinstripes.
It’s also important to note that Jones’ stats haven’t been skewed by bad luck. Statcast measures his expected batting average to be .156, and his expected slugging at just .236. He also whiffs on 41.7% of his swings. Again, while it’s a bit too early in his career to be looking at these kinds of stats, it can’t feel good for the Yankees to see one of their most prized prospects struggle so much right out of the gate. Even with Spencer Jones getting sent down, just the fact that the Yankees were willing to give him a chance in the big leagues shows a major shift in the organization’s philosophy when it comes to their prospects.
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