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.
Jones (neck) played his first game of the season for Double-A Somerset on Saturday, going 2-for-3 with one walk, one double, three runs and one RBI.
Jones missed the first seven contests of the campaign for Somerset due to a stiff neck, but he didn't appear to be hampered by the issue in his return to the lineup. The 22-year-old was tabbed to begin the season at the Double-A level after an impressive spring training with the Yankees, but he could get his first taste of Triple-A ball in short order if he continues to perform well. Jones is among the organization's top prospects and could make his MLB debut sometime this season.
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Yankees' Spencer Jones: Sitting out due to neck stiffness
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Jones isn't in Sunday's lineup for Double-A Somerset for the third straight day due to a stiff neck.
According to Matt Kardos of MLB.com, Jones was first scratched from the lineup Friday after waking up with a stiff neck. The young slugger didn't play Saturday either, though Somerset manager Raul Dominguez said Jones was feeling better, per Mike Ashmore of MyCentralJersey Sports. The injury doesn't seem to be a major concern, but it's somewhat dampened the momentum Jones built after an impressive spring training with the Yankees during which he slashed .444/.583/.722 with a home run, four RBI and a 5:3 BB:K over 23 plate appearances.
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Yankees' Spencer Jones: Continues impressive spring
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Jones went 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs, three total runs and four total RBI in Saturday's Spring Breakout game against the Blue Jays.
The inaugural Spring Breakout showcase is intended to highlight each team's best prospects, and Jones certainly made his presence known with his pair of blasts Saturday. It's been a standout spring overall for the 22-year-old, who is slashing .412/.524/.647 with a home run, four RBI, seven runs and a 3:3 BB:K over 11 contests in the regular Grapefruit League slate. Jones is slated to begin the regular season in Double-A ball, but he could reach the big leagues by the end of the campaign if he continues to impress in the minors.
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Yankees' Spencer Jones: Likely to begin season at Double-A
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The Yankees reassigned Jones to minor-league camp Tuesday, and he's expected to begin the campaign with Double-A Somerset, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Jones turned heads in his first major-league spring training, slashing .438/.526/.688 with a home run, four RBI, six runs and a 2:3 BB:K over 18 plate appearances. However, the 22-year-old never had a real chance of breaking camp with New York given that he's never played above the Double-A level. Jones spent most of last year in High-A ball before being promoted to Double-A for 78 plate appearances late in the campaign. If he gets off to a strong start with Somerset, he could reach Triple-A in short order and could also get his first cup of coffee in the majors by the end of the season.
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Yankees' Spencer Jones: Raking in first spring training
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Jones drilled a 470-foot homer in his first Grapefruit League at-bat, Jon Heyman of the New York Postreports.
Jones isn't on the Yankees' 40-man roster, but he received an invitation to spring training for the first time after posting a .267/.336/.444 slash line with 16 home runs, 66 RBI and 43 stolen bases between High-A and Double-A last season. The 2022 first-round draft pick showed off his massive power the first time he stepped up to the plate this spring, crushing a 470-foot shot to right-center field off Tigers reliever Mason Englert. Jones has continued raking since that at-bat, as he's gone 5-for-5 with a walk, four total runs and four total RBI through two games. He's very unlikely to break camp with the big club, but his impressive work in Grapefruit League play could help his chances of making his major-league debut at some point this season.
The Yankees have invited Jones to participate in major-league spring training, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Jones is considered one of New York's top hitting prospects after he slashed .267/.336/.444 with 16 home runs, 66 RBI and 43 stolen bases between High-A and Double-A last season. The 22-year-old was selected by the Yankees 25th overall in the 2022 First-Year Player Draft and hasn't taken long to impress members of the organization. While he'll get a chance to display his skills against big leaguers during spring training, Jones is almost certain to begin the campaign back in Double-A and may not reach the majors until 2025, though there's a chance he gets his first cup of coffee late in the upcoming campaign.
The Yankees promoted Jones from High-A Hudson Valley to Double-A Somerset on Sunday.
The 22-year-old outfield prospect turned in a .787 OPS while striking out at a 29.1 percent clip over 457 plate appearances at Hudson Valley. He had cut his strikeout rate down to a more palatable 24.1 percent since the All-Star break and has consistently made an impact on the basepaths throughout the campaign, notching 34 steals in 43 attempts.
