How on Earth are the Yankees going to bury Spencer Jones in the minors

The Yankees seem ready to send both Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones back to the minors for everyday at-bats, but it’s crazy to think the Yankees are once again going to shove Jones into a useless role. This spring, Jones is hitting .300/.417/1.200 with three homers, five RBIs, and six runs across five games. While he’s showcasing his vintage high strikeout rates, when he makes contact, the ball is absolutely flying off the bat.

He can play good defense, run the bases well, and probably hit 30-plus home runs per season. The Yankees are willing to let that value pass by.

The Same Story on Repeat

Now 24 years old, Jones has been stuck in the minors for quite some time. If it were any other team, he’d be starting today. The Yankees brought back Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger, so they don’t have a vacancy. If they put Jones on the bench as the fourth outfielder, he won’t play every day, and he needs as many at-bats as possible to continue growing.

Brian Cashman told reporters back in October that Jones is “in the conversation” for an everyday major league role. He said Jones “deserves a look and the ability to compete for a job.” Then the front office signed Randal Grichuk, brought back Grisham, and extended Bellinger. So much for that conversation.

Development Doesn’t Happen on the Bench

Sending him back down makes sense logically if you believe he needs more seasoning. But Jones has nothing left to prove in Triple-A. Last season, he hit .274/.362/.571 with 35 home runs and 29 stolen bases. His 153 wRC+ means he was 53 percent better than the average hitter at his level. He’s already dominated minor league pitching.

What he hasn’t shown is whether he can handle major league breaking balls and velocity. You don’t figure that out facing Triple-A pitchers. You figure it out standing in the box against Garrett Crochet or getting pinch-hit at-bats against big league relievers throwing 98 mph with nasty sliders.

Jones himself has put in the work. He overhauled his swing this offseason, removing his leg kick to improve contact rates and mirror Aaron Judge’s approach. He told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com that he’s been studying Shohei Ohtani’s mechanics: “He’s a great reference of a really good mover with a great swing. He’s one of those guys that I look at with some of the stuff he does, and I try to apply it in whichever way I can.”

The Window Is Closing

The Yankees keep talking about Jones like he’s some untouchable asset. Cashman called him “this untapped potential situation that’s done everything he needs to do” to earn a big league opportunity. Then they refuse to give him that opportunity.

At some point, the Yankees have to decide what they want Jones to be. Is he a future centerfielder who can hit 30 homers and play plus defense? Give him 400 at-bats to figure out major league pitching. Is he trade bait for a frontline starter? Move him. But keeping him in limbo, bouncing between Triple-A and spring training cameos, serves nobody.

The Yankees are ready to waste another year of his development instead of giving him a chance to face major league pitching, which is what he needs. He doesn’t need more time seeing Triple-A stuff. He needs to be in the Bronx, learning on the fly, adjusting to big league velocity and spin. Every team that develops young hitters understands this. Somehow, the Yankees still don’t.

Jones is not buried waiting for an opportunity that may never come. He’s 24, mashing in spring training, and ready to contribute. The Yankees just refuse to let him.