Alexander Wilson
The Yankees could’ve traded Spencer Jones a year ago when he was tearing up minor-league baseball, smashing 35 homers with a 153 wRC+ between Double-A and Triple-A. However, the Yankees kept him close, hoping he could figure out his strikeout issues. Now, that patience might be paying off.
Jones struck out at a 35.4% clip in the minors last season. But the 6-foot-7 slugger is working diligently at fixing it. He’s been mirroring Aaron Judge’s swing from the left side of the plate while also taking a page out of Shohei Ohtani’s book.
The Ohtani-Inspired Overhaul
This spring, Jones has deployed a completely new swing, featuring a smaller leg kick and focusing on balance and readiness. Where Jones used to have his foot in the air during his timing mechanism, he’s now keeping it down with a simple toe-tap.
“A lot of my miss came when my foot was off the ground timing-wise,” Jones said in a quiet moment last month in the clubhouse at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
That vulnerability created problems against high fastballs. When your foot is off the ground and a 97 mph heater is coming, you’re already behind. Jones found his solution by studying the best two-way player in baseball.
“It’s the age-old ‘get your foot down,'” he said. “I’m a ‘get your foot down’ kind of hitter.”
“The best guy with the toe-down swing is Ohtani,” Jones continued. “So it was just kind of looking at some of the moves that he does, lined up with some of the things that I’m trying to do.”
Ohtani’s approach is about being ready to hit the moment the pitcher releases. No wasted movement. No big leg kick to time. Just balance, readiness, and explosive bat speed. For Jones, who already generates massive power, adding that readiness could be transformative.
Judge Notices the Difference
Aaron Judge has been watching Jones closely this spring, and he’s noticed the change.
“I think the biggest thing that I’ve noticed swing-wise is he’s just ready to hit,” Judge said. “The minute he puts that foot down with the little toe-tap, he’s ready to hit. Maybe they might have got him with a lot of high heaters in the past or even last season. I think that’s just going to help him. He doesn’t have a big leg kick; he doesn’t have to worry about getting that down. That quickness, that readiness is really going to be a game-changer for him.”
Coming from Judge, that carries weight. If Judge thinks this swing change is a game-changer, the Yankees should be listening.
The Spring Results Speak for Themselves
So far this spring, Jones is hitting .300/.417/1.200 with three homers and six RBIs with a 266 wRC+ over five games. His strikeout rate still sits at 33.3%, but when he makes contact, the ball flies off the bat. We’re talking 400-foot moonshots. The raw power was always there. Now it’s about making contact more consistently.
If Jones can hit 30-plus home runs and bring down his strikeout rate a few percentage points, he could be one of the best left-handed sluggers in baseball. And he’s not just a one-dimensional bat at all. He sports good defense in the outfield and solid base running despite his size. At 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds, he has no business being as athletic as he is. But he covers ground in center field and has the arm strength to play right if needed.
This is a great player in the making if he can make a few adjustments over time. And once he reaches the majors, the Yankees aren’t trying to expedite his process at all. He needs plenty of at-bats against top-tier pitching to make those strategic improvements and prove the swing changes hold up against breaking balls and high-velocity fastballs from actual big league pitchers.
The Path to the Big Leagues
For now, it’s probable that Jones ends up starting the year in Triple-A. The Yankees signed Randal Grichuk to be their fourth outfielder, which means both Jones and Jasson Dominguez are likely heading to Scranton to get everyday at-bats. But Jones will be battling with Dominguez for the first call-up opportunity when an injury inevitably happens.
And that call could come sooner rather than later. Cody Bellinger is already dealing with a back issue. Trent Grisham has never been an ironman. Giancarlo Stanton is Giancarlo Stanton. Someone is going down, and when they do, the Yankees will promote whoever has the hot hand in Triple-A.
If Jones keeps demolishing baseballs the way he has this spring, he’s going to make that decision very easy. The swing changes are real. The power is undeniable. The athleticism is there. Now it’s just about proving it against the best pitchers in the world and cutting that strikeout rate down from unsustainable to merely high. If he does that, the Yankees might have found their next great left-handed power hitter.
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