The Yankees put up a dominant performance in their first spring training game against the Detroit Tigers on Saturday afternoon. Several standup performers hit home runs, including a three-run shot by Trent Grisham at the top of the second inning and home runs by Luis Torrens and Jorbit Vivas.
However, none matched star outfield prospect Spencer Jones’s 470-foot blast to right field, clocking 109.2 mph off his bat. Jones has generational power at 6’6″ and 235 pounds, putting it on full display to open up his spring training account.
Spencer Jones’s Power Surge
Jones is coming off a rather disappointing minor league season in 2023, playing 117 games and hitting only 16 homers. His goal this off-season was to improve his flyball rate and make quality contact more frequently, resulting in home runs.
Clearly, there’s a reason general manager Brian Cashman has kept Jones off the table in prospective trade negotiations. Before the Baltimore Orioles acquired Corbin Burnes from the Milwaukee Brewers, Jones was a key piece in any deal Milwaukee was willing to accept.
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Jones’s Future with the Yankees
Fortunately, the Yankees stood tall and pushed off any requests that included Jones, which suggests they view him as an important part of the team’s outfield equation down the road.
The expectation is that Jones will continue his development in the minor leagues this upcoming year but will be in line to earn a starting job in 2025, especially if he continues to round out his offensive qualities and improve his defense in center field.