The Yankees are entering spring training with a familiar question mark in the outfield, but for the first time in years, the answer might not be a recycled veteran or a high-priced free agent. It might be the 6-foot-6 athletic freak of nature named Spencer Jones.
While the organization has been hesitant to hand the keys to their top outfield prospect in the past, the current roster construction—and the glaring flaws of their other young options—has created a perfect storm for Jones to steal a starting job on Opening Day.
General Manager Brian Cashman didn’t mince words when discussing Jones’s opportunity on MLB Network Radio recently: “He’s this untapped potential situation that’s done everything he needs to do thus far to put himself in the position to get into a Major League ballpark and say, ‘This spot is mine.’”
A Power-Speed Combo That Screams Superstar
If you look purely at the physical tools, Jones is the kind of player created in a laboratory to terrorize the short porch at Yankee Stadium.
In 2025, splitting time between Double-A and Triple-A, Jones slashed .274/.362/.571 with a staggering 35 home runs and 29 stolen bases. His ability to impact the game on the basepaths is elite, but it’s the raw power that has scouts drooling; his slugging percentage of .571 confirms that when he connects, the ball simply disappears. He is not just a slugger; he is an elite athlete who patrols center field with the kind of range that makes pitchers comfortable, a trait the Yankees desperately need.
The Strikeout Elephant in the Room
However, handing Jones a starting job comes with a massive “but” attached to his profile.
For all his explosive talent, his swing-and-miss issues are glaring and terrifying. In 2025, Jones struck out 179 times in just 116 games, posting a strikeout rate of roughly 35.4% across the upper minors. His whiff percentages remain concerningly high, leading to justifiable fears that big-league pitchers could expose him with high-velocity spin.
Jones is aware of the issue, telling SNY in early December at the Italian American Baseball Foundation’s gala, “Being able to be more consistent month-to-month, that was the biggest thing for me… I changed some stuff with my swing, learned a lot about it. Going into this offseason is just cleaning up some of the things that went wrong.”
The Jasson Dominguez Dilemma
The door is arguably wide open for Jones because the “Martian,” Jasson Dominguez, has failed to secure the role for himself. Dominguez’s defensive metrics have been abysmal, ranking in the 2nd percentile for Range (OAA), making him a liability in the vast expanse of the Yankee Stadium outfield.
Furthermore, Dominguez has essentially devolved into a platoon bat; while he can mash right-handed pitching, he is virtually useless as a right-handed batter against lefties. With the Yankees concerned about his ability to be an everyday starter in 2026, Dominguez looks more like a trade chip than a cornerstone.
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A Realistic Look at the Roster
Manager Aaron Boone seems ready to let the kids play, acknowledging that Jones is no longer just a distant dream. “He handled his business at the Minor League level,” Boone said. “Now he comes in with probably a more realistic look. Whether it’s to start the season or not, we’ll see, but it’s probably a more realistic look to where he’s now knocking on the door of the big leagues.”
The Yankees have a decision to make: do they tolerate the strikeouts for the chance of 30+ homers and elite defense, or do they trade Jones for a safer, lower-ceiling veteran? If spring training is truly a competition, Jones has the tools to make the decision easy.
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