Spencer Jones is as promising a prospect as the New York Yankees have had in years, and his newest training mentor is taking his outlook to another level.
Anthony Weinrib of Yankees Go Yard outlined Jones’ working relationship with Judge’s former hitting coach Richard Schenk:
“And, as revealed on the Bronx Pinstripes Show last week (OK, not “revealed,” but strongly hinted at), he took his talents to Teacherman after the season ended. “Teacherman” is the alter ego of Richard Schenck, a hitting guru who showed Judge the path and continues to be his consigliere,” Weinrib said. “Jones is a natural fit in his academy. After all, he unlocked Judge when it was feared nobody could.”
Yankees: Much of Judge’s Progression as a Hitter is Thanks to Schenk’s Coaching
Schenk is accustomed to cultivating a large frame. He did so for the 6-7 Judge beginning in 2016 and helped him hit 52 home runs as a rookie and graduate to a historic 62-home run season en route to the 2022 AL MVP award.
Fast forward to 2023, and Schenk now has Jones under his tutelage. Jones, a 6-6 outfielder, is projected to be called up to the majors in 2025. In the meantime, bringing his command at the plate to an apex is the priority for the Yankees’ farming system, and Schenk seems like the best guy to do just that.
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Bringing Jones’ Strikeouts Down is the M-O
Jones has dominated the Double-A ranks, sporting a .279 average and .810 OPS alongside 20 home runs in 573 at-bats. Though, Jones has a 155-128 strikeouts-to-hits ratio, signaling room for him to clean up that flaw in his game.
It remains to be seen just how far Schenk can take Jones as a hitter, but if his record with Judge says anything, it’s that he can fine-tune Jones’ mechanics and help him connect on a variety of pitches at a greater rate, leading up to his anticipated Yankees debut just under two years from now.