Spencer Jones gives Yankees another loud reminder…
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Spencer Jones was optioned to minor league camp Monday.
Tuesday, he was back in the Yankees lineup and confirmed again why the group stays high on the 6-foot-7 outfielder with immense energy — and immense strikeout totals.
The 24-year-old went deep for the fourth time this spring in a 4-2 win over the Phillies at BayCare Ballpark, a 416-foot opposite-field shot to left-center.
He’s been among the more spectacular hitters and gotten better publicity thanks to the departure of teammates who are collaborating in the WBC — an alternative Jones didn’t need to waste.
“Probably the largest factor out of this yr is I really feel like I belong and can compete and do whatever I can to help the group win,’’ Jones said prior to the sport.
Still, he was dissatisfied in getting the news Monday about being moved to minor league camp, even as it was anticipated because he’s behind Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham, Cody Bellinger and Randal Grichuk, as properly as Jasson Domínguez, on the depth chart.
“You never want to hear it, but it is what it is,’’ Jones said of getting the minor league news. “I’ve got a lot of work to do and we’ve got a whole, long season ahead of us. Opportunities are available, and it’s just about taking advantage of them.”
New York Yankees middle fielder Spencer Jones (78) hits a solo home run in the second inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training at BayCare Ballpark on March 10, 2026. Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
There are some scouts who imagine Jones may very well be prepared for the majors at some level later this season.
Barring an injury to one — or more — of the aforementioned outfielders, Jones seems unlikely to discover himself in that place with the Yankees.
“I don’t think about what could be,” Jones said. “It’s more about ‘What do we have right now?’ and focusing on the day-to-day.”
He and the Yankees are inspired by the changes Jones made last season and through the winter.
“I told him there are issues out of your control,’’ Aaron Boone said. “As best you’ll be able to, focus on the enhancements he wants to make in this sport and the great factor is he’s finished that.
“The reality is he’s pushing through right now, knocking on that door [to the majors]. You just have to take care of your business and force us into a decision.”
New York Yankees middle fielder Spencer Jones (78) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run. Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
And Jones is aware of that cutting down on strikeouts — and merely making more contact — is the key to advancing in his profession.
He’s also taken a few features of maybe the best left-handed swing on the planet — Shohei Ohtani’s — and included them into his method. That’s helped Jones, he said, “feel very still, very stable, being on time and swinging at the right pitches.”
The next step, nearly actually alongside Domínguez at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, shall be making an attempt to turn out to be less susceptible to slumps.
“Last year was great [and] a personal success with competing and being one of the better players in [the International] League,’’ Jones said. “Now it’s about repeating that, being who I am and consistency.”
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