The New York Yankees have waited years for a true left-handed slugger to rise through the system, and Spencer Jones might be the ticket.
Jones is only 24, but he’s already putting up video game numbers in Triple-A after rebounding from a disappointing 2024 season.
A hot start that has the Yankees dreaming
Jones began his 2025 campaign in Double-A and quickly reminded everyone why he’s one of baseball’s most tantalizing prospects.
Across 49 games there, he slashed .274/.389/.594, belting 16 home runs and showing an advanced approach with a 15.4% walk rate.
Now, in his first five games in AAA, Jones is absolutely tearing the cover off the ball. He’s hitting .429 with a .500 on-base percentage.
The power is undeniable—but so are the strikeouts
Jones’ power is the stuff of legend. Over 54 minor league games this season, he’s already launched 19 home runs.
His advanced metrics look like they’ve been ripped from a baseball video game: he sits in the 100th percentile for barrel rate and hard-hit percentage.
But then there’s the ugly flip side—his strikeout rate is a staggering 34.1%, paired with just a 2nd percentile mark in zone contact.
Imagine owning a sports car that rockets to 100 mph but has no brakes—that’s Jones in a nutshell.
Could Jones become the lefty Aaron Judge?
Many Yankees fans daydream about Jones becoming their left-handed version of Aaron Judge. The raw tools certainly paint a seductive picture.
He’s athletic enough to play solid outfield defense and strong enough to hit 30+ homers in Yankee Stadium’s friendly right-field porch.
Still, he has a long climb ahead. Major league pitchers will ruthlessly attack holes in his swing, and his current whiff tendencies might balloon.
What it will take for Jones to thrive in the majors
If Jones can improve his plate discipline just a hair, it could unlock a terrifyingly good player.
Even cutting his strikeout rate from around 34% to the high 20s could be enough to allow his power to shine consistently.
Right now, he’s one of the most perplexing prospects in baseball.
The Yankees can afford to be patient—for now
With their big league club battling inconsistencies, the Yankees could desperately use a young slugger to break through soon.
But there’s no reason to rush Jones. Giving him more time to refine his approach in AAA is the smart play for the organization.
