The highest prospect made a brief stroll from his Spring Coaching locker within the residence clubhouse at George M. Steinbrenner Subject on a heat, clear Monday afternoon, settling right into a chair inside Aaron Boone’s workplace.
Placing on his greatest appearing chops, the Yankees supervisor launched right into a preamble about how this was going to be a troublesome dialog. It proved to be something however. Anthony Volpe’s terrific play had “kicked the door in” to earn a visit north, making his Main League debut because the beginning shortstop in 2023.
The Yankees’ No. 4 prospect and No. 99 general in line with MLB Pipeline, the 6-foot-7 slugger initiatives to enter this spring as a respectable candidate to interrupt camp with the membership. Although the image can change, he’s presently set to compete towards Jasson Domínguez for a beginning position within the Bronx Bombers’ outfield.
“He’s this untapped potential state of affairs that’s completed every little thing he must do to this point to place himself within the place to get right into a Main League ballpark and say, ‘This spot is mine,’” basic supervisor Brian Cashman not too long ago instructed MLB Community Radio.
Coming off a season through which he hit .274 (120-for-438) with 35 homers and 80 RBIs throughout 116 Minor League video games, Jones – who turns 25 in Might – was added to the 40-man roster in November and used Yankee Stadium’s services for parts of his winter exercises.
Boone encountered Jones there a number of occasions, reporting that the membership’s first-round choice within the 2022 MLB Draft (twenty fifth general) gave the impression to be “in a extremely good way of thinking.”
“He dealt with his enterprise on the Minor League stage,” Boone stated. “Now he is available in with most likely a extra practical look. Whether or not it’s to begin the season or not, we’ll see, but it surely’s most likely a extra practical look to the place he’s now knocking on the door of the massive leagues.”
After engaged on swing modifications throughout Spring Coaching that Jones stated helped him really feel “harmful,” Jones loved his most constant season as a professional – a key growth, contemplating Cashman acknowledged Jones’ 2024 efficiency prompted “some trepidation and concern” internally.
Jones opened 2025 with Double-A Somerset, the place he batted .274 (48-for-175) with 16 residence runs and 32 RBIs in 49 video games earlier than being promoted in late June.
With Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he batted .274 (72-for-263) with 19 homers and 48 RBIs in 67 video games, logging most of his taking part in time in heart discipline.
“With the ability to be extra constant month-to-month, that was the largest factor for me,” Jones instructed SNY in early December, when he attended the Italian American Baseball Basis’s gala occasion within the Bronx.
There stays important swing-and-miss in Jones’ recreation, although he trimmed his strikeout charge barely from 2024 to ’25.
After whiffing 200 occasions in 544 plate appearances in 2024 (36.7%), Jones diminished that whole to 179 strikeouts in 506 plate appearances (35.3%) in ’25 and believes there’s extra progress to be made.
“I modified some stuff with my swing, discovered loads about it,” Jones stated. “Going into this offseason is simply cleansing up a number of the issues that went unsuitable.”
The Yanks’ outfield initiatives to function Aaron Decide in proper discipline and Trent Grisham in heart discipline, with Domínguez the presumed front-runner to seize taking part in time in left discipline, relying on the membership’s pursuit of free agent Cody Bellinger.
But when it winds up being Domínguez vs. Jones, the Yankees shall be watching carefully – particularly if Jones sends just a few balls screaming towards Dale Mabry Freeway in the course of the spring.
Any strikeouts symbolize a tradeoff the Yankees could also be tempted to dwell with in alternate for Jones’ light-tower energy, which has drawn comparisons to a left-handed Decide courting again to the day he entered the group.
Jones stated his mission for the spring is easy.
“Making an attempt to show to them each motive why try to be there,” he stated. “Being as aggressive as attainable and displaying them how unhealthy you need it, that’s necessary. That’s going to be my job going into camp.”
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