The highest prospect made a brief stroll from his Spring Coaching locker within the dwelling clubhouse at George M. Steinbrenner Area on a heat, clear Monday afternoon, settling right into a chair inside Aaron Boone’s workplace.
Placing on his greatest performing 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 tasks to enter this spring as a respectable candidate to interrupt camp with the membership. Although the image can change, he’s at present set to compete in opposition to Jasson Domínguez for a beginning function within the Bronx Bombers’ outfield.
“He’s this untapped potential state of affairs that’s finished all the things he must do to date to place himself within the place to get right into a Main League ballpark and say, ‘This spot is mine,’” basic supervisor Brian Cashman just lately advised MLB Community Radio.
Coming off a season during which he hit .274 (120-for-438) with 35 homers and 80 RBIs throughout 116 Minor League video games, Jones – who turns 25 in Could – was added to the 40-man roster in November and used Yankee Stadium’s amenities 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) appeared to be “in a very good state of mind.”
“He dealt with his enterprise on the Minor League degree,” Boone stated. “Now he is available in with most likely a extra lifelike look. Whether or not it’s to begin the season or not, we’ll see, however it’s most likely a extra lifelike look to the place he’s now knocking on the door of the massive leagues.”
After engaged on swing adjustments 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 dwelling 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 enjoying time in middle discipline.
“Having the ability to be extra constant month-to-month, that was the largest factor for me,” Jones advised SNY in early December, when he attended the Italian American Baseball Basis’s gala occasion within the Bronx.
There stays vital swing-and-miss in Jones’ recreation, although he trimmed his strikeout fee barely from 2024 to ’25.
After whiffing 200 occasions in 544 plate appearances in 2024 (36.7%), Jones lowered that whole to 179 strikeouts in 506 plate appearances (35.3%) in ’25 and believes there may be 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 few of the issues that went fallacious.”
The Yanks’ outfield tasks to function Aaron Decide in proper discipline and Trent Grisham in middle discipline, with Domínguez the presumed front-runner to seize enjoying 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 can be watching carefully – particularly if Jones sends just a few balls screaming towards Dale Mabry Freeway throughout the spring.
Any strikeouts signify a tradeoff the Yankees could also be tempted to stay with in trade 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 straightforward.
“Making an attempt to show to them each motive why you have to be there,” he stated. “Being as aggressive as potential and exhibiting them how dangerous you need it, that’s essential. That’s going to be my job going into camp.”
