The New York Yankees upgraded their roster Friday, but they still need more before the MLB Trade Deadline on July 31 at 6 p.m. ET.
So with outfield prospect Spencer Jones tearing up Triple-A for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the Yankees need to decide between trading their top prospect at arguably his most valuable.
The Yankees’ first-round pick in 2022, Jones has a 1.407 OPS with 13 homers and 25 RBIs in just 19 games and is slashing .314/.411/.706 in 302 plate appearances over 68 minor-league games between Double-A and Triple-A.
The Yankees acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies on Friday morning, dealing pitchers Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz.
What Did Spencer Jones Say About Potentially Being Traded?
Jones has not not hidden from trade rumors and even addressed them head on. When he was asked about the trade deadline by ESPN, Jones was candid again.
“It’s a lot of fun this time of year, just for baseball fans in general, right?” Jones told ESPN. “I have friends all over the country that are wanting me to go and play for their team. But my heart’s here with this organization. I’ve been having a lot of fun being a Yankee so far in my career, and you take everything with a grain of salt.”
Jones has cut down his swing and strikeouts, since after striking out 200 times in 2024, he has K’d on just 25.5 percent of plate appearances in Triple-A.
“Simplicity and the bliss that comes with that,” Jones said when asked what he has learned this season. “I think just aligning the mind and body in a way that allows you to really, truly be yourself is something that’s opened my eyes this year.”
Jones has spoken publicly about wanting to play in the Bronx. But if he is concerned about being traded he hasn’t shown it, either with his play or speech.
“We’ll worry about that when that happens,” Jones said. “Right now, there’s still time to go, so we’ll worry about those things as they happen. But I can’t really speak on anything I can’t control at all.”
What Did Talent Evaluators Say About Spencer Jones As A Prospect?
ESPN’s Jorge Castillo cited quotes from various talent evaluators, those given anonymity to speak freely on Jones’ potential.
“He has a ton of swing and miss,” an NL executive said to ESPN. “Top me, he’s not a premium, premium prospect. He’s an interesting player with some upside.”
“The power is special and the upside is obvious,” an NL talent evaluator told ESPN. “I think he’s a legitimate prospect of interest, but that’s not really a departure from his prospect standing.”
“He’s a legit prospect,” an American League executive told ESPN. “But being 24 in Double-A with a 33 percent strikeout rate isn’t great.”
One scout quoted believes the Yankees will not trade him.
“My instinct is, no, they won’t [trade him],” an American League scout told ESPN. “They won’t need to.”
But Scranton/Wilkes-Barre manager Shelley Duncan believes this version of Jones is the one Yankees fans will be seeing in the future.
“I’ve never seen a player this talented before in my life,” Duncan told ESPN. “If you want to look at it like a tear, if you want to say this is a tear that he’s on, you might think it’s a great time to trade him. I think the person we’re seeing right now is who he is.”
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