New York Yankees' Spencer Jones Receives Brutal Long-Term Outlook

Once again, New York Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones will be starting the MLB regular season in Triple-A, a charade that has become all too familiar to the top prospect.

In spite of the fact that Jones has mashed in Spring Training, hitting four home runs to go along with a 1.345 OPS, there simply isn't enough room for him on the big-league roster to get everyday reps.

Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger have the corner outfield spots on lock, and Trent Grisham's decision to accept the Yankees' qualifying offer put the clamps on center field for 2026. Well, at least for the early stages of the campaign.

But will Jones have the opportunity to hit the major-league level at some point this season?

Alexander Wilson of Empire Sports Media doesn't seem to think so, predicting that the 24-year-old will probably have to wait until next year to finally reach the Show.

"My honest read is that the Yankees are parking him in Scranton for most of 2026 and waiting for the calendar to flip to 2027, when Grisham’s qualifying offer comes off the books and Jones can step into the center field job at a cost-controlled price," Wilson wrote. "That is the organizational calculus, and it is not wrong from a business standpoint. The problem is that baseball does not always wait for your timeline to catch up."

Wilson feels that Jasson Dominguez — who has been on a torrid pace in Spring Training, as well — is currently ahead of Jones in the pecking order and would likely get the call first.

Here's my question, though: would Dominguez get the call over Jones if Grisham struggles or gets injured?

Dominguez is not a center fielder; Jones is, and a darn good one. Yes, the Yankees could always recall Dominguez and move Bellinger over to center, but then you're wasting a good portion of Bellinger's value (he is far better in the corners).

Now, if there is an injury to one of Judge or Bellinger, then I can understand giving Dominguez the nod. He already has big-league experience, and while he was terrible in left field last season, he displayed potential with his bat.

The idea of waiting until 2027 to bring up Jones will certainly frustrate New York fans given that the hulking 6-foot-7 slugger turns 25 years old in May. It's difficult to even consider him a prospect anymore, and the clock is ticking.

Now, if Grisham performs like he did last year, then yes; Jones will just have to wait. But if Grisham regresses to the mean (he is a lifetime .218/.321/.400 hitter) and his Spring Training struggles carry over into the regular season, then I see no reason to delay Jones' promotion. Even at the expense of Dominguez.

Yankees Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Yankees. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.