Spencer Jones' Future With Yankees is Becoming Crystal Clear

It seemed like forever that New York Yankees fans were waiting for Spencer Jones to make his big-league debut, and he did so just before his 25th birthday this season.

The immediate results were mixed. Yes, Jones' power potential was obviously there, but so was his penchant for striking out. And while he certainly wasn't Jasson Dominguez in the outfield, he didn't look wholly comfortable, either.

Lately, though, Jones is showing everyone why he was so highly touted to begin with.

Yes, the hulking 6-foot-7, 240-pound slugger is still batting just .220 on the campaign, but have you seen the contact he has been making?

Take Wednesday night against the Seattle Mariners, for example.

Jones just missed a pair of home runs, first lacing an RBI double off the wall in left field, and following that up with a laser to right-center — this time a two-run double — on his very next at-bat.

It's that type of power that has had scouts salivating over Jones' potential for years, and now, he is displaying it somewhat regularly.

The walk rate is impressive, the strikeouts have dipped and the former first-round pick is also demonstrating his ability to spray the ball to all fields.

Jones has also shown his speed on the basepaths, and his defense has looked considerably better.

It's becoming more and more obvious that the Vanderbilt product has a future in the Bronx, and he should be the Yankees' starting center fielder as soon as next spring.

Trent Grisham is slated to hit free agency once again this offseason, and the chances of New York retaining him for a second time seem incredibly slim.

Yes, the Yankees could always try to acquire an established center fielder via free agency or trade, but why bother when they already have the makings of a freak in Jones?

Sure, Jones can look awful at the plate at times. He has tremendous difficulty catching up to the high heater, and sometimes, he seems completely out of sorts. But when he does hit the ball, you see the smooth, powerful swing that helped him smash 35 home runs in the minor leagues last season.

There is still a month-and-a-half remaining in the regular season, but it's looking more and more like New York will end up giving Jones a chance to become a full-time starter for the club in 2027. If he continues to show this potential, the Yanks would be silly not to.