Yankees' Trent Grisham Could Lose His Job After Breakout Season

Heading into the offseason, it was looking like Trent Grisham's stay with the New York Yankees was over.

The outfielder bashed 34 home runs during a breakout 2025 campaign, registering an .811 OPS over 581 plate appearances.

Grisham was definitely streaky throughout the year, but you couldn't argue with the numbers, and the two-time Gold Glove award winner seemed primed to land a rather lucrative long-term contract in free agency.

Instead, the 29-year-old accepted the Yankees' $22 million qualifying offer, which many felt threw a wrench into New York's offseason plans. Particularly when it came to retaining Cody Bellinger.

Of course, the Yankees ultimately re-signed Bellinger and will be running back the same starting outfield that ended 2025.

But could Grisham actually be in danger of losing his starting job this season?

The answer is yes.

Why? Well, let's face it: prior to last year, Grisham was, at best, a league average hitter. He owns a lifetime .720 OPS, and in the preceding three campaigns before 2025, he batted under .200 all three seasons.

Not only that, but the once slick-fielding Grisham has seen a considerable dropoff in his range the last couple of years. He posted a minus-11 DRS and minus-2 OAA in 2025, and while he did battle a hamstring issue throughout the campaign, it's also clear that his speed has decreased significantly since his earlier years.

You also have to wonder if Grisham will be able to maintain those power numbers.

The lefty only logged 10 extra base-hits that weren't homers in 2025, and he was absolutely invisible during the Yankees' brief playoff run.

Enter Spencer Jones, New York's top outfield prospect who turns 25 this May and is itching to crack the big-league roster.

It's do-or-die time for Jones, who has fallen off national top-100 prospect lists and has seen his value dip quite a bit.

That being said, the 6-foot-7 behemoth slugged 35 long balls between Double-A and Triple-A last season while also stealing 29 bases. Jones is also widely regarded as a terrific defender in center field.

Let's say Grisham reverts back to his 2024 self when he slashed .190/.290/.385 across 209 trips to the dish in the Bronx. Or at least back to his career norms (.218/.321/.400). There exists a world in which Jones could supplant him.

It's not like Grisham isn't accustomed to a fourth outfielder role, either. He has played it in the past, so there is no reason why the Yanks wouldn't put him back there if he gets off to a slow start in 2026.

You can bet that the Yankees are feeling the urge to stick Jones in Grisham's place to see how he performs. He could very well be the team's center fielder of the future, and Grisham is slated to hit free agency again next winter.

I'm not saying it will definitely happen, but I would not be remotely shocked if Grisham regresses this spring, resulting in Jones ultimately supplanting him as the starter.

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