If Cody Bellinger has a good season in 2025, he’ll more than likely opt out of his current deal. He will then hit the open market and pursue that big money deal that’s been eluding him. The Yankees’ current plan is to bring up former first-round pick Spencer Jones, who’s projected to be big-league-ready this year. However, given how Jones struggled at the Double-A level last season and recently fell off the top 100 prospects list; the Yankees should reconsider those plans.
The Yankees Current And Future Outfield Plans
The Yankees traded for Cody Bellinger this offseason to fill the outfield hole left by Juan Soto’s departure. Bellinger’s current contract contains opt-outs after each season. If the former MVP succeeds in 2025, he’ll most likely opt out of his contract and pursue that big-money deal that eluded him last offseason. Whenever Bellinger leaves, the Yankees plan is to call up top prospect Spencer Jones and slot him into an outfield spot. New York would like their future outfield plan to consist of Aaron Judge, Jasson Dominguez, and Jones.
Spencer Jones Showed Lots Of Promise Early On
Spencer Jones was drafted by the New York Yankees in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft. The former Vanderbilt product signed with the team for $2.88 million. Some people have already been comparing him to current Yankees superstar Aaron Judge. The team reportedly even refused to include him in a trade that would have netted them then-Brewers ace Corbin Burnes.
Spencer Jones showed tremendous promise early on. It took him just two seasons to reach the Double-A run on the organization’s Minor League ladder. He was even selected to play in the MLB All-Star Futures Game in both 2023 and 2024. In his first Spring Training with the big club, the 23-year-old slashed a scorching .444/.583/.722 with one homer, four RBI, and a 1.305 OPS. However, despite the success and accolades, Jones is far from ready for the show.
An Inconsistent Year At The Double-A Level
Last season at the Double-A level, Spencer Jones had an inconsistent season. He finished the 2024 season slashing .259/.336/.452 with 17 home runs and 78 RBI. However, the 23-year-old only had an OPS of .789 and struck out 200 times. Jones’s 200 strikeouts were the second most number of strikeouts in all levels of Minor League Baseball. The only player who struck out more than Jones was Elijah Green of the Washington Nationals organization. Jones’s 200 strikeouts also broke a Yankees Minor League record set in 2005 by Tim Battle. His struggles last season resulted in Spencer Jones not being inside MLB’s top 100 prospects list. The 23-year-old was previously on the list last season.
Jones Isn’t Ready For The Show
According to fangraphs.com, he’s currently ranked as the Yankees’ third-best prospect behind only Will Warren and Jasson Dominguez. While Jones is projected to be big league-ready next season, there is nothing that is convincing me that he is. He is still struggling to make more contact and needs a lot of work on plate discipline. Bringing Jones up now would result in him being the next Joey Gallo in the lineup. His strikeout problems at the Minor League level should warrant more development being needed. The fact that he fell off the top 100 prospects list should be convincing enough that he isn’t ready.
Kyle Tucker Will Be A Free Agent Next Year
Next season, the New York Yankees have a projected $36,600,000 coming off the books. This number could grow if Bellinger opts out and if Marcus Stroman is either traded or his option doesn’t vest. Outfielder Kyle Tucker is one of the most intriguing free agents in 2026. Tucker was traded by the Astros to the Chicago Cubs this offseason. The 29-year-old will test the open market next year and the Cubs are unlikely to bring him back beyond this season. If Bellinger becomes a free agent, the Yankees will have a hole in their outfield to fill.
Tucker is left-handed and can hit for power; this plays perfectly at Yankee Stadium. More importantly, he’s very disciplined at the plate, unlike Spencer Jones. The Yankees originally tried to trade for him this offseason. However, Houston wanted reigning Rookie of the Year Luis Gil to be included in any deal for Tucker. Knowing the former Astros star was going to test free agency, the Yankees smartly backed out. While Tucker won’t be cheap, this is the smarter move to make. He could also perhaps give the Yankees the same production that Juan Soto gave them last season.
The Yankees Should Consider Another Direction
While the current plan is to bring Spencer Jones to the big club whenever Cody Bellinger leaves, New York should reconsider. The 23-year-old is still struggling to make more contact and strikes out way too often. This isn’t going to play well at the MLB level. The former Vanderbilt product’s recent fall from the top 100 prospects should convince the team to look into other plans. Kyle Tucker is going to be a free agent next year and lots of money is coming off the Yankees books. Signing Tucker would be the smarter move to make rather than calling up the strikeout-prone Spencer Jones.
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