The New York Yankees recalled outfielder Spencer Jones from Triple-A for their doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, only to send him back down immediately after the second game.
Jones played in the afternoon affair, going 0-for-3 with a walk. On the season overall, he is slashing .224/.314/.355 with two home runs and seven RBI over 86 plate appearances.
The Yankees don’t seem to have room for Jones on their roster, which has sparked trade speculation regarding the former top prospect as the MLB trade deadline draws near.
In fact, The Athletic recently listed Jones among its top trade candidates between now and Aug. 3.
“Jones, who didn’t make the Yankees’ Opening Day roster out of spring training, eventually made his debut as a matter of necessity,” The Athletic wrote. “The strikeout problem that served as a major red flag as a prospect manifested itself at the big-league level. At the same time, so did his knack for power. Whether that has room in New York remains to be seen.”
The article then named the Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers as potential landing spots for the 6-foot-7, 240-pound slugger.
Jones has dominated in the minor leagues this season, slashing .276/.384/.568 with 14 homers and 51 RBI at Triple-A. Last year, he smashed 35 long balls while driving in 80 runs between Double-A and Triple-A.
Already 25 years old, the clock is ticking for Jones, who was a first-round pick of the Yankees back in 2022.
While Aaron Judge is currently on the injured list, he is obviously New York’s right fielder for the foreseeable future, and Cody Bellinger has an outfield spot locked down, as well.
Jones seems to be competing with Jasson Dominguez for one of the three future slots, and given his ability to play center field, you would think he would hold the edge.
However, the Yankees seem to be prioritizing Dominguez, which could mean Jones is playing out his final days in pinstripes before the deadline.
We’ll see if New York ends up moving Jones over the next couple of weeks.
