The New York Yankees front office wasn’t surprised Spencer Jones struggled.
New York called Jones up after Jasson Dominguez was placed on the IL. Jones was expected to add some power to the lineup. However, he struggled at the plate and was demoted back to Triple-A on May 22.
Now, since his demotion, Yankees insider Brendan Kuty of The Athletic said the front office wasn’t surprised Jones struggled.
“No,” Kuty wrote, if Jones’ struggles changed the Yankees’ view of him. “In Jones’ first trip to the majors in May, he batted .167 (4-for-24) with no extra-base hits and 12 strikeouts with three walks. He whiffed on 38.6 percent of the swings he took. Lots of strikeouts and whiffs lead to a low batting average. The Yankees would expect the power to come in a more consistent role, but Jones’ struggles weren’t exactly stunning despite his high ceiling.”
Jones appeared in 10 games with the Yankees and hit .167 as he failed to hit a home run, which was disappointing. However, the Yankees front office wasn’t surprised he struggled at the plate, as he is a high whiff player who faced big league pitchers for the first time.
Jones is 25 years old and is the sixth-ranked prospect in New York’s system, according to MLB Pipeline.
Aaron Boone Sends Message on Jones After Demotion
After New York decided to option Jones, Yankees manager Aaron Boone was asked about the decision. Boone felt like it was a good experience for Jones to be up in the big leagues.
“Really tough call… I feel like it was a good experience for Spencer. Even though he didn’t get a lot of results, I actually feel like he held his own pretty well… It was a tough call,” Boone said.
Although Jones struggled in his first stint in the majors, Boone was pleased with how he handled himself, and he could be promoted again in the future.
In Triple-A this season, Jones is hitting .261 with 13 home runs and 46 RBIs.
Jones Posts Message After MLB Debut
After the Yankees called up Jones, he posted a heartfelt message on Instagram following his debut.
Jones said he was fulfilling a lifelong dream and was eager to play for the Yankees.
“My lifelong dream of playing in the Major Leagues came true last week and I didn’t do it alone. This moment would have never been possible without the people in my life who have supported me from the very beginning,” Jones wrote on Instagram.
“I am so grateful for my family making the sacrifices they did to see all of this through. Countless long drives and endless summers led us to this point. It doesn’t matter how much I say thank you, it will never be enough. I have been so fortunate to be surrounded by so many impactful people, teachers, mentors, coaches, friends, and teammates who put me in a position to achieve this dream. I am so lucky to have you all in my life. Damn it feels good to be a Yankee. I’m excited for this new chapter of life and to show the world what we can do.”
The Yankees selected Jones in the first round with the 25th overall selection in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Vanderbilt University.
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