NEW YORK — The Yankees have spent weeks waiting on Cody Bellinger. They have watched agent Scott Boras play his usual game. They have seen no resolution. But while the stalemate drags on, a towering prospect just received news that could reshape his entire career.
Spencer Jones has a legitimate shot at making the Opening Day roster. The 6-foot-7 outfielder dominated minor league pitching last season. Now insider and MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch predicts he could force his way onto the big league squad in spring training.
The Bellinger situation remains unresolved. That uncertainty has opened a door Jones never expected to find cracked this wide.
Hoch sees Jones knocking on the door
The assessment from MLB.com carries weight. Hoch covers the Yankees daily. He knows the organization. His evaluation of Jones suggests the prospect has moved beyond mere speculation.
“With light-tower power and improved consistency, Jones is knocking on the big league door with a legitimate chance to force his way onto the Opening Day roster,” Hoch wrote in his prospects to watch feature for 2026.
Hoch continued: “Though swing-and-miss will probably always be part of his profile, the Yankees believe Jones’ athleticism and muscle have positioned him to compete in a crowded outfield picture.”
The Yankees added Jones to the 40-man roster in November. He has spent part of the offseason working out at Yankee Stadium. The organization wants him close. They want him ready.
The numbers that demand attention
Jones posted the most complete season of his professional career in 2025. He slashed .274/.362/.571 with 35 home runs and 80 RBI across 506 plate appearances between Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The power jumped off the page. His 90th percentile exit velocity reached 107.7 mph. He came one stolen base shy of a 30-30 season. He was one of only four minor leaguers to post a 25-25 campaign in 2025.
Jones got so hot at one point that some observers pushed for a September call-up. A brutal August derailed those hopes. He hit just .180 with a .556 OPS that month. The slump reminded everyone that questions remain.
But he finished strong. Over his final 15 games, Jones slashed .286/.355/.536 with an .891 OPS. The strikeouts remained high. The production did too.
Cashman believes Jones has earned his shot
General manager Brian Cashman has not hidden his enthusiasm for the 24-year-old. He believes Jones belongs in the conversation for a roster spot.
“He’s earned, without a doubt, the look in the competition, but again, it all depends on how many opportunities exist based on the decisions that come out of this winter,” Cashman said. “But he’s put himself in a position to be considered a potential everyday major leaguer in 2026.”
Cashman went further in a recent MLB Network Radio interview.
“He’s this untapped potential situation that’s done everything he needs to do thus far to put himself in the position to get into a Major League ballpark and say, ‘This spot is mine,'” Cashman said.
The general manager noted that Jones would have reached the majors already with many other organizations. The Yankees simply had too many outfielders blocking his path.
The Bellinger stalemate changes everything
Cody Bellinger remains unsigned. His agent Scott Boras has reportedly sought a massive contract that no team has been willing to match. The former NL MVP floated on the open market until February back in 2024. He could do so again.
The Yankees want Bellinger back. They have made that clear. But they cannot wait forever. Every day without a deal is another day Jones gets closer to a starting role.
The outfield picture has grown murky. Trent Grisham accepted the qualifying offer and will return to center field. Aaron Judge owns right field. Jazz Chisholm holds down second base. But left field remains wide open.
Jasson Dominguez played there last season. The 22-year-old showed flashes but struggled defensively. His -10 Outs Above Average ranked in the 2nd percentile in MLB. The Yankees do not seem entirely confident he can handle the position full-time.
A national scout pumps the brakes
Not everyone believes Jones is ready. A national scout told the New York Post’s Dan Martin that an Opening Day roster spot would be ambitious.
“That would be a leap,” the scout said. “I didn’t see a guy knocking down the door at the end of the season. That could change in the spring, but not sure they’d want to be that aggressive.”
The concerns are valid. Jones posted a 35.4 percent strikeout rate in 2025. That number mirrors his career mark of 33 percent. For comparison, Ryan McMahon led the majors in strikeout rate at 32 percent last season. Jones whiffs even more.
Manager Aaron Boone acknowledged the swing-and-miss issues but remains bullish on the prospect.
“He handled his business at the Minor League level,” Boone said. “Now he comes in with probably a more realistic look. Whether it’s to start the season or not, we’ll see, but it’s probably a more realistic look to where he’s now knocking on the door of the big leagues.”
The clock is ticking on the former first-rounder
Jones turns 25 in May. He is no longer a teenage phenom with unlimited runway. The Yankees drafted him 25th overall in 2022 out of Vanderbilt. Three years later, he has yet to take a major league at-bat.
The organization must decide what to do with him. Keep him and give him a chance. Or trade him while his value remains high. His name has surfaced in trade discussions throughout the winter.
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand identified Jones as a potential trade candidate. Colleague Bryan Hoch mentioned both Jones and Dominguez popping up in trade talks if the team secures Bellinger or Kyle Tucker.
The Yankees have options. They could sign Bellinger and trade Jones for pitching. They could let Bellinger walk and hand Jones the job. They could add a veteran platoon partner and ease Jones into the lineup.
What spring training will reveal
The Grapefruit League will tell the story. Jones will face major league arms. He will see advanced scouting reports. He will have to prove the power plays against better competition.
The Yankees have Jazz Chisholm locked in at second base. They have Judge in right. They have Grisham in center. They need to figure out left field. Jones represents one possible answer.
His path to playing time could not be clearer. If Bellinger signs elsewhere, the job opens. If Dominguez struggles again, the opportunity expands. If Jones rakes in camp, he forces the issue.
The 6-foot-7 slugger has waited his turn. He has crushed minor league pitching. He has added his name to the 40-man roster. Now he needs Bellinger to keep waiting on that massive contract.
Every day without a Bellinger deal is another day closer to Spencer Jones becoming the Yankees’ starting left fielder. The Boras stalemate that has frustrated fans might just be the best thing that ever happened to the top prospect’s career.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
It is time he gets to see what he could do. When Judge came up he to0, was a strike out machine, but he matured. Who better to mentor Jones than Judge. IMO