TAMPA, Fla. — The Yankees brought the thunder on Wednesday at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Paul Goldschmidt and Jose Caballero both launched home runs during live batting practice. Cody Bellinger roped a comebacker that nearly clipped a pitching prospect. The veterans were sending a message.
But while the established bats provided fireworks, one of the most talked-about prospects in camp told a different story. Spencer Jones, the 6-foot-7 outfielder with 35 minor league home runs last season, looked uncomfortable in the batter’s box and drew sharp criticism from observers.
Goldschmidt proves the signing was no charity act
The Yankees re-signed Goldschmidt this offseason on a one-year, $4 million deal. The plan was clear from the start. The seven-time All-Star was brought back to punish left-handed pitching, and he wasted no time showing why.
Goldschmidt took lefty Ryan Yarbrough deep during a live batting practice session Wednesday. The ball jumped off his bat with authority, a sign that the 38-year-old first baseman still has plenty of pop left in the tank.
Moments earlier, shortstop Jose Caballero had done the same against Yarbrough, launching one over the outfield wall. Caballero, who will handle shortstop duties while Anthony Volpe recovers from shoulder surgery, is trying to prove he belongs as more than just a speedster. He led the majors with 49 stolen bases last season after arriving from Tampa Bay at the trade deadline.
“There are a lot of the same guys,” Goldschmidt said of the returning roster. “We get a chance to get a lot of those guys back who are impact players.”
Bellinger nearly takes out pitching prospect
Cody Bellinger added to the power display with a scorching comebacker off Ben Hess during live batting practice. The line drive shot back at the mound so fast that Hess had to dance out of the way to avoid what would have been ugly friendly fire.
Hess, the Yankees’ first-round pick in 2024, is one of the organization’s top pitching prospects. The right-hander posted a 3.22 ERA in his debut season between High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset last year. He features a mid-90s fastball, two plus breaking balls and an effective changeup.
Hess is unlikely to break camp with the big league club, but his inclusion as a non-roster invitee gives him valuable exposure against major league hitters. Bellinger, who re-signed with the Yankees on a five-year deal, clearly had his timing dialed in early.
Spencer Jones raises red flags at the plate
While the veterans were raking, one player had fans talking for all the wrong reasons. Spencer Jones, the Yankees’ No. 4 prospect, did not look comfortable during his time in the box on Wednesday.
His stance and swing drew immediate attention on social media. Observers described it as unnatural and stiff. The Bronx talk account @BabbleBronx posted video of the at-bat, calling his mechanics rigid and forced.
Jones crushed 35 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A last season, slashing .274/.362/.571 with a .933 OPS. The raw power is undeniable. But so is the strikeout problem. Jones fanned 179 times in 438 at-bats, a 35.4 percent strikeout rate. In 2024, he struck out 200 times in 482 at-bats at Somerset.
ESPN’s Aiden Gonzalez called 2026 a “crucial year” for Jones and named him the Yankees’ player to watch. The path to a roster spot is complicated with Aaron Judge, Bellinger and Trent Grisham locked into the starting outfield. Jones may start the year at Triple-A Scranton, but the Yankees want to see how close he is to contributing at the highest level.
Grisham puts the new ABS challenge system to work
If Wednesday was any preview of the regular season, Trent Grisham is going to be a nightmare for umpires under the new Automated Ball-Strike System.
The center fielder used multiple challenges in the same at-bat against Ben Hess and was proven correct each time, flipping strikes into balls. Hess then challenged one pitch from the mound and turned a ball into a strike. Grisham posted a 17.3 percent chase rate last season, which ranked fourth-best in all of baseball.
“I’m excited for it,” captain Aaron Judge said of the ABS system after using a challenge himself to overturn a called third strike against Paul Blackburn. “This could be a tool that if we scratch out a couple of more wins because we got a couple of calls right, then hopefully that’ll help us not tie for the division.”
“He’s one of the most miscalled zones in baseball,” catcher Austin Wells said of Judge. “Being so tall, he’s getting calls below his knees all the time.”
Manager Aaron Boone has warmed up to the technology. He encouraged both hitters and pitchers to use challenges freely during camp.
“Our pitchers might be a little less inclined, but I want them to have the freedom right now,” Boone said. “There’s certain pitches that I do think they’ll be a little better on than a catcher.”
Grapefruit League action starts Friday
Wednesday was the Yankees’ last full-squad workout before the exhibition schedule kicks off. They open Grapefruit League play on Friday at Sarasota against the Orioles.
Boone also confirmed that Ryan McMahon, acquired from Colorado at last year’s trade deadline, will get reps at shortstop during spring training. McMahon played exclusively at third base after the trade but could provide insurance at short while Volpe works his way back.
Meanwhile, reliever Jake Bird, a trade deadline pickup who struggled after arriving and was sent to Triple-A, is making the most of a fresh start. Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake said Bird’s offseason work has been “great” and that his mechanical adjustments are paying off.
The Yankees return most of their core from a team that won 94 games and fell to the Blue Jays in the ALDS. Judge has made it plain that regular season success is not enough.
“I don’t get paid to just play this game,” Judge said. “I get paid to win here. We’ve got to go out and win.”
The bats looked ready on Wednesday. Whether the Yankees’ most intriguing prospect can get his swing right before it counts remains the bigger question heading into 2026.
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