TAMPA, Fla. — The New York Yankees carried two of their brightest young talents deep into spring camp, gave them every chance to flash their skills against big league arms and then did exactly what everyone expected them to do.
Spencer Jones and Elmer Rodriguez were optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Monday afternoon and reassigned to minor league camp. Both moved one step closer to the Bronx this spring.
But the decisions were inevitable. The Yankees have a full outfield and a starting rotation that, at least on paper, does not need a 22-year-old arm just yet. But what Jones and Rodriguez showed over the past three weeks at George M. Steinbrenner Field should have the fan base feeling very good about what is coming down the pipeline.
Jones turns heads with revamped approach
Jones, the club’s 2022 first-round pick, walked into camp as one of the most polarizing prospects in the Yankees system. The 6-foot-7, 240-pound outfielder has a rare combination of size, speed and left-handed power. He also has a strikeout problem that has followed him at every level.
He whiffed 200 times in 544 plate appearances at Double-A Somerset in 2024. Last season, he struck out 179 times across 506 plate appearances split between Somerset and Scranton. Those are the kind of numbers that make scouts wince no matter how far the ball travels when bat meets ball.
But Jones showed up to camp with a tweaked stance and a sharper plan. The results backed it up. He went 6-for-18 (.333) in nine Grapefruit League games with three home runs, a double, four walks and just six strikeouts. His seven RBIs included a 427-foot blast that reminded everyone why the Yankees drafted him in the first place.
Yankees hitting coach James Rowson said he has seen clear growth from the 24-year-old this spring.
“He’s learning things that work for him and he’s learning things that haven’t worked for him,” Rowson said. “He’s not throwing away any at-bats. He has a plan for every at-bat.”
One National League evaluator who watched Jones multiple times in the minors last year offered a cautious endorsement.
“Definitely better,” the scout said. “It’s not a lot [of games] and I don’t know if it’s sustainable, but there was improvement.”
A crowded outfield leaves no room
The reality for Jones is that talent alone was never going to be enough to crack this roster. Trent Grisham accepted the qualifying offer in early November, and Cody Bellinger re-signed in January. That locked in a starting outfield of Bellinger in left, Grisham in center and Aaron Judge in right, with Giancarlo Stanton handling designated hitter duties.
The Yankees want Jones and fellow outfield prospect Jasson Dominguez to play every day, which is why neither was in the running for a reserve spot on the 26-man roster. Dominguez is also likely headed to Triple-A but may remain in big league camp a bit longer.
Manager Aaron Boone acknowledged the difficulty Jones faces as a player of his stature learning to cut down on swings and misses.
“Those are the challenges of being a big guy,” Boone said. “It’s a hard thing to figure out, but if you can do it, [that size is] a massive advantage.”
Rodriguez impresses before WBC departure
While Jones grabbed attention with his bat, Rodriguez made his case on the mound. The 22-year-old right-hander, who came to the Yankees in December 2024 from the Red Sox as part of the Carlos Narvaez trade, posted a 3.00 ERA across two Grapefruit League starts. He allowed five hits and one walk in six innings while striking out five.
Elmer Rodriguez, ranked as the Yankees’ top right-handed pitching prospect and No. 82 overall by MLB Pipeline, left camp to join Team Puerto Rico for the World Baseball Classic. In his first WBC outing against Cuba on Monday night, Rodriguez fired three scoreless innings, allowing one hit and three walks while fanning three batters.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora took notice.
“The WBC is going to make him a better player,” Cora said. “We’re going to have to deal with him at one point in his career.”
Most rival scouts view Rodriguez as slightly more polished and closer to the majors than Carlos Lagrange, the Yankees’ other highly touted pitching prospect. His deep arsenal and command give him the profile of a mid-rotation starter with room to grow.
Paths to the Bronx remain wide open
Neither move came as a shock. Unless a wave of injuries hit the players ahead of them, Jones and Rodriguez were always going to open the season in the minors. But strong spring performances have placed both prospects in prime position for a midseason call-up once the grind of 162 games starts to thin the roster.
Rodriguez could get his shot even sooner if the Yankees need rotation help while Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon continue their recoveries from surgery. Jones will need to keep proving he can sustain the improved plate discipline he showed in camp.
For now, the Yankees are content to let their top young talents develop on an everyday basis at Triple-A. The door to the big leagues is not locked. It is just not open yet.
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