Inside The Pinstripes

WATCH: Yankees Top Prospect Hits Tape-Measure Home Run

Spencer Jones is the New York Yankees' top outfield prospect and he continues to crush the ball for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
Mar 4, 2024; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Spencer jones (78) hits a single against the Miami Marlins during the fifth inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Mar 4, 2024; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Spencer jones (78) hits a single against the Miami Marlins during the fifth inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

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Spencer Jones did his best Aaron Judge impersonation Thursday. The New York Yankees' top outfield prospect hit another tape-measure home run for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. This one traveled an estimated 443 feet according to the RailRiders and had an exit velocity of 111.2 mph.

Despite the home run, the RailRiders lost to the Buffalo Bisons, 4-1. But the 24-year-old's blast had people buzzing.

For Jones, it was his 15th home run in 41 games for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Combine that with the 16 home runs in 49 games Jones hit for Double-A Somerset and the slugger has 31 home runs this season, along with 66 RBIs and 25 stolen bases.

It's just a matter of time before Jones, the Yankees' first-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, gets called up to the majors. In its updated list of the top minor-league prospects, MLB Pipeline listed Jones at No. 4 in the Yankees system and No. 91 overall.

"With his bat speed and the strength and leverage in his 6-foot-6, 235-pound frame, Jones creates well-above-average power and upper-end exit velocities," MLB Pipeline noted in its scouting report of the slugger.

"An average runner out of the batter's box, the long-striding Jones has solid-to-plus speed once he gets going and offers 25/25 upside," the scouting report added. "After playing right field for the Commodores, he has transitioned to center as a pro and displays average range and arm strength there.

"He has a better chance of staying in center than fellow tooled-up Yankees outfielder prospect Jasson Domínguez, but Jones' bat is much more of a question mark," the scouting report concluded.

ESPN's Kiley McDaniel pegged Jones at the Yankees' No. 3 prospect in his updated rankings and said he could be the next minor-leaguer to debut in the Bronx.


"Jones needs to be added to the 40-man roster this winter, so he should get the call next among players on this list who haven't debuted yet," McDaniel wrote.

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Michael Rosenstein
MICHAEL ROSENSTEIN

Professor and award-winning multimedia journalist with three decades of success leading newsrooms, control rooms and classrooms.