Yankees Top Prospect's Swing Draws Shohei Ohtani Comparison

Coming off of a wildly productive minor league campaign in 2025, New York Yankees prospect Spencer Jones has begun spring training with a bang.

While facing Detroit Tigers right-handed pitcher Keider Montero in the bottom of the third inning on Feb. 21, the left-handed hitting outfielder launched a massive home run into the right field seats that never seemed to land.

After Jones rounded the bases, YES Network's David Cone remarked that Jones' stance and overall set-up at the plate was "almost Ohtani-like", in reference to Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, with his toe tap before swinging.

"Almost Ohtani-like"

If Spencer Jones' swing looked familiar ... this might be why 👀 https://t.co/eXrMwkB9us pic.twitter.com/Uwp3KS3zmO
— MLB (@MLB) February 21, 2026

It doesn't get much better than being compared to Ohtani, and while he was a long way to go before matching the greatness of the back-to-back World Series champion and four-time MVP, Jones has certainly begun Grapefruit League play on a high note.

Jones Talks Ohtani Influence

Jones directly referenced the similarities of his stance and swing to Ohtani while speaking with reporters after the game, stating that he watches how the latter operates at the plate and attempts to emulate some parts of it.

“He’s a great reference of a really good mover with a great swing,” Jones said, per MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. “He’s one of those guys that I look at with some of the stuff he does, and I try to apply it in whichever way I can.”

Feb 21, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones (78) hits a home run against the Detriot Tigers during the second inning in a Spring Training game at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images | Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

Jones' Path Forward with Yankees

As the Yankees get set to run back virtually the same roster that carried the club to a 94-win season and American League Division Series appearance in 2025, Jones must continuously prove himself throughout the spring if he's going to leave strong enough of an impression to earn playing time at some point this year.

With Cody Bellinger in left field, Trent Grisham in center and Aaron Judge in right while former top prospect Jasson Domínguez awaits his own roster fate, Jones' chances of breaking camp with the team are just about zero.

That's not to say he can't, or won't, make his big-league debut this season, but with one of the best outfields in the league and a fully-stocked bench, Jones will likely have to show improvement with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and/or hope a spot, if not multiple, opens for one reason or another before the Yankees call him up.

New York certainly has high hopes for Jones, as it did not trade him away either at last year's deadline or during this offseason. After all, his raw power did show up in a big way to the tune of 35 homers between Double-A Somerset and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2025.

Jones' significant swing-and-miss concerns continue to weigh down his profile and long-term outlook, however, as he struck out 35.4 percent of the time last season.

He has the tools necessary to eventually become a regular, if not a star, in the majors, but for now, it's likely best that he continues ironing out his issues in spring training and in the minor leagues before heading to the Bronx.

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