MILWAUKEE — Spencer Jones, a towering 6-foot-7, 240-pound outfielder known for his impressive hitting, stepped into a major league clubhouse for the first time on Friday. It was clear he felt like a kid reliving a dream.
His excitement was evident when he spotted his No. 78 Yankees jersey hanging in his locker at American Family Field.
He told manager Aaron Boone, “It was the best day ever.”
Right away, he swapped into his baseball gear, eager to settle in before his major league debut against the Brewers’ hard-throwing pitcher, Jacob Misiorowski.
“I looked at all the lockers, all the numbers, all the jerseys, and it was amazing,” Jones shared, choosing to bat No. 6 and designated hitter. “There’s also a lot of food here. That’s pretty cool. And all the little things in the bathroom—those caught my attention too. But at the end of the day, it’s the same game, right? That’s what everyone keeps reminding me.”
Though he’s faced some challenges, Jones has shown great talent since becoming the Yankees’ first-round pick from Vanderbilt in 2022.
His call-up on Friday came after a strong showing with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, partly due to injuries affecting other key players like Giancarlo Stanton and Jason Dominguez. At 24, he’s set to join the American League’s top team.
“If he has good at-bats, he can significantly affect the game,” Boone said, mentioning plans to place Jones in the outfield for comfort, allowing him to play both center field and left field.
Jones has often been compared to Aaron Judge, perhaps a bit prematurely, due to his size and power. He debuted in the majors at the same age as Judge: 24.
They both had similar minor league progressions before their promotions. In the minors, Jones played 415 games with a .270 batting average, .848 OPS, 83 home runs, and a 32.7 percent strikeout rate. Judge had a .278 average, .845 OPS, 56 home runs, and a 24.6 percent strikeout rate across 348 games.
The strikeout rate is a major concern for Jones, with questions about whether his slugging ability can compensate for those misses.
This season in Triple-A, he managed to reduce his strikeout rate slightly to 32.4 percent, down from 35.4 percent the previous year and 36.8 percent in 2024.
“There will be swings and misses due to his size and power—that’s just part of his game,” Boone acknowledged. “Some great players in the league have similar traits. But I’ve seen him make solid adjustments over the last couple of years, especially in spring training.”
Jones has also experimented with different batting stances, trying to pinpoint what works best for him. Recently, he adopted a stance reminiscent of slugger Shohei Ohtani, achieving a .258 average, .958 OPS, 11 home runs, and 41 RBIs in just 33 Triple-A games.
“I feel comfortable, and I understand what adjustments I need to make,” Jones noted. “Mechanically, we have a solid foundation, and we’ll keep building on that.”
Early Friday, after traveling from Worcester, Mass. to Milwaukee the night before, he told his close friend, Ben Rice, that he would be sticking close to him throughout the day to find his rhythm.
Rice, who played alongside Jones at various minor league levels, described him as a “ruthless guy” and assured him he’d be there for support.
More importantly, Rice wanted to instill confidence in Jones, emphasizing that he truly belongs in the big leagues. “He knows he’s good enough and deserves to be here. That realization is crucial,” Rice said.
