DUNEDEN, Fla. — Even after a tough season with minors, Spencer Jones knows how to start big league camps significantly.
For the second year in a row, the Yankees' top-outfield prospects went home in his first Grapefruitreug match.
“Not many people have hit that ball,” manager Aaron Boone said, curved Jones took the opposite way out of the bat at 104.5 mph against right Eric Pardinho of the Blue Jays minor league. He talked about the ball.
Jones, the Yankees' first round pick in 2022, attacked 200 times with 544 plate appearances in Double A before filming the chunks during the regular season last spring, posting .789 OPS .
However, the 6-foot-6 Jones and the Yankees hope to be able to use that season in his advantage in the long run, as he was forced to force some adjustments at the end of the year, including his swing. I'm here.
“I've taken a lot of positives since last year,” Jones said after going 2-1 on a walk and strikeout perspective. “When I hit the ball, good things were going on, I was getting the job done defensively, I was playing a lot of games, and that was the most important thing for me.
Regarding reducing his strikeouts, Jones said he plans to communicate closer to his hit coaches between each at-bat.
“Tell me what I'm looking for, a pitch that I'm hunting and takes me to that right headspace to attack the pitch I'm looking for,” Jones said. I did. “When I'm in the right position to hit, I feel like I have great eyes, and that's what I'm working on.”
Despite Ruff 2024, the Yankees still believe in Jones' potential.
“You know, with Spencer, because the ceiling is a real defense, a real force, a real speed,” Boone said. “He seems to have the ability to control the strike zone, but that's a bit of a sensible swing, taking advantage of that size.”
Carlos Rodon is reclaiming his beard and he wants some of the best pitching he's done with it.
The left-handed coach was not Sharp in Saturday's spring debut, giving up two hits and three runs with two innings and 48 pitches.
But he made it another building block, ready for the season and went on a solid year with 3.96 ERAs posted on a 32 start.
“I set a high standard for myself,” Rodon said. “I know I can get better. I pitched a lot last year, but if I don't think it's better than last year or a few years ago, I'm not a player. Obviously there are a lot of variables that go into it. There is, but I really want to show it because I know what I can do. I want to show you why the Yankees signed me.”
Jones' home run was set by Everson Pereira to extend the innings in the Yankees' first ABS challenge in the spring.
Home Plate Judge Adam Beck called for a strike three as he was counted completely on two outs, but Pereira tapped his helmet to try the pitch.
So Pereira took a base and saw Jones deeper.
“I thought it was a good moment in the game to ask for a replay there,” Pereira said through an interpreter.
