Elite prospect Spencer Jones loudly shows why Yankees are big believers

news minor leagues spring training Bonus Code

TAMPA Yankees wunderkind Spencer Jones sent a long and loud message in his very first at-bat in big league camp, hitting a 470-foot homer off Tigers big league right-hander Morgan Englert at Joker Marchant Stadium.

The strike to right field was a bomb. The message to the Yankees was clear: You did right by not trading me.

Theres a lot to like about young Jones, so much so the Yankees declined to deal him for big league stars Corbin Burnes, Dylan Cease or even his new Yankees teammate, the slugging superstar Juan Soto.

I cant blame them. Not for a moment or two, which happens to be about how long it takes the speedy Jones to get down the first-base line.

Jones is a nice, polite kid working toward his Vanderbilt degree while learning here in camp from superstar Aaron Judge and other great veterans, but the thing that makes him stand apart are the tools. Its the power (as we saw), but even more so, its the speed, which is shocking for someone within a few hairs of Judges height (hes 6-foot-6).

He advertised the power, but its the speed they cant get over. The center fielder was clocked at 11 seconds going home to third, bettered in the majors by just Corbin Carroll, Elly De La Cruz and Jose Siri, according to The Athletic. Judge and Giancarlo Stanton possess more power (those two have more than anyone this side of Shohei Ohtani). But its uncertain bordering on unlikely anyone here can keep up with Jones in a foot race.

Elite_prospect_Spencer_Jones_loudly_shows_why_Yankees_are_big_believers 4Spencer Jones turned heads with his 470-foot home against the Tigers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostHes obviously a big man, but he can fly. He can legit fly, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

Jones is likely ticketed for Double-A, but ultimately, hes seen as a future 30-30 big leaguer, which is why the Yankees didnt flinch when his name was mentioned as the key piece in trade talk, as The Post first reported. The Padres/Soto trade rumor sparked particular interest from his buddies back home in Encinitas, Calif., 25 miles north of San Diego. His high school friends excitedly would relay every social media post speculating on trades to San Diego, but Jones, a calm sort who knew better, didnt fret for a second.

His only reaction amounted to momentary flattery. Regarding the Yankees decision to keep him rather than trade him for a headline-grabbing quick fix, Jones summed it up the way an especially together 22-year-old would.

Its cool, man, Jones said. Its cool to be held in that regard.

Elite_prospect_Spencer_Jones_loudly_shows_why_Yankees_are_big_believers 4Spencer Jones has the tools to become an All-Star. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostWhile hes on most prospect lists after hitting 16 home runs and stealing 43 bags between High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset, its strange that one of the more prominent, public compilations didnt even place Jones among the top 100 in the majors. That service provided an explanation why he didnt quite make the coveted list. But teams obviously have their own analytics, and in those Jones is viewed as a star in waiting.

The Yankees were able to land the slugging superstar Soto, by surrendering half their rotation depth, and he happens to locker about five feet from Jones here. Burnes went to the rival Orioles instead, and the White Sox held Cease, who still has two years to go and a better than even chance to improve his stock off his rough 2023 season.

Jones value can not be much higher at the moment, though he acknowledges he has things to work on, so much so that he writes notes to himself at to start and end each camp day. Being a Vandy man hes two semesters short of graduating, and working on it hes quite studious, and hes open to all suggestions from Judge and the other greats here. Im all ears, he said.

Elite_prospect_Spencer_Jones_loudly_shows_why_Yankees_are_big_believers 4Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones celebrates with teammates after his fifth-inning home run. APHe was, like Judge, a late first round pick No. 25 overall in the 2022 draft and he appears to be quite the find as well. (The Yankees unfortunately pick late since theyve posted winning records 32 straight seasons). To a man, scouts envision star potential even if journalists who compile the lists dont quite see it.

All-Star tools, one scout says.

From an athletic standpoint, off the charts in so many categories, another says.

Elite_prospect_Spencer_Jones_loudly_shows_why_Yankees_are_big_believers 4Spencer Jones reached Double-A last season. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostHes close to the cant miss category. But scouts do have some questions. Jones 155 strikeouts in 480 at-bats in 2023 are an issue. One National League scout says, The power is real, but the swing and hand position need some adjustments.

He also logged a slightly elevated groundball rate, and considering Yankee Stadiums short porch, its understandable flyballs are the objective for the left-handed hitter with power potential. The ultimate goal is to hit the ball in the air a little bit more this year, he said.

Thanks to that otherworldly speed, to a man the scouts see him remaining in center, which is partly what makes him so valuable. He also has a big arm, so much so he was a two-way player at Vanderbilt. Its the bat that will ultimately determine how big a star he becomes, but signs are increasingly positive, headlined by his monster bomb Saturday. Forget the prospect rankings. The Yankees obviously are believers, and so apparently are many other big-league clubs.

How many decks are used in poker?

In most popular poker variants, such as Texas Hold'em and Omaha, a standard deck of 52 playing cards is used. Each deck contains four suits (hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades) and consists of 13 ranks (Ace, 2 through 10, and the face cards: Jack, Queen, and King).

What is the bonus code for WPT Global Poker 2023?

The best bonus code for WPT Global is WPT777. By entering the bonus code, players will get a welcome bonus 100% up to $1,200 on the first deposit. The minimum deposit is $20.