MILWAUKEE (AP) \u2014 Spencer Jones couldn\u2019t help but notice all the differences as the New York Yankees\u2019 newest slugger walked into the visiting clubhouse before his major league debut Friday.<\/p>\n
Then he tried putting that out of his mind.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s the same game \u2013 that\u2019s all everyone\u2019s been telling me,\u201d Jones said before the Yankees’ 6-0 loss<\/a> to the Milwaukee Brewers. \u201cThat\u2019s how I\u2019m going to approach this, and go from there.\u201d<\/p>\n He struck out twice and walked once while wearing uniform No. 78 and batting sixth as the designated hitter. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he is willing to play Jones in center field or left on occasion.<\/p>\n Jones gives the Yankees one more 6-foot-7 outfielder to pair with three-time MVP<\/a> Aaron Judge. The heralded prospect was called up after Jasson Dominguez<\/a> sprained the AC joint in his left shoulder while crashing into the wall to make a catch in a 9-2 victory<\/a> over the Texas Rangers on Thursday.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Jones got a welcome-to-the-big-leagues moment in his first plate appearance while facing Jacob Misiorowski. He saw three pitches that were at least 102.3 mph \u2014 including two of 103.6 mph. No starting pitcher has thrown harder than 103.6 since Statcast tracking began in 2008.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s got an electric fastball,\u201d Jones said. \u201cNever seen pitches that hard in my life. To be able to foul off a couple was pretty great, I\u2019ll take that for now.\u201d<\/p>\n Jones couldn\u2019t hide his excitement as he prepared for his debut. He noticed everything from the greater food options to the fancier bathrooms. Yet his teammates also said he had the type of personality that should enable him to make a quick adjustment.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cFor such a big and powerful guy, he\u2019s always very relaxed,\u201d catcher\/first baseman Ben Rice said. \u201cSay, \u2018What\u2019s going on?\u2019 He\u2019ll say, \u2018I\u2019m just cruising.\u2019 It\u2019s his saying.\u201d<\/p>\n Jones figures he can learn plenty from Rice. The two friends both came up the Yankees system, though Rice made his debut in 2024 and had a breakthrough 2025.<\/p>\n \u201cI told Ben this morning I\u2019ll be attached at his hip today,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n Jones, who turns 25 on Thursday, was hitting .258 with a .366 on-base percentage, .592 slugging percentage, 11 homers and seven steals in 33 games at Triple-A Scranton\/Wilkes-Barre. His 41 RBIs lead minor league players.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n He has been one of the Yankees\u2019 top prospects ever since they selected him out of Vanderbilt with the 25th overall pick in the 2022 amateur draft. The biggest concern with him is his ability to make contact, as he has struck out 600 times in 1,833 minor league plate appearances.<\/p>\n But he\u2019s showing progress in that regard.<\/p>\n After striking out 21 times in his first 41 at-bats this season, Jones has hit .291 with nine homers, 31 RBIs and 25 strikeouts in 79 at-bats since. That follows a 2025 season in which he batted .274 with a .932 OPS, 35 homers, 80 RBIs and 29 steals in 116 games at Scranton\/Wilkes-Barre and Double-A Somerset.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Jones struck out 200 times in 2024 and 179 last year.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought this spring was really good as far as seeing some of the adjustment he\u2019s making to improve on those kind of things,\u201d Boone said. \u201cI think just with his power and his size, there\u2019s going to be swing-and-miss in his game, and that\u2019s part of it. There\u2019s great players around the league that have that. But I think he\u2019s made real adjustments over the last couple of years from an approach, from a swing standpoint. I feel like I saw some of those take hold, especially seeing him on an everyday basis in spring training.\u201d<\/p>\n Boone cautioned that players as tall as Jones often need time to develop.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cMore levers, more to get in sync,\u201d Boone said. \u201cIt\u2019s the same for a big pitcher. I always look at it like the Randy Johnsons of the world. Randy Johnson \u2026 it was rough early on in his career. I think part of that is just learning the mechanics. It\u2019s the same for hitters. Aaron Judge, it took a little bit. Richie Sexson, who obviously played here a long time.<\/p>\n \u201cBig guys like that, I think it\u2019s more challenging to master your mechanics, so to speak. But once you do, you have advantages because of your leverages and levers and strength and all of that. He\u2019s worked really hard at it.\u201d<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n