Spencer Jones, the New York Yankees\u2019 No. 2 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, is not oblivious to where we are in the baseball calendar.<\/p>\n
There are nine days remaining until the trade deadline<\/a>, and Jones is one of the most hotly debated prospects in the sport. What the Yankees decide to do with Jones at this year\u2019s deadline might tell the public how they truly feel about the 24-year-old slugger. Keep him, and it could signal Jones is the Yankees\u2019 center fielder of the future, perhaps as soon as 2026. Trade him, and it might mean the club doesn\u2019t believe a player with his profile can have success in the big leagues.<\/p>\n Jones can\u2019t avoid the trade rumors because his friends across the country are continually sending him content that features him. But he doesn\u2019t mind it one bit. In fact, one recent post that a friend passed along still makes him burst out in laughter days later.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a post of me hitting a home run and one of the comments was, \u2018Get ready to speak desert, buddy,\u2019\u201d Jones told The Athletic. \u201cThat\u2019s a really good one. I saw that and was dying laughing. That is just so good. To me, that\u2019s the really fun part about baseball at this time of year. I really like the creativity that fans have. It\u2019s awesome. I don\u2019t know if I can speak desert.\u201d<\/p>\n Jones is referencing being a possible target of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who the Yankees have been linked to given their interest in third baseman Eugenio Su\u00e1rez. The Yankees are one of several teams who have expressed interest in acquiring Su\u00e1rez, an impending free agent who is arguably the best bat on the market. But whether the Yankees would include Jones in a trade for a rental remains to be seen.<\/p>\n Yankees fans on the internet remain split on how they view Jones. Some believe he should only be traded for a star-level talent. In 16 Triple-A games, Jones has hit 10 home runs. His 26 home runs are tied for the most across the minor leagues this season. His 1.106 OPS can\u2019t be ignored. That kind of production makes the job of the Yankees\u2019 front office challenging because if Jones does become a star in the majors, the organization will never hear the end of it.<\/p>\n But there are also dissenters who believe Jones\u2019 swing-and-miss tendencies and lack of contact are impossible to ignore. He is whiffing on 37.6 percent of his swings in Triple A, and his 74.8 percent in-zone contact rate would rank second-to-last in MLB. Those numbers would be expected to get worse when facing major-league pitching.<\/p>\n So, there\u2019s the dilemma that the Yankees face. Do they believe Jones\u2019 power potential is so tantalizing that they need to see it in the majors, or do they trade him when his value may never be higher?<\/p>\n If Jones had it his way, there\u2019s no doubt where he wants to play.<\/p>\n \u201cI was just talking to my girlfriend about this, but at the end of the day, I want to play in New York and be a part of this organization and stay loyal to it,\u201d said Jones, the Yankees\u2019 2022 first-round draft pick. \u201cThat\u2019s a big part of who I am and where I want to go in my career.\u201d<\/p>\n Jones said he hasn\u2019t been told by the organization whether he has anything to worry about regarding a possible trade. He has told staff members in the past that he prefers to have few thoughts in his head when playing, and he feels like he\u2019s finally at a point where he\u2019s confident at the plate.<\/p>\n The 6-foot-7 outfielder has tinkered with his stance several times this season, and the latest iteration is here to stay. It\u2019s a unique-looking swing for someone his size where he\u2019ll crouch low, open his hips wide and then have an exaggerated leg kick. But it\u2019s working for him. He credits his stance for helping him have success this year.<\/p>\n \u201cIn spring, there were issues with my ability to recognize pitches and make a decision right away,\u201d Jones said. \u201cWhere I\u2019m at now, people may look at it and think it\u2019s not simple, but the move and the way it works is very simple. I kind of just move my body, let myself see the pitch and let my body swing. That\u2019s where it\u2019s been. I am glad to have been able to produce the results I have.\u201d<\/p>\n Spencer Jones is the man of a thousand stances but here are some of the more recent changes. There\u2019s a healthy sample of elite success with his latest change. He\u2019s put himself in a better position to attack pitches in the zone with authority. pic.twitter.com\/wzpDQLohDH<\/a><\/p>\n