Spencer Jones lasted 10 games before the Yankees sent him back to Triple-A. Not because he failed, but because Aaron Boone chose to keep Anthony Volpe.

“He’s optioned back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre along with pitcher Yovanny Cruz to make room for ace Gerrit Cole, and most likely shortstop Jose Caballero,” Bob Nightengale reported via his X handle. 

Gerrit Cole suffered a UCL tear in October 2024, which forced him to undergo a Tommy John. He is finally returning to the lineup after 14 months. Jose Caballero had a fractured middle finger on May 10, but he is back on the roster as well. Trent Grisham was day-to-day for his knee inflammation. And he, too, is expected to be active soon. That narrowed the opportunities for some players, and the Yankees decided to send Jones back to the minors. 

A shoulder surgery for the partially torn left labrum made Anthony Volpe miss spring training and the first month of the regular season this year. He went through 20 minor league games for his rehab assignment, but New York decided to keep him in Triple-A for a longer period. However, they had to call him up on May 10 when Caballero was placed on the IL. 

During the same time, the Yankees were juggling with several spots as multiple players were injured. Jasson Dominguez was one of them. He suffered a shoulder injury and opened up a spot for Jones. 

He joined the active roster on May 9 and played 10 games before the Yankees chose to send him back. Jones went 4-for-24, but that was not the key reason for his demotion. Manager Aaron Boone chose to keep Volpe in the active roster and to clear up spots, so Jones and Cruz faced the axe. This perfectly fits the Yankees’ history of intense loyalty to Volpe. The team let him struggle at the plate through 2023 and 2024 without ever sending him down. Now, Boone’s trust in his former Gold Glove winner’s defense outweighs Jones’s power potential off the bench.

Interestingly, Volpe hasn’t had much luck with the bat either. He went 5-for-23 in eight games while Caballero was injured. In fact, Boone admitted that Caballero is still the unquestioned starter.

“Maybe, but he’s also played at a level that, to me, he has earned the right to be out there at shortstop more often,” Boone said. “I think the first [41] games he played in the season, he was playing the best shortstop in the league and doing a lot of things to spark us offensively, too. It’s important to acknowledge that. But there’s no question that his versatility is a real asset, too.”

This technically makes Spencer Jones the odd man out. The 25-year-old could not convince Bronx of a longer tenure. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that the franchise is overlooking one of its top prospects. 

The Yankees still believe that Spencer Jones can become special

Jones earned the “phenom” label for a reason. Standing at 6-foot-6, he possesses a rare mix of elite outfield speed and raw power that constantly draws comparisons to a young Aaron Judge. He hit 35 home runs in 2025 in the minors, and he recorded 11 more this season before his call-up. His exit velocity averaged at 95.5 mph and peaked at 96.4 mph. That’s what made him eligible for a major league spot. But Spencer Jones had some concerns even in the minor leagues. 

During his combined tenure in Double-A and Triple-A, he had 179 strikeouts from 438 at-bats. And this issue persisted even after his promotion. He was struck out 12 times in 24 at-bats. His overall numbers were significantly low with a .167 AVG and .426 OPS. 

True, 24 at-bats are too few to judge a prospect. But some debate that with such a high strikeout rate, he might not have gotten a call-up in the first place unless the Yankees were not going through so many injuries. That argument is also valid given a 45.8% strikeout rate. 

Although he did manage 3 walks, 2 RBIs, and 1 stolen base, Jones failed to add an extra base or a homer to his MLB stats. 

The most important part is that the Yankees aren’t offloading him. They are just sending him to improve his contact. And the fact that the franchise gave him a chance despite the poor strikeout rates should offer enough positives for the young player.