Spencer Jones makes his MLB debut and gives Yankees lineup one more 6-foot-7 slugger

MILWAUKEE (AP) 鈥� Spencer Jones couldn鈥檛 help but notice all the differences as the New York Yankees鈥� newest slugger walked into the visiting clubhouse before his major league debut Friday.

Then he tried putting that out of his mind.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the same game 鈥� that鈥檚 all everyone鈥檚 been telling me,鈥� Jones said before the Yankees’ three-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how I鈥檓 going to approach this, and go from there.鈥�

Jones gives the Yankees one more 6-foot-7 outfielder to pair with Aaron Judge. The heralded prospect was called up after sprained the AC joint in his left shoulder while crashing into the wall to make a catch in a over the Texas Rangers on Thursday.

Jones wore uniform No. 78 and batted sixth as the designated hitter against Milwaukee鈥檚 Jacob Misiorowski, Major League Baseball鈥檚 hardest-throwing starting pitcher. Jones struck out in his first plate appearance while seeing three pitches that were at least 102.3 mph 鈥� including two that reached 103.6 mph.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he is willing to play Jones in center field or left on occasion.

Jones couldn鈥檛 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.

鈥淔or such a big and powerful guy, he鈥檚 always very relaxed,鈥� catcher/first baseman Ben Rice said. 鈥淪ay, 鈥榃hat鈥檚 going on?鈥� He鈥檒l say, 鈥業鈥檓 just cruising.鈥� It鈥檚 his saying.鈥�

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.

鈥淚 told Ben this morning I鈥檒l be attached at his hip today,鈥� Jones said.

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.

He has been one of the Yankees鈥� 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.

But he鈥檚 showing progress in that regard.

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.

Jones struck out 200 times in 2024 and 179 last year.

鈥淚 thought this spring was really good as far as seeing some of the adjustment he鈥檚 making to improve on those kind of things,鈥� Boone said. 鈥淚 think just with his power and his size, there鈥檚 going to be swing-and-miss in his game, and that鈥檚 part of it. There鈥檚 great players around the league that have that. But I think he鈥檚 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.鈥�

Boone cautioned that players as tall as Jones often need time to develop.

鈥淢ore levers, more to get in sync,鈥� Boone said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the same for a big pitcher. I always look at it like the Randy Johnsons of the world. Randy Johnson 鈥� it was rough early on in his career. I think part of that is just learning the mechanics. It鈥檚 the same for hitters. Aaron Judge, it took a little bit. Richie Sexson, who obviously played here a long time.

鈥淏ig guys like that, I think it鈥檚 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鈥檚 worked really hard at it.鈥�

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