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Spencer Jones' Yankees Future is Becoming More and More Obvious
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- Spencer Jones' Yankees Future is Becoming More and More Obvious
(Brad Penner-Imagn Images)
New York Yankees fans had been waiting a long time for Spencer Jones to actually make his big-league debut, but he finally did this year, and he was impressive.
Jones slashed .245/.313/.429 with 11 home runs and 40 RBI over 289 plate appearances, and while his strikeout rate was definitely problematic , his ability to surprisingly mash lefties (.389/.441/.667) and get hits when the Yankees needed them (he batted .340 with runners in scoring position) compensated for his shortcomings.
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It's also clear that Jones has prodigious power , as he posted a ridiculous 22.2 percent barrel rate after the All-Star break, the best mark in baseball.
But while Jones clearly has tremendous offensive potential and also possesses the capacity to wreak some havoc on the basepaths with this terrific stride, he wasn't exactly remarkable in center field.
The 25-year-old posted minus-4 defensive runs saved and minus-4 outs above average in center field this season, and it was blatantly obvious that he struggled tracking the ball, looking rather clumsy and taking awkward routes to make catches.
At 6-foot-7, 240 pounds, Jones was probably never going to stay in center field long term, anyway, so what does that mean for the lefty slugger's future in the Bronx?
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Well, it's becoming more and more clear that he will eventually move to right field.
Jones has a terrific arm and won't have to cover nearly as much ground in right, especially in Yankee Stadium. That's why it's the perfect fit for him.
Of course, Aaron Judge is currently manning right field, but it's almost inevitable that the Yankees will start transitioning Judge into a DH role fairly soon.
Judge has had too many injuries, and the best way to stave them off and keep the three-time MVP in good health is by getting him out of the field.
Enter the hulking Jones, who has always profiled as more of a right fielder anyway — much like Judge himself.
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Left field is a bit spacious in Yankee Stadium, so while that position is typically where you would put a struggling defender, I'm not sure it's the correct place for Jones. Especially when you consider his arm strength.
Regardless of where New York decides to put Jones, it's very apparent that the former first-round pick has established himself as a key cog in the team's plans moving forward, and he absolutely should have a starting job next spring.
