Prospect’s Surge Could Disrupt Yankees’ Deadline Strategy

Spencer Jones is heating up — and the New York Yankees might not want to let go.

Since his June 27 promotion to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Jones has hit 10 home runs, driven in 20 RBI and is hitting .418 across 16 games. The former first-round pick has added a 1.399 OPS to that resume, injecting serious noise into his once-quiet prospect stock and rewriting his trade deadline narrative in the process.

New York has been connected to targets like Eugenio Suárez of the Arizona Diamondbacks and pitcher Mitch Keller of the Pittsburgh Pirates, each of whom would demand notable prospect capital. But with Jones now slugging his way to the top of every scout’s clipboard, moving him for a rental could come with serious regret.

It is a jarring shift from just weeks ago. Entering July, Jones was viewed as a name to include, not protect. But his swing changes, improved two-strike approach and explosive power have flipped expectations. Once struggling to make consistent contact, the 6-foot-7 outfielder is now punishing Triple-A pitching while showing off speed and defense in center field.

Evaluators still see risk in his swing-and-miss tendencies but the Yankees front office may be seeing enough upside to hold.

More than that, Jones is not looking to leave.

“I want to play in New York and be a part of this organization and stay loyal to it,” Jones told The Athletic.

The deadline is closing in and the Yankees need help. But Jones’ production might have arrived just in time to take him off the table — or turn him into the piece too valuable to move.