The Yankees on Tuesday selected the contracts of outfielder Spencer Jones and righties Elmer Rodriguez and Chase Hampton, per a team announcement. They’re now on the 40-man roster and ineligible to be selected by another club in December’s Rule 5 Draft.
There are no surprises in this trio of additions. Hampton, Rodriguez and Jones rank among the Yankees’ top prospects and were sure to be protected. Jones is the most recognizable of the bunch thanks to a prodigious power display this summer. The 24-year-old popped 35 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A combined and turned plenty of heads when he swatted 13 round-trippers in his first 19 games after moving up to the higher of those two levels.
Jones is immensely strikeout prone, however, and fell into a deep slump after that jaw-dropping hot streak. Over his final 48 games and 183 plate appearances, Jones hit just .219/.289/.383 with a 42% strikeout rate. He could get a look at some point in 2026, but he’ll need to radically cut down on his strikeouts if he’s to become a productive big leaguer. Jones’ huge raw power and hulking 6’7″ stature have led to plenty of Aaron Judge comparisons, but even the strikeout-prone Judge punched out in just 23.9% of his plate appearances during his final Triple-A season. Jones was at 33.7% in Double-A and 36.6% in Triple-A.
Rodriguez, 22, came to the Yankees in a rare trade with their archrival Red Sox, sending catcher Carlos Narvaez the other direction. It has serious win-win potential. Narvaez became a prominent part of Boston’s catching corps in 2025, while Rodriguez climbed to Triple-A and posted a 2.58 ERA with a 29% strikeout rate and 9.4% walk rate in 150 minor league frames.
Hampton, 24, missed the entire season due to Tommy John surgery. He pitched only 18 2/3 innings in 2024 as well. That said, he’s a former sixth-round pick and touted prospect who tossed 106 2/3 frames with a 3.63 ERA while climbing to Double-A as a 21-year-old back in 2022. Scouting reports tout his plus curveball and slider. If he’s back to full health in ’26, he’ll begin the year in Double-A or Triple-A and could pitch his way into consideration for a big league look late in the summer — though he might be a more realistic 2027 rotation candidate.
The best of times and the worst of times for Spencer Jones. Being added to the 40-man roster is great news; Grisham returning is bad news for him. Not that I think he’s ready.
I wonder what’s going to happen with Spencer Jones. He’s very valuable trade piece, or maybe they’ll trade Trent Grisham?
He’s an interesting prospect, but his K rate remains a bit alarming. He’ll likely return to AAA to see if he can tighten his swing. The Yankees like him but I don’t think they’d hesitate to include him in a deal.
I saw that at the deadline, but one of the Yankees fan got mad when I said to maybe trade a prospect.
Fans can overvalue their team’s prospects, believing all prospects are equal.
Chase must be making progress on return.
didn’t want to lose him like how we lost Garrett Whitlock… but now we’ll lose Lalane
That’s not true, he can be protected also.
Lalane is injury prone and has never pitched above A ball. I highly doubt he gets taken
Or if he is taken, he gets returned.
All future Hall Of Famers. Trade one of them for that Skenes guy. Next year is the Yankees year. Blablabla.
Jones is on the move I think. Grisham accepting the QO was the nail.
Don’t count out trading Jdom too. That is of course if they re-sign Belli or add some other OF
What r the Yanks gonna do with Jasson? He available?
Hopefully.
@seam
Why would he be available? he’s only 23, had a good rookie year LF is currently open and he could be kept a a 4th OF for a year. Let’s not act like it’s a crime to have too much talent. Injuries have a way of opening up spots. Look at Ben Rice when Stanton went down.
But you also have to note the number of injures. There likely are enough spots (unless the Yankees have something I don’t know) for the players even factoring injures. But if you have 7 outfielders, that’s a problem.
Maybe the Jones people in some crazy scheme to turn a profit made more than one. Aka wrong Jones
I didn’t know Jones could pitch.
Actually… I take that back. This Spencer Jones from Washington State can’t pitch either.
It’s crazy that the Rule 5 deadline is before the Non-Tender deadline. Seems like it makes way more sense to have them in reverse order. Now the Yanks are poised to lose multiple top 10 players from their minors because of spots being held by guys like Leiter Jr., Effross, etc. who are likely to be released in a few days.
Agreed the timing seems off, but they also should know who they’re non-tendering, so they likely aren’t planning to non-tender them.
Not sure why they didn’t keep Harrison Cohen.