A few of the Yankees’ top prospects will be at major league spring training, including outfielder Spencer Jones and right-hander Chase Hampton.
While neither are shoo-ins to debut this season — the 22-year-olds haven’t played above Double-A yet — Jones is the Yankees’ No. 1 farmhand, according to MLB.com. Hampton is their top pitching prospect. The two are among 26 non-roster players receiving invites to big league camp.
The Yankees have invited 26 non-roster players to 2024 Major League Spring Training: pic.twitter.com/6GQOJtkYQZ
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) February 6, 2024
The 2023 season was Jones’ first full campaign as a pro after the Yankees used a first-round pick on the towering Vanderbilt product in 2022. A lefty-swinging center fielder with Aaron Judge’s height, Jones spent most of the year at High-A Hudson Valley while also getting 17 games in at Double-A Somerset.
Overall, Jones slashed .267/.336/.444 with 16 home runs, 66 RBI, 43 stolen bases, 49 walks and 155 strikeouts over 117 games.
“Organizationally, we’re really excited about his future,” Aaron Boone said last August. “It’s been a good first full year for him. And now, hopefully, as he climbs, he can finish off his season strong, but it’s been a successful year for him.”
Hampton spent his first pro season in the same places that Jones did. The 2022 sixth-round pick out of Texas Tech had a 4.98 ERA over 11 starts for Somerset and a 2.68 ERA over nine starts for Hudson Valley. He totaled a 3.63 ERA and 145 strikeouts over 20 starts and 106.2 innings.
While he still needs some experience, pitching coach Matt Blake has mentioned Hampton as one of the Yankees’ depth options for the rotation.
“I don’t know if it will be this year,” Blake recently told the Daily News, “but he’s obviously on the radar.”
As for other top prospects, the NRI group also includes right-hander Will Warren and power-hitting catcher Ben Rice. Blake suggested that Warren, 24, will debut this season after recording a 3.35 ERA over 129 innings last year, most of which came at Triple-A.
“I would think he’s definitely in the mix at some point this year,” Blake told The News. “Obviously, if health stays perfect for us, he may be the odd man out, but just with the way 162 games shake out, I’m sure his name will be called at some point.”
The Yankees have a few catchers on their 40-man roster, including Austin Wells, but the 24-year-old Rice hit .324 with 20 dingers across three levels last year. He’s yet to play at Triple-A, too.
While top prospects typically get the most attention when NRIs are announced, the Yankees’ group also includes some more experienced players vying for a big league job. That’s especially true of the relievers on the list, as names like Yerry de los Santos, Nick Burdi, Duane Underwood Jr. and Dennis Santana will try to show that they belong.
“That’s one that stands out from the initial get-go,” Blake said of de los Santos. “That’s a guy we’ve liked over the years. He fits the mold of guys that have had success coming over.”
Blake added that all of those pitchers “have a chance of impacting us at some point this year.”
The Yankees also have some experienced position players coming to camp, including Greg Allen, Jeter Downs, Luis González, Oscar González and Luis Torrens.
You can see the entire list of NRIs below:
RHP Nick Burdi, RHP Yerry de los Santos, C J.C. Escarra, OF Luis González, LHP Oddanier Mosqueda, INF/OF Jose Rojas, RHP Dennis Santana, INF Kevin Smith, C Luis Torrens, RHP Duane Underwood Jr., INF Josh VanMeter, OF Greg Allen, LHP Anthony Misiewicz, LHP Tanner Tully, C Josh Breaux, INF Jeter Downs, INF Caleb Durbin, OF Oscar González, RHP Chase Hampton, OF Spencer Jones, OF Brandon Lockridge, C Ben Rice, INF T.J. Rumfield, RHP Will Warren, RHP Joey Gerber and RHP Art Warren.
