- 11 months ago
New York Yankees Top Prospect Spencer Jones - Somerset Patriots
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00:00I remember we talked earlier this year in Hudson Valley.
00:03You were very focused on the task at hand there,
00:05but you were excited to get a chance to come up here at some point too.
00:07What did you have to work on, maybe especially in the second half of the year,
00:10to make sure you got up here?
00:13Just consistency, making sure I was getting prepared every day, that kind of thing.
00:17And the first full season of professional baseball is tough routine-wise,
00:22and learning about your body and all that stuff.
00:24So I just tried to nail down everything in that routine while I was in Hudson Valley.
00:28So when I got up here, it's just part of what I do.
00:31It seems like the K rate has come down, especially with maybe the last month or so too.
00:34I guess, how were you able to make that happen?
00:36Just intention and approach.
00:38You know, it's just for those things, it's like you got to be locked in every pitch,
00:42and I feel like I've done a much better job of that as late.
00:45Did you have to kind of shorten your swing or do anything with your mechanics
00:49to cut down on strikeouts at all?
00:51A little bit.
00:52I mean, it's just shorter path and moving efficiently.
00:55So some things were getting away from me, and it was just some conversations we had
00:59and just recognizing better pitches.
01:01What kind of goes to your mind over the weekend when you see Wells, Dominguez,
01:05and these guys go out contributing for the Yankees, you know,
01:07as young prospects that have been in the system just like you?
01:09I mean, what's going on to your mind?
01:10It's exciting.
01:11You know, everybody here is excited for them.
01:13And, you know, I didn't have the opportunity to play with those guys
01:16in the full season yet, but, you know, they're amazing players,
01:19and it's just cool to see those guys get the opportunity.
01:22Do you think that getting to the big leagues next year might be,
01:24or what's the goal for you?
01:26The goal for me is just always going to be healthy and stay consistent.
01:29So whatever happens, happens.
01:31I'm just going to go out and play.
01:33When you began the year in Hudson Valley,
01:34was this one of your kind of goals on your checklist
01:36to hopefully get to double A by the end of the year?
01:39Yeah, I mean, the goal is to win a championship
01:41at whatever level we're at.
01:42And, you know, the guys here, you know, we secured a playoff spot in Hudson,
01:46and then they decided it was time for me to come up here,
01:48and these guys want to win a championship, so that's what it's all about.
01:51Spencer, could you talk about that a little bit more,
01:53coming into a new team, you know, just a couple of days really
01:57before the playoffs or set to begin?
01:59What is the mindset going into that as you're trying to ingratiate yourself
02:02into a team but also make that push?
02:04Yeah, I mean, everybody here wants to win,
02:06and that was like the first thing I recognized when I got into the locker room.
02:09Everybody's so focused on that one goal and winning another championship.
02:11So I know how much it means to all these guys.
02:13And then coming into a, you know, a culture and a team of, you know,
02:16really good players that want to win every single day,
02:18it's something to look forward to.
02:20Dominguez, you passed him on the MLB pipeline for number one recently,
02:25I guess the summer.
02:27Did you notice that, that that means something to you,
02:29that people were noticing that as a great a prospect he is,
02:32that people were looking at you and saying you deserve that top spot?
02:36I mean, I just feel like we're all good players, you know,
02:38and the media stuff is something that's, it's cool,
02:41it's cool to be recognized, but what matters is that on the field
02:44and just going to go out and play.
02:46Where do you think your biggest growth has been so far
02:49in this first full season?
02:51I feel like defensively, I've grown a lot.
02:53I haven't really spent that much time in center field before this year,
02:55and then I feel like my athleticism and jumps and reads are all getting better.
02:59So I think that's something I've made the biggest strides on.
03:02Spencer, when you hit that grand slam here, your first home run,
03:05in double-A, what would that mean to you and how good a feeling was that?
03:10It was special because, you know, at that point,
03:12we hadn't lost any game since I was there,
03:13and I just had a feeling that the team was going to come back
03:15and find a way to win, and to be a part of that was, you know, really special.
03:19Still early, but just from an adjustment standpoint,
03:22facing double-A pitching, has there been anything you've had to do in your game?
03:25Yeah, I mean, there's, you know, there's tons of good arms out here.
03:28Everybody's, you know, that much closer to the big leagues
03:30and guys are, you know, hungry and want to go out and play.
03:33And, you know, competition's, you know, a little bit stiffer,
03:35and guys are really good.
03:36And for me, it's just, you know, doubling down on my approach,
03:39talking to the guys and becoming a better hitter through them.
03:42And there was an article that referenced someone calling you
03:45the left-handed Aaron Judge.
03:47When you hear you're getting prepared to the AL MVP
03:52to have a historic season, I mean, and you're in the same organization,
03:55how do you balance that with trying to stay in the moment?
03:58I mean, it's really cool.
04:00It's something that, you know, my parents and grandparents love.
04:02They think it's the greatest thing ever.
04:04But for me, it's like, you know, I have my own skill set,
04:07and there's things I need to focus on and work on, you know,
04:09to become my own player.
04:10So I'm just focused on that for now.
04:12Do you take any pride in seeing this, you know,
04:15you being the third number one Yankees prospect
04:17to come through Somerset here, the success that the other two have had
04:21and kind of you're creating maybe a little bit of a lineage,
04:24if it would be, from Somerset here to the big leagues?
04:27Yeah, I mean, all these players here are really good,
04:30and it's just every single, I feel like every single year,
04:32they're churning out really, really good players.
04:34And so just to know that I'm in a strong spot for development,
04:37and I'm around a lot of coaches and players that can, you know,
04:40ultimately help me get to bigger and better things in the future,
04:43it's really inspiring.
04:45How would you sum up your season so far?
04:47What are you happy with and what are you not happy with?
04:50I'm happy the most just playing every day, you know what I mean?
04:53That was the biggest thing at the beginning of the year.
04:55And, you know, making all these relationships with teammates.
04:58I didn't know how my body was going to hold up and all that stuff.
05:01And, you know, get to this point in the season and be healthy,
05:03that's, you know, a big thing for me.
05:05And then otherwise than that, it's just like I feel like I've struggled
05:08with some consistency mentally, you know, approaching the game the right way
05:11and all that.
05:12So that's some things I need to work on and iron out this offseason.
05:15Is the pitching at these levels a lot better than college than you expected?
05:19You knew the pitching was going to be better.
05:21Are there pitchers doing certain things that you now say,
05:23man, I never imagined that they could do this with the ball?
05:26Have you gone through some of that?
05:28I mean, yeah, there's like a million different looks that you can get out there
05:31on the mound.
05:32You know, in college I feel like a lot of guys throw in similar ways
05:34and it's fairly repeatable and then you get into professional baseball
05:37and there's, you know, guys that all move differently
05:40and, you know, the ball comes out of their hand extremely well.
05:42So it's just adjusting to, you know, different looks and all that.
05:45At this level, how does the analytics at this level compare
05:49to what you experienced previously?
05:51And how do you digest all that?
05:53I know some guys love it, drink it in.
05:55Some guys say just spare you.
05:57Yeah, I mean, I feel like analytics are, you know,
05:59really important for development.
06:00But, you know, it's to an extent.
06:02You know, you can't bog your mind down with all that stuff.
06:04And like I use a lot of this stuff on the defense and base running side.
06:07I really like it.
06:08And then on the scouting report side, it's, you know, really important.
06:11So I'm still learning how to balance it and see what I like
06:14and what I don't like.
06:15And, you know, throughout this year it's been just learning,
06:18learning more than anything.
06:20What would you say has been a highlight for you this year?
06:22And what's something important about your game?
06:25Um, off the top of my head, I can't think of any highlights.
06:29I've just been playing and having fun and staying in the moment.
06:32But what was the second part of that?
06:35Something important about your game, maybe it's development this year.
06:38Right.
06:39The thing I've learned about my development and all that is like,
06:42you know, I'm a really good athlete.
06:43I just got to go out there and put it on the field and let it play.
06:47With what you were doing this year in Hudson Valley,
06:49were you kind of getting to a point where you were starting to wonder
06:51when it was going to happen, when the call was going to come?
06:53No, not at that point.
06:55It was just, we were just going out and playing
06:57and we wanted, you know, the team to be successful
06:59because we had that playoff spot.
07:00So it was just about, you know, going out there and playing and going for it.
07:04If you wondered how this is going to play out,
07:06when you have time alone, you say, okay,
07:09Judge is going to be in right field for the next how many years?
07:12You got Dominguez who's part of the future.
07:14There's you as the number one prospect.
07:15There's Pereira.
07:16There's only three outpoles.
07:17Just a bit.
07:18If you wondered, I'd say, well,
07:20it's going to be interesting to see what they do with, you know,
07:23the franchise plus three really big prospects.
07:26How is this going to play out?
07:28Did you ever just sit there and say,
07:30boy, it's going to be interesting to see what happens?
07:32No, not really.
07:34I mean, for me, it's like I'm just going to become the best player I can
07:36and, you know, hopefully just, like, make my way up on the field someday,
07:41you know?
07:42So just play for it.
07:44Is it hard not to do that at all?
07:45Is it hard to have that mindset?
07:46You guys always talk about being where your feet are and all that stuff.
07:48Is it hard to have that mindset and not, you know,
07:50putting the TV on and watching the Yankees games and kind of daydreaming
07:53with you today?
07:54Right.
07:55Well, that's something I feel like I've really learned around these guys.
07:57So these guys know how to approach it the right way.
07:59And they've been here and they've, you know, played a lot of games
08:01and they're experienced.
08:02And it's just easy to see and to learn from, you know, great leaders
08:06like they have on this team.
08:07Who kind of stands out for you in that regard maybe since you've been up here
08:10and kind of guys you've maybe leaned on about those leadership roles?
08:12Yeah, so far I lived with Mickey Gasper in Portland.
08:16He's a great guy.
08:17You know, Mickey, Trey, Max Bird, those guys, Tori Alba,
08:22those are all really well-spoken, like, consistent, prepared athletes.
08:27You know what I mean?
08:28And they go out there and they want to compete and they want to win.
08:30Is it exciting to see that the Yankees appear to be saying,
08:34hey, we're going to turn to the future here?
08:36No, I know you said you're happy to see those guys,
08:38but the fact that they had some struggles this year and they're saying,
08:42hey, let's play kids all over the place.
08:44I think they did that in 2016 and three or four guys went in.
08:48It shows you that if you play well, they'll find a spot for you.
08:54It happened, but four guys were caught up in the last three weeks.
08:57Yeah, I mean, it's exciting.
08:59You know, it makes you feel like, you know, there's opportunity
09:02and you just got to go out there and face it.
09:03A lot of these guys are excited about those things
09:05and whatever happens, happens.
09:07And we're all just excited for what's going on.
09:10A few weeks ago, we got Drew Forth up here.
09:11He said you guys felt a good relationship in Hudson Valley.
09:14Could you just share a little about just off the field,
09:17what you guys have kind of shared together
09:19and then just what do you think of him as a prospect in general as a pitcher?
09:21Yeah, he's the man.
09:22You know, I mean, I lived with him.
09:24I met him at the draft combine.
09:25So before we were drafted with the Yankees
09:27and we totally hit it off before then.
09:29And just cool to be in the same organization
09:31and then we were roommates to start the year in Hudson Valley.
09:33And, you know, we just had fun.
09:35I'm a big conversation guy with him and just try and joke around
09:38and do whatever and he loves it.
09:40So, I mean, we have our fun and do whatever.
09:43He's a great guy and, you know, on the baseball field
09:46he's an incredible competitor.
09:48He's, you know, one of those guys that I've, you know,
09:50played with some, I feel like some pretty good pitchers in college
09:52and wherever, but it's like with him it's different.
09:55Like he wants to go out there compete.
09:56He doesn't want to give up any runs
09:57and he just wants to leave it all out there every week.
09:59After the draft this year,
10:01Damon Oppenheimer did a conference call with us
10:03and he was saying they drafted a two-way player
10:06and in the past the Yankees really didn't embrace that
10:09and they said, you know what, that's changing in the game
10:12and we're going to let this kid do it.
10:14You used to pitch, when you hear that, do you miss pitching?
10:17Is there a part of you that wishes to say, you know,
10:19maybe down the road sometime if I can, you know,
10:22not necessarily be Otani, Otani's Otani,
10:24but do you ever wish that maybe you could try it again?
10:28Like a little bit with age and a more mature body, I'm like,
10:32oh, I wonder what would have happened if my arm stayed healthy, you know?
10:35But other than that, it's like, you know, these pitchers are all really good.
10:38They're all really focused and to know what they do
10:40and know what they put their body through, like their bodies through
10:43and how they go play.
10:45I like playing outfield.
10:46I like going to go catch the ball for them,
10:48but pitching's not something I'm worried about for now.
10:51That was a dream when you were in high school at one point though, was it?
10:53It was, yeah.
10:54But some things happened and had to move on from it, so.
10:58What's it been like developing a relationship with Jake Hurst
11:01and, you know, just working with him?
11:03It's only been a week, but what's that been like for you?
11:05Oh, Jake's great.
11:06I was in touch with him this offseason.
11:08He was the guy I was working with hitting stuff
11:11and, you know, he's super easygoing, like, understands.
11:14I feel like he understands the game.
11:16He loves to listen.
11:17He likes to know how you work and that kind of thing.
11:19And that's the biggest thing for a coach is, you know,
11:21being open to whatever you got.
11:24Who was your hero as a kid baseball player?
11:27As a kid in San Diego, it was Adrian Gonzalez.
11:32He was the man for a little bit there.
11:34And then I liked watching Josh Hamilton when he was with the Rangers.
11:39I thought he had, you know, really smooth swing
11:41and was always a fan of him.
11:42It feels like it's been one big snowball.
11:44It's kind of been rolling downhill with the Futures game
11:46and getting called up and all this stuff.
11:47It's kind of dealing with all the attention that's been around you this year.
11:49What's that kind of been like for you?
11:51It's fun more than anything, you know.
11:53As, like, a young kid and as a player, it's, like, kind of what you dream about
11:56is, you know, talking to people and people being interested in what you're doing.
11:59And it's been pretty cool so far.
12:01So I'm excited to see what's to come out of it
12:03and what the future looks like and all that.
12:05But for me, it's, you know, it's just about playing and being with the team
12:09and then all the other stuff, you know, you can do on your own.
12:12So you're closing in on 40 steals.
12:14You got 35 right now.
12:15What's some stuff you're doing to maximize your speed training
12:18and it's just so incredible how you can steal at that size?
12:20Oh, yeah, I love stealing bases.
12:22That's one of the other things this year.
12:24It's like I've gotten way better at it.
12:26And, you know, I give all the credit to all the base running coaches,
12:29Tellarico, Woods, Hudson Valley, and then Bossy here.
12:32They're, you know, incredible coaches and they know how to teach it.
12:35And for me, it was just about getting the parts moving right, you know.
12:39And for me, like, I really, really want 40 bases.
12:42Did you play basketball or any other sports in high school?
12:46No, no other sports in high school.
12:48I always wanted to run track and field, but it just didn't work out with baseball.
12:51Did you play baseball the whole time?
12:52I played, like, football and stuff when I was younger and then basketball in middle school.
12:57And I'll be honest, I'm not the best basketball player.
13:00Did someone try to co-tune to sticking with basketball just for your size?
13:04No, I could never figure out how to run and dribble at the same time.
13:07Your size, you could just dunk.
13:09Yeah, that was post moves mostly.
13:12Mostly.
13:13So.
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