The New York Yankees made one significant move during the MLB trade deadline, obtaining All-Star bat Jazz Chisholm Jr. It came without any of the Yankees’ best prospects having to be relocated, but there could be a reason for it.
New York made it obvious to parties before the MLB trade deadline that it did not want to move outfielder Jasson Dominguez. Similarly, outfield prospect Spencer Jones was thought to be off the table outside of trades involving a perennial All-Star with multiple seasons of contract control.
A multitude of issues prohibited New York from making a deal with players like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Garrett Crochet. The Toronto Blue Jays elected to keep Guerrero Jr., and Crochet’s salary demands significantly reduced his trade value.
Another aspect that may have influenced trade discussions is the perception of one of the Yankees’ top prospects.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Jones has recently been compared to Joey Gallo.
Spencer Jones stats (FanGraphs): .239/.326/.411, 12 home runs, 21 stolen bases, 54 RBIm .737 OPS, 10.9% walk rate, 37.2% strikeout rate in 393 plate appearances
Jones, who was widely regarded as one of the Yankees’ top prospects entering 2024, has seen his stock fall this season. He has spent the entire year at Double-A, where he has one of the highest strikeout rates among minor league everyday players.
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Gallo began his Major League Baseball career with the Texas Rangers on a high note. From 2017 to 2021, he has a.834 OPS with 161 home runs and a.497 SLG in 1,881 at-bats. However, he consistently had one of the greatest strikeout percentages in the MLB and never produced a batting average above.200 after the 2019 season.
Jones’ comparison to Gallo is especially alarming for the Yankees, since the former All-Star outfielder slashed.159/.291/.368 in 421 at-bats with the Yankees. If Jones lives up to the MLB analogy, the Yankees could be better off trading him this offseason.
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