The New York Yankees still remain in play for a formidable pitching piece as spring training inches closer. Apparently, the front office intends to exhaust all options ahead of the opening day. Having said that, the Bronx Bombers missed a big opportunity when they let the Baltimore Orioles steal Corbin Burnes.
Apparently, the Yankees approached Milwaukee Brewers for a trade involving former CY Young awardee Corbin Burnes. However, the Brewers asked for a top farm system prospect in return, which shunted the New York-based team away. Meanwhile, as per the latest rumors, the same prospect continues to be a roadblock in another trade potential involving a key White Sox starting pitcher.
Yankees Chooses Spencer Jones Over Dylan Cease!
After losing out on Corbin Burnes, the New York Yankees apparently pursued Dylan Cease from the Chicago White Sox as one of the final off-season moves. Cease went 7-9 with a 4.58 ERA and 214 strikeouts in the 2023 season. Not only that, but the ace starter missed out on the AL Cy Young award in 2022; he finished second behind Justin Verlander. Regardless, Cease continues to be a high-sought pitcher in the trade market. Meanwhile, the Bronx Bombers tried to trade Dylan initially into the off-season after they started to lose hope of landing Yoshinobu Yamamoto. However, the negotiations talks weren’t initiated by either of the parties until this month. As per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Yanks are still open to trade Dylan Cease.
However, the reluctance to trade back the No.1 farm system prospect, Spencer Jones, has posed as a big roadblock in this dream pursuit. Bob Nightengale clarified that the New York Yankees will not indulge in any trade that requires them to sacrifice prized prospect Jones. Interestingly, the Brewers also put together a similar ask for Corbin Burnes, which the Yanks ended up declining. And this marks the second instance this off-season wherein the Bombers have refused to sacrifice Spencer Jones. The 6-foot-6 slugger has drawn similarities from captain Aaron Judge with respect to his raw power and towering physique. Thus, the New York-based outfit seems keen on keeping Jones protected to secure the future generation of the franchise. But at the same time, the Yank’s resistance casts doubts on the front office’s early intentions of contesting for the World Series championship in 2024.
Spencer Jones Invited To Spring Training This Year!
Meanwhile, the New York Yankees are all set to test prized prospect Spencer Jones’ skill set and hitting power in the upcoming spring training. As per reports, Jones’ name has been listed amongst the list of several non-roster invitees for this year’s spring training session. The prospect currently ranks No.1 in the club’s farm system.
Moreover, he had a successful maiden pro baseball player season with Hudson Valley and Double-A. The scouts, in particular, are in awe of Spencer Jones’ athleticism and bat speed. Additionally, Jones is a left-handed hitter, which provides the Yanks with much-needed stability in the lineup going forward. But overall, Jones has a lot of hurdles to cross before dreaming of a major league debut.
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