Amid a series of expected moves, the New York Yankees have reassigned Jeter Downs, Caleb Durbin, Spencer Jones, and Brandon Lockridge to Minor League camp. The standout among them is Spencer Jones, a highly touted prospect and the Yankees’ first-round pick in 2022, ranked second-best within the organization by MLB.com. Despite an impressive showing in Spring Training, the chances of the 22-year-old making his debut in the 2024 regular season are slim due to the team’s deep outfield roster.

As Opening Day approaches, expect more reassignments as the Yankees trim their roster and prioritize playing time for their established starters.

Spencer Jones Headlines Group of Yankees’ Reassignments

The Yankees are gearing up their regular starters, intending to integrate them more frequently and for longer stretches in games as they prepare for Opening Day. This quartet of players wasn’t anticipated to crack the Major League roster, especially since only Brandon Lockridge and Jeter Downs boast Triple-A experience, and none are on the team’s 40-man roster. Spencer Jones is slated for Double-A with the Somerset Patriots due to his limited experience at that level, a sensible decision.

Relying on a small Spring Training sample to gauge a player’s abilities would be imprudent, and there’s ample time for Jones to refine his skills at the plate. Jeter Downs and Brandon Lockridge could serve as depth options in case of injuries, though promoting either would necessitate clearing a spot on the 40-man roster. Additionally, the Yankees’ previous designation of Jeter Downs for assignment during the offseason suggests he’s not high on their depth chart.

One intriguing aspect to monitor will be the placement of Caleb Durbin, who excelled with an OPS above .800 at Double-A and impressed in the Arizona Fall League during his inaugural year with the Yankees. There’s a possibility the Yankees may assign him to Triple-A, granting him exposure to the highest level of Minor League Baseball. Should he perform well in Triple-A, the 24-year-old could become a factor in the team’s infield, leveraging his versatile glove and contact-oriented batting style to impress the organization.

Both Durbin and Brandon Lockridge bring speed to the roster and could serve as valuable bench assets if they demonstrate consistent batting prowess at the Major League level. It appears that the Yankees might look to Oswald Peraza or seek an external addition for a reserve infielder, as they lack compelling internal options for the role. This storyline gains intrigue given the team’s previous interest in players like Enrique Hernandez and Gio Urshela, who have since signed with other MLB teams.

Over the next year or two, we may witness some of these names making their mark in the Bronx, with particular attention on Spencer Jones and his development. These decisions align with expectations, as the Yankees aim to avoid a scenario similar to last season, where they had to rely on waves of prospects to bolster their roster, ultimately finishing with a lackluster 82-80 record.