Yankees invite pair of top prospects to Spring Training
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NEW YORK ¨C Spencer Jones and Chase Hampton, respectively the Yankees¡¯ top position player and pitching prospects, were among the players invited to Major League Spring Training on Tuesday.
Jones and Hampton headlined a group of 26 non-roster players invited to big league camp, increasing the number of players scheduled to report to 66. Yankees pitchers and catchers are set to report to Tampa, Fla., on Feb. 14, with the team¡¯s first full-squad workout slated for Feb. 20.
Jones, 22, was the Yankees¡¯ first-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft (25th overall). He is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Bombers¡¯ top prospect and the No. 84 prospect in all of baseball, having represented the club at last year¡¯s SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game in Seattle.
The left-handed hitting outfielder hit a combined .267/.336/.444 with 29 doubles, 16 homers and 66 RBIs in 117 games between High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset last season. Jones projects to open the ¡¯24 campaign at Double-A, where he played 17 games in 2023.
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Hampton, 22, was selected in the sixth round of the 2022 MLB Draft. MLB Pipeline rates Hampton as the Yankees¡¯ No. 4 prospect and the No. 92 prospect in baseball.
In his first pro season, the right-hander was a combined 4-3 with a 3.63 ERA in 20 starts for High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset, permitting 85 hits and 37 walks over 106 2/3 innings, with 145 strikeouts. Hampton ranked sixth among Yanks farmhands in strikeouts and ninth in innings.
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Other players ranked by MLB Pipeline within the Yankees¡¯ top 30 to receive non-roster invitations include catcher/first baseman Ben Rice (No. 21) and right-hander Will Warren (No. 8).
Additional invitees from within the organization included catcher Josh Breaux, infielder Jeter Downs, infielder Caleb Durbin, outfielder Oscar Gonz¨¢lez, outfielder Brandon Lockridge, and infielder T.J. Rumfield.
The Bombers also announced the signings of outfielder Greg Allen, left-hander Anthony Misiewicz and left-hander Tanner Tully, all of whom played with the organization during the ¡¯23 season.
Other Minor League deals included pacts with right-hander Nick Burdi, right-hander Yerry de los Santos, catcher J.C. Escarra, right-hander Joey Gerber, outfielder Luis Gonz¨¢lez, left-hander Oddanier Mosqueda, infielder/outfielder Jose Rojas, right-hander Dennis Santana, infielder Kevin Smith, catcher Luis Torrens, right-hander Duane Underwood Jr., infielder Josh VanMeter and right-hander Art Warren.