Yankees prospect Spencer Jones in similar mold as Aaron Judge

SEATTLE — Has Aaron Judge’s mere existence led the Yankees to their next Aaron Judge? The Yankees and Spencer Jones likely hope so.

Jones, the 6-foot-6 center fielder who acknowledged he has heard “a lot” of comparisons to the Yankees’ 6-7 superstar, is a rarity as a towering baseball player who spends his time in the outfield and not on the mound.

Typically, taller players gravitate toward pitching, in which their strength can translate into velocity. Conventional baseball wisdom says a taller batter will have a harder time finding a consistent and short swing: There are a lot of moving parts and long arms to whip through the strike zone.

But Judge, a 2013 first-round pick from California, grew into a superstar slugger as a mountain of a man.

The constant comparisons to the Yankees captain won’t help Jones, also a first-round pick (in 2022) and also from California, but maybe the presence of tall position players such as Judge will serve as some inspiration.

“It’s encouraging because there’s not a lot of guys our height that are out there running around playing every day,” Jones said Saturday before he went 0-for-1 with a walk as his American League team lost 5-0 to the National League in the All-Star Futures Game at T-Mobile Park. “Seeing somebody in our organization that’s able to do that and contribute, it’s special.”

Jones, who is the Yankees’ No. 3 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, has an .800 OPS with 10 home runs in 68 games with High-A Hudson Valley.

The former Vanderbilt star — who used to pitch, too, before 2020 Tommy John surgery — brings exceptional power but, unlike Judge, from the left side.

The biggest hole in Jones’ game to this point has been making consistent contact. Jones has struck out in 31.4 percent of his plate appearances this season and said he has been working on eliminating some uppercut from his swing.

In Jones’ first at-bat on the biggest stage for prospects, Jones struck out against Braves prospect Spencer Schwellenbach. He later drew a five-pitch walk against Mets prospect Mike Vasil.

“Just trying to find a consistent spot to launch from,” the 22-year-old said before the game. “In the past, [my swing] had a lot of loft, had a lot of swing and miss, very vertical bat through the zone. So we’re working on flattening it out. … Definitely made a lot of progress.”

His power and stature stand out, but Jones’ speed might surprise fans and opponents.

Jones, who also made a nice running grab to take away a potential extra-base hit from Phillies prospect Justin Crawford, has stolen 21 bases this season.

“I’ve always been fast. But I’ve never really had the tools as far as stealing bases,” said Jones, who credited Hudson Valley’s coaching and scouting reports.

Jones is honing an all-around game that he hopes to one day bring to The Bronx — and to the short porch for lefty sluggers. Jones, Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, who is 6-6, could form an all-power-forward outfield.

Jones said he met Judge during spring training and they talked briefly, appropriately while working out.

“Just little things,” Jones said of the tips Judge offered. “We were joking around the weight room that once you get to a certain size, it’s about moving right and not so much about strength. So it’s just little things like that.”

Judge’s advice can help. So can the fact that Judge has found a repeatable, powerful swing despite long limbs, which might inspire more giant position players.

The fact that Jones cannot escape the comparisons with Judge might not help, but he has tried to embrace it.

“It’s special,” Jones said of the never-ending comparisons. “He’s one of the best players in baseball.”