Yankees' Spencer Jones Explains Using Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani as Model for New Swing

If you're going to mimic somebody, it might as well be the best person in your profession.

The Athletic's Brendan Kuty detailed Tuesday how New York Yankees prospect Spencer Jones is modeling his swing off the Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani.

Both work from the left side of the plate, and the 6'4" Ohtani is close enough physically to Jones (6'7").

"The best guy with the toe-down swing is Ohtani," Jones told Kuty. "So it was just kind of looking at some of the moves that he does, lined up with some of the things that I'm trying to do."

The resemblance between the two is so strong that fans and broadcasters almost immediately picked up on it this spring. The way Jones taps his right toe before making a swing is a particularly noticeable trait.

Teammate Aaron Judge believes Jones' retooled swing could pay massive dividends.

"The minute he puts that foot down with that little toe-tap, he's ready to hit," the three-time American League MVP said to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. "They might have gotten him with a lot of high heaters in the past, or even last season. I think that's just going to help him."

Jones has displayed some impressive power in the minors. Between Double-A and Triple-A in 2025, he hit 35 home runs and slugged .571.

The 24-year-old has tended to whiff a lot, however. He has finished with 150-plus strikeouts in three straight seasons. Opposing pitching won't get any easier once he's a full-timer in the majors.

One downside of being taller is that it can take longer for Jones to get the bat through the zone. Couple that with a big swing, and he's always going to have more strikeouts than the average hitter.

But Judge had the same concerns as a prospect, and he steadily worked through those issues.

Adopting some of Ohtani's mannerisms in the batter's box might be what helps Jones unlock his full offensive potential.